arcus. By Henry Doré, S, J., Translated from the French—with notes, historical and explanatory by M, Kennelly, S. J., Second Part the Chinese. Pantheon. Profusely Mustrated. Vol. VII. Tusewei Printing Press. Shanghai, 1922.
A mere look at this volume commands it to the reader. Strongly and tastefully bound, printed in clear type on heavy paper, the book presents a pleasing appearance wich whets the appetite to inquire within, Here are 497 pages with 20 Articles or Chapters, and the volume continues the Buddhist Pantheon, and deals with the Buddha of the underworld—the great Earth-god, Ti Tsang-wang who is supposed to deliver the soul from Hades. In connexion, with this deity 1s a vivid description of the infernal regions, its 10 demon rulers, administration, tortures, duration, the city of suicides, the broth of oblivion administered before returning to a new phase of existence, Marachi, goddess of the dawn, who has been transformed into a genius by the Taoists even the sex being changed. The chapter on the Arhats or Lohans is an improvement on Watter's "The Is Lohan of Chinese Buddhist temples." The original number.(chang ed from 16 to 18) and place in Chinese art of these semi-historical beings, are fully described. Mention should also be made of the 10 female Arhats of the Avadana-Sataka. The reader will find the Chapters on the Four Makarajas or Great Heavenly Kings," The six Patriarchs of Chinese Buddhism,'' and numerous other Buddhist worthies such as the monk who lived on Langshan or Wolf Hill ('Tungchow), the lazy glutton, the priest who crossed rivers on his begging bow] and the bonze who, through his knowledge of philosophy, became the teacher of a god, of great delight.
This is enough to show that these "Researches" are a valuable contribution to our knowledge of the Buddhist cult in China especially in the Yangtze valley: and adds immensely to our fund of information about the Buddhism which so vitally affects Chinese society and life to-day. Such a work required a vast amount of research not only in China but in India and Japan,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.