In a number of the niches, however, the major tortures characteristic of the representation of these "hells" in some Buddhist temples (1 am thinking of the excruciating depictions in the felty temple of Yushan, Chekiang) were not shown in detail. On the other hand several of the crimes for Which particular "hells" were designed a5 punishment were therein shown action. For instance, within one fiche a sedan chair bearing a man-arm was in process of being "eld up by a couple of very convincing yuMans armed—believe it or not—with Imitation Mauser pistols, One of the chair-carriers, looking "indeed surprised, was in the aet of falling to the Jeround: one can imagine his bemusement at such a rude and foreign fate, when he had no doubt been slain in digninea fashion by a bandit's spear in' the previous conventional representations for these many centuries. As a matter of fact, the anachtenous intrusions of foreign costume and acfcoutrements (mainly martial, signif Jeantly enough) gave a bizarre tinge fo the scenes, a flavour which could not have been attained by a double Jportion of quaininess along precedent ines.
The Sulclde "Hi Another "hell" had as" its most prominent figure a well-dressed {Eentleman who was arrogantly thrust ing a sword into his own stomach: suicide was evidently the sin in auestion. Our party. after a minute oF two. of contemplation of one scene, would nudge a way through the crowd, which always appeared to be going. the wrong" way, whichever Giréetion we took, until we reached another niche.
"Among the sinners we recognized the gaunt opium-smoker, the adulteress (the only woman depicted in all the "hells"), certain types of robbers, jgamblers—in fact, all ramifications of the seven cardinal sins were present, the modern aspects being by no means neglected. Much of the detail and Jsymbotlsm of the scenes was lost upon the Inexperionced members of our party, and we were all bewildered by the complexity and variety of the representations in which at least 500 manniking were displayed. Dante him-rolf would have been dismayed in this. thronged ball with Its double rank of Rrotesque tribunals, By this time we found ourselves at the end of the hall opposite from that fof our entrance. At the position cor-Fesponding to the altar of this "eatheral" was a raised platform upon which drably robed monks and nuns were performing intercessionary ceremonies. The nuns had completely-shaven heads, with Utfle blue cloth circlets relieving the aridity of their
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.