IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| Cathay and the Way Thither : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
FRIAR OI)ORIC. 109
big as St. Christopher might be.' I went thither at the hour fixed for feeding their idols, that I might witness it ; and the fashion thereof is this : All the dishes which they offer to be eaten are piping hot so that the smoke riseth up in the face of the idols, and this they consider to be the idols' refection. But all else they keep for themselves and gobble up. And after such fashion as this they reckon that they feed their gods well.
The place is one of the best in the world, and that as regards its provision for the body of man. Many other things indeed might be related of this place, but I will not write more about them at present.
31. The friar telleth of the city Fuzo and its marvels ; also of rare
fashions of fishing.
Thence I passed eastward to a certain city called Fuzo,3 which hath a compass of good thirty miles. And here be
But most of these were small. The monastery visited by Odoric at Zaitun, or Thsivancheu, was probably that called the Water-Lily, founded in the eighth century and still magnificent, boasting two great seven-storied towers. (See Chine Moderne, p. 117.)
1 The picture of St. Christopher, that is of a man of giant-like stature, bearing upon his shoulders our Saviour Christ, and with a staff in his hand wading through the water, is known unto children, common over all Europe, not only as a sign unto houses, but is described in many churches, and stands colossus-like in the entrance of Nôtre Dame." (Sir T. Brown, Vulgar Errors, ii, 52.)
St. Christopher, I suppose, may be taken at nine to twelve feet high. But many of the Chinese Buddhas are from thirty to forty feet in height.
2 The principal hall in the house was set in order, a large table was placed in the centre, and shortly afterwards covered with small dishes filled with the various articles commonly used as food by the Chinese. All these were of the very best .... Candles were lighted, and columns of smoke and fragrant odours began to rise from the incense which was burning on the table .... By and bye, when the gods were supposed to have finished their repast, all the articles of food were removed from the table, cut up, and consumed by people connected with the family." Fortune's Three Years Wanderings, p. 190.)
3 Undoubtedly Fucheu, capital of Fokien province, one of the most wealthy and populous cities in China.
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