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0569 Across Asia : vol.1
Across Asia : vol.1 / Page 569 (Grayscale High Resolution Image)

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[Photo] The Matsua sy temple at Labrang, from the east.

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doi: 10.20676/00000221
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RECORDS OF THE JOURNEY

The Matsua sy temple at Labrang, from the east.

tings of fine workmanship. — Close to the river there was a Suburgan tower, parts of which were beautiful gilt bronze. This was undergoing repair at the time and a crowd of young Tanguts were busy digging and carting earth to the accompaniment of singing.

The next temple we visited was closed and we could not find any watchman. In the next one, slightly lower than the first, »Tungshikh», a very large image, well made of gilt clay or bronze, was seated facing the door. Very beautiful standing images of bronze were placed on shelves behind him, as though forming a semicircular frame. Large bronze images, representing the same »Tungshikh», but in different garb and also in a sitting posture, stood on the right and left of the principal figure. The back wall was occupied by niches of various size with bronze figures of i /2 —I m in height of beautiful workmanship, the side walls by smaller bronze images in innumerable niches. Besides, there were the same ornaments in front of the altar, dark coloured silk ribbons hanging from the roof, etc.

In a third temple »Djukung» was seated, three times as large as life. Two bronze figures, about life-size, with sticks and decorated with many silk ribbons stood before him. On the right there was the same Djukung in a niche and on the left Göndsja, both of gilt bronze, life-size, in a standing posture. The side walls were decorated with standing bronze images of the same size, placed in niches, and the back wall with small bronze images, seated, in niches.

The door of the next temple was closed in my face and all blandishments proved unavailing. A large number of lamas collected to watch my departure and showed their hostility in various ways. Three old lamas were walking round the temple, murmuring prayers and fingering their rosaries. While we remained there, they continued to make the circuit unceasingly, draped in their togas and looking like shades sent to guard the entrance to their holy of holies. — An attempt to enter another temple had no better success.

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