The God Of Thunder Is Painted Red, With Purple
Hair On End, And Stands On Clouds Holding Thunderbolts In His
Hand.
More steps, and another gate containing the Tenno, or gods of the
four quarters, boldly carved and in strong
Action, with long eye-
teeth, and at last the principal temple is reached. An old priest
who took me over it on my first visit, on passing the gods of wind
and thunder said, "We used to believe in these things, but we don't
now," and his manner in speaking of the other deities was rather
contemptuous. He requested me, however, to take off my hat as well
as my shoes at the door of the temple. Within there was a gorgeous
shrine, and when an acolyte drew aside the curtain of cloth of gold
the interior was equally imposing, containing Buddha and two other
figures of gilded brass, seated cross-legged on lotus-flowers, with
rows of petals several times repeated, and with that look of
eternal repose on their faces which is reproduced in the commonest
road-side images. In front of the shrine several candles were
burning, the offerings of some people who were having prayers said
for them, and the whole was lighted by two lamps burning low. On a
step of the altar a much-contorted devil was crouching uneasily,
for he was subjugated and, by a grim irony, made to carry a massive
incense-burner on his shoulders. In this temple there were more
than a hundred idols standing in rows, many of them life-size, some
of them trampling devils under their feet, but all hideous, partly
from the bright greens, vermilions, and blues with which they are
painted.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 76 of 417
Words from 20886 to 21171
of 115002
