Although the bonzes, with clasped hands and downcast eyes, assumed the most devout attitudes, and chanted their vespers in most imploring accents, still many of them were more intent upon looking at their visitors, and appeared to be more interested in them than in their evening orisons. Nor could we observe any appearance of real solemnity in the officiating priests, who, on rising from their knees, and while taking off their yellow robes and other trappings, fell right merrily to chatting and laughing. Most of the invocation consisted of a repetition of the words, “_Omito fuh_,” (_Amida Buddha_,) or, “Buddha, have mercy upon us;” which reminded us of the words of our Saviour. (Matt. vi. 7.) In another building beyond the grand presence-chamber of Buddha, a marble monument is erected to the Goddess of Mercy, in which there is said to be a relic of Buddha.[27] A twisted pagoda-like shaft surmounts a pedestal of extraordinary massiveness, upon which the goddess is sculptured. We were told by one of the priests that this monument--which is more like the workmanship of India than China--was brought from Siam. Tablets, commemorative of those who have given to the temple, are set up at various points in the cloisters of all the monasteries dedicated to the worship of Buddha. Tablets, also, containing apothegms from Confucius, are set into the walls bordering this cloister; and here may be seen the “sacred hogs,” which, having been presented as offerings by some of the worshippers, have an apartment appropriated to them, where they are kept and cared for as long as they live. After death the remains of the priests are disposed of by cremation. The bodies are burned in a little stone-building, put up expressly for this purpose in the cemetery which adjoins the garden. In a line with the arched doorway of this building there is a grave-like excavation of about a foot in depth, where the fire is made; and an iron grate to receive the body is placed two or three feet above it. Small orifices in the back wall, together with the doorway, answer for the escape of the smoke; and the blackened wall and roof, directly over the arch, gave evidence that the building had been much used. The ashes of the dead having been deposited in earthen jars, are placed in another small building within the grounds; and if not taken by relatives, after a reasonable length of time, to be buried among their kindred, are finally interred in the cemetery.