This journey furnishes an illustration of the intelligent earnestness of the Chinese Buddhists of this period. From the years 420 A.D. to 451, the Buddhists suffered opposition on the part of the ruling Tartar family of the Wei dynasty. In the year 526 A.D., the famous Bodhidharma came to Canton. He was received with great honor at the court of the Emperor of Southern China. The emperor said to him: “From my accession to the throne, I have been incessantly building temples, transcribing sacred books, and admitting new monks to take the vows. How much merit may I be supposed to have accumulated?” The reply was: “None.” The emperor: “And why no merit?” The patriarch: “All this is but the insignificant effect of an imperfect cause not complete in itself. It is the shadow that follows the substance, and is without real existence.” The emperor: “Then what is true merit?” The patriarch: “It consists in purity and enlightenment, depth and completeness, and in being wrapped in thought while surrounded by vacancy and stillness. Merit such as this cannot be sought by worldly means.” The emperor: “Which is the most important of the holy doctrines?” The patriarch: “Where all is emptiness, nothing can be called ‘holy’ (_shing_).” The emperor: “Who is he that thus replies to me?” The patriarch: “I do not know.” The emperor--says the Buddhist narrator--still remained unenlightened. [Illustration: CHINESE SALE OF PRAYERS, CONDUCTED BY THE PRIESTS.] [Illustration: PORCELAIN TOWER AT NANKING, CHINA.]