Though the monuments of Camboja are well preserved the grey and massive severity which marks them at present is probably very different from the appearance that they wore when used for worship. From Chou Ta-kuan and other sources[327] we gather that the towers and porches were gilded, the bas-reliefs and perhaps the whole surface of the walls were painted, and the building was ornamented with flags. Music and dances were performed in the courtyards and, as in many Indian temples, the intention was to create a scene which by its animation and brilliancy might amuse the deity and rival the pleasures of paradise. It is remarkable that ancient Camboja which has left us so many monuments, produced no books[328]. Though the inscriptions and Chou Ta-kuan testify to the knowledge of literature (especially religious), both Brahmanic and Buddhist, diffused among the upper classes, no original works or even adaptations of Indian originals have come down to us. The length and ambitious character of many inscriptions give an idea of what the Cambojans could do in the way of writing, but the result is disappointing. These poems in stone show a knowledge of Sanskrit, of Indian poetry and theology, which is surprising if we consider how far from India they were composed, but they are almost without exception artificial, frigid and devoid of vigour or inspiration. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 242: See among other authorities: (_a_) E. Aymonier, _Le Cambodge_, Paris, 3 vols. 1900, 1904 (cited as Aymonier). (_b_) A. Barth, _Inscriptions Sanscrites du Cambodge (Notices et extraits des MSS. de la Bibliot. Nat._), Paris, 1885 (cited as _Corpus_, I.). (_c_) A. Bergaigne, _Inscriptions Sanscrites de Campâ et du Cambodge_ (in same series), 1893 (cited as _Corpus_, II.). (_d_) L. Finot, "Buddhism in Indo-China," _Buddhist Review_, Oct. 1909. (_e_) G. Maspéro, _L'Empire Khmèr, Phnom Penh_, 1904 (cited as Maspéro). (_f_) P. Pelliot, "Mémoires sur les Coutumes de Cambodge par Tcheou Ta-kouan, traduits et annotés," _B.E.F.E.O._ 1902, pp. 123-177 (cited as Pelliot, _Tcheou Ta-kouan_). (_g_) _Id._ "Le Founan," _B.E.F.E.O._ 1903, pp. 248-303 (cited as Pelliot, _Founan_). (_h_) Articles on various inscriptions by G. Coedès in _J.A._ 1908, XI. p. 203, XII. p. 213; 1909, XIII. p. 467 and p. 511. (_i_) _Bulletin de la Commission Archéologique de l'Indochine_, 1908 onwards. (_j_) _Le Bayon d'Angkor Thom, Mission Henri Dufour_, 1910-1914. Besides the articles cited above the _Bulletin de l'Ecole Française d'Extrême Orient_ (quoted as _B.E.F.E.O._) contains many others dealing with the religion and archaeology of Camboja. (_k_) L. Finot, _Notes d'Epigraphie Indo-Chinoise_, 1916. See for literature up to 1909, G. Coedès, _Bibliothèque raisonnée des travaux relatifs à l'Archéologie du Cambodge et du Champa_. Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 1909.]