The Boy Travellers in the Far East [Part First]: Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Japan and ChinaKnox, Thomas Wallace
General
The Boy Travellers in the Far East [Part First]: Adventures of Two Youths in a Journey to Japan and China
Knox, Thomas Wallace
China -- Description and travel -- Juvenile literature; Japan -- Description and travel -- Juvenile literature
Near the archery grounds there was a collection of so-called wax-works,
and the Doctor paid the entrance-fees for the party to the show. These
wax-works consist of thirty-six tableaux with life-size figures, and are
intended to represent miracles wrought by Ku-wanon, the goddess of the
temple. They are the production of one artist, who had visited the
temples devoted to Ku-wanon in various parts of Japan, and determined to
represent her miracles in such a way as to instruct those who were
unable to make the pilgrimage, as he had done. One of the tableaux shows
the goddess restoring to health a young lady who has prayed to her;
another shows a woman saved from shipwreck, in consequence of having
prayed to the goddess; in another a woman is falling from a ladder, but
the goddess saves her from injury; in another a pious man is saved from
robbers by his dog; and in another a true believer is overcoming and
killing a serpent that sought to do him harm. Several of the groups
represent demons and fairies, and the Japanese skill in depicting the
hideous is well illustrated. One of them shows a robber desecrating the
temple of the goddess; and the result of his action is hinted at by a
group of demons who are about to carry him away in a cart of iron, which
has been heated red-hot, and has wheels and axles of flaming fire. He
does not appear overjoyed with the free ride that is in prospect for
him. These figures are considered the most remarkable in all Japan, and
many foreign visitors have pronounced them superior to the celebrated
collection of Madame Tussaud in London. Ku-wanon is represented as a
beautiful lady, and in some of the figures there is a wonderfully gentle
expression to her features.
Asakusa is famous for its flower-shows, which occur at frequent
intervals, and, luckily for our visitors, one was in progress at the
time of their pilgrimage to the temple. The Japanese are great lovers of
flowers, and frequently a man will deprive himself of things of which he
stands in actual need in order to purchase his favorite blossoms. As in
all other countries, the women are more passionately fond of floral
productions than the men; and when a flower-show is in progress, there
is sure to be a large attendance of the fairer sex. Many of these
exhibitions are held at night, as a great portion of the public are
unable to come in the daytime on account of their occupations. At night
the place is lighted up by means of torches stuck in the ground among
the flowers, and the scene is quite picturesque.
[Illustration: A JAPANESE FLOWER-SHOW. NIGHT SCENE.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account