Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China During the years 1844-5-6. Volume 2Huc, Evariste Régis
General
Travels in Tartary, Thibet, and China During the years 1844-5-6. Volume 2
Huc, Evariste Régis
Asia, Central -- Description and travel; China -- Description and travel; Tibet Autonomous Region (China) -- Description and travel
a limb, as decidedly flat. One representation of the play, therefore,
amply sufficed for us, and we went about admiring the bas-reliefs.
[Picture: The Grand Lama of Kounboum]
Whilst we were examining a group of devils, as grotesque, at all events,
as those of Callot, we heard behind us a tremendous flourish of trumpets
and marine conchs, and, upon inquiry, were informed that the Grand Lama
was issuing forth from his sanctuary to visit the flowers. We desired
nothing better, for the Grand Lama of Kounboum was a great object of
curiosity with us. He soon reached the place where we stood. He walked
in the centre of the principal dignitaries of the Lamasery, preceded by
minor Lamas, who cleared the way with great black whips. This Living
Buddha appeared to us to be, at the outside, forty years old, he was of
ordinary size, with a very flat and very common face, and of a very dark
complexion. As he passed on he gave a vague glance at the bas-reliefs;
when he saw that fine face of Buddha so repeatedly presented to his
observation, he must, we thought, have said to himself that by dint of
transmigrations he had dolefully degenerated from his original type. If
the person of the Grand Lama, however, did not particularly strike us,
his costume did, for it was strictly that of our own bishops: he bore on
his head a yellow mitre, a long staff in the form of a cross was in his
right hand, and his shoulders were covered with a mantle of purple
coloured silk, fastened on the chest with a clasp, and in every respect
resembling a cope. Hereafter we shall have occasion to point out
numerous analogies between the Roman Catholic worship and the Lamanesque
ceremonies.
The spectators generally appeared to give very slight heed to their
Living Buddha, their attention being much more closely applied to the
Buddhas in butter, which, in truth, were much better worth looking at.
The Tartars alone manifested any tokens of devotion; they clasped their
hands, bowed their heads in token of respect, and seemed quite afflicted
that the pressure of the crowd prevented them from prostrating themselves
at full length.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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