consideration is necessary to understand the rhythm of Chinese culture. We are reminded of the system of Pythagoras, in which numbers represent the intelligence of the world. His system may be explained and understood by the Chinese system which I shall designate as the cosmogonic numbers.

The pagodas, that stand out as isolated columns, are well adapted to represent the number 4 of the gods, or that of 8 or 16. Their interior always contains an image of a Buddha or a sacred memorial of him that embodies the conception of the world, and around which the other gods are merely grouped.

A marble pagoda in Canton, erected about the middle of the eighteenth century, has four sides,

on each of which, indicating the four cardinal directions, there are the great Bodhisatvas riding a lion, an elephant, or other symbolical animal.

Another beautiful pagoda is on the island of Pů-to-shan. It was built at the latest during the Ming dynasty, and it is a clear, vigorous presentation of the rhythmic number of Buddhas on its four sides.

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The octagonal great pagoda in T'ien-ning-sze at Peking, dating from the Mongolian period, is covered with large reliefs in stucco, and is highly ornamented with elaborately FIG. 4.-Reception hall, with large sofa, four tables, and sculptured tiles. The small

eight seats.

entablature carriers are very natural, carrying cornices after the manner of Atlants.

Sometimes four pagodas surround a central pagoda. The Emperor K'ien-lung in 1793 built an imposing group in memory of Panchen Erdeni Lama, who died while on a visit in Peking. It is entirely of marble and very elaborately covered with ornamentations and sculpture. The central structure is on a high terrace surrounded by four small octagonal columns. The rhythm of the numbers is repeatedly represented in its relation to religion. The most important of these marble pagodas is that at the temple of Pi-yün-sze, previously mentioned as one of the most beautiful temples in China. It is situated near Peking, in the western hills, with numerous other temples that

form, as it were, a glorious crown for the capital of the Empire. The approaches to the pagoda, which were also built by K'ien-lung, lead through a marble gate. The spires of the pagoda then appear visible in the distance behind a second gate. The marble structure stands upon a high platform and is most elaborately covered with ornamentations and Buddha reliefs, and carries on top five four-sided pagodas. Here there is a cypress tree, with nine sacred branches,

FIG. 5.-Temple of Heaven in Peking. Sacrificial altar.

that was planted by the late Empress-Dowager with her own hands. The buildings are in a dense grove of cypresses and pines, among which a species of pine, the Pinus bungeana, that has a snow-white bark. In the soft moonlight this grove is enchanting.

The ascent is by a wide staircase, the Buddhas greeting from above. Comfortable steps lead up into the interior of the buildings to the uppermost terrace on which the pagodas stand-one in the middle

and the others at the corners. The numbers 4, 8, and 16 are apparent. The four great Bodhisatvas sit on the sides of the central pagoda, while the 4X4=16 surfaces of the four side pagodas have the 16 disciples. In the course of time two were added in China, and they now have 2X9=18 disciples of Buddha—a number that has a more profound significance for the Chinese. Here and there they have erected temples for as many as 500 disciples or Lohan. The bronze umbrella that surmounts the central tower on the terrace is pierced to display the eight trigrams between clouds, finely alluding to the order higher up in the air. Two bottle-shaped pagodas also stand on the terrace; these have bottle-shaped bodies, representing the soap bubble, indicative of the frailty of life. But, as symbolical of eternal life, lovely Buddhas are throned in niches with lotus flowers; the overhanging soles of their feet rest in lotus sandals so as not to come in contact with the imperfect world.

The idea of sanctity in the interior of a pagoda has been, it is allowable to say, translated into practice, by placing the mummified gilded remains of a chief priest in the interior, as was done in the beautifully located city of Kiatingfu in Szech'uan.

The important temples are preferably threefold. They have three parallel axes, again expressing the trinity in architecture. The entrances to the Confucian temples and the temples in the sacred mountains (pl. 3) are threefold. The middle opening faces the shên lu, the pathway of the ghosts, that one dare not cross. A strip laid off in the pathway is inlaid with dragon plates, as a notice that only ghosts pass there. Even the Emperor must enter the Temple of Heaven by the eastern entrance when he goes to sacrifice to his ancestors and to Heaven. The middle is the incomprehensible, the holy (as it lies inclosed in the circle), the perfect, about which the two principles, male and female, contend. These conflicting forces of nature are embodied in the dragon, the national emblem of China. This is also conceived as double, male and female. In a celebrated ever-occurring representation two dragons are shown playing with a pearl. This motive is very cleverly executed on a bronze table of the Ming dynasty, in a temple on the summit of the sacred mountain Omeishan in Szech'uan. The dragons play with the pearl, the image of the highest purity and perfection. They play with it but never reach it.

The dragons are the embodiment of the male and female force. I wish to emphasize that this dualism has nothing to do with good and evil. It is the symbol of life, that the conflict of two principles does not permit perfect truth to be attained.

The combined beauty and artistic strength of this composition is repeated in a Confucian temple in Szech'uan. Two pairs of dragons are coiled upon the balustrade of the great bridge that crosses the

semicircular ritualistic pool; they look toward the center of the pathway of the ghosts in the main axis. This pathway is a silent, unspoken idea, related to some religions, in which the name of the highest Being dare not be mentioned. No steps lead up to the elevated hall, these are replaced with an inclined marble slab that is splendidly engraved with significant scenes (pl. 4, fig. 2).

Lao-ye is known as the god of war by the Europeans, as he was a renowned general. But for the Chinese he is the god of excellent life conduct, of tried faith, and an ideal of these virtues. The two dragons are depicted as playing around this image of perfection, on the back wall of the altar in the home city of Lao-ye at Kai-chou in Shansi. It is a repetition of the expression of the struggle for highest perfection. This life-like statue of the hero from the golden period of China's knights, that of the three kingdoms, is specially honored. The image appears to be reading the Ch'un ch'iu, the fifth canonical book (pl. 4, fig. 1).

The dragon gate remains to be mentioned. This is the entrance to perfection. Whosoever crosses by the pathway of the ghostswhosoever knows that the two principles of the gate are for the apprehension of the eternal-for this initiated one the door of wisdom is opened. It is said of a student who has passed his examinations that he has passed through the dragon gate. He has the pearl of perfection or is identified with it.

It is said "The fish rushes through the dragon gate." Formerly a stupid, ignorant, dumb fish, but after having passed through the dragon gate, he is changed into a dragon; that is, a being of intellect and power. That is done by the divine breath of the powerful dragon in the clouds in the air, which blows his animating breath through the dragon gate. In the swirl of waters between the cliffs and rocks, the carp swim around to partake of the enlightenment (pl. 5, fig. 2).

They are not content with two dragons, but multiply them as there are forces and phenomena. The most naturally increased number is 8, corresponding to the eight trigrams. Beneath a vaulted roof a dragon coils around each of the supporting columns, struggling toward the center from whose zenith the divine pearl of perfection is suspended.

The dragon always represents something thoroughly good, while the serpent something related to the demoniac, the incalculable, and in opposition, as if belonging to the devil Mephistopheles, but it is not in any respect wicked or evil of itself. It is combined with the conception of the dark kingdom of the nether world, as is conceived in the celebrated entrance Fêngtu, on the Yangtze in Szech'uan. This mountain has a mysterious opening near its summit, which is the entrance to the world below. It is covered with temples