attitude of fpringing, the latter of walking. Near each
horfe a banner of yellow filk, painted with filver dragons,
is difplay'ed.
In the middle of this area are two wooden turrets fur-
rounded with galleries ; a large bell of caft iron which is
{truck occafionally with a large wooden mallet, hangs in
the Eaftern turret; the other contains two kettle drums
of an enormous fize, fimilar to thofe made ufe of in the
religious ceremonies of the Galmucs. On each fide of
this area are ranges of buildings inhabited by the prieft
of the temple.
This area communicates by means of an handfome
gateway with the inner court, which is bordered on each
fide by fmall compartments open in front, with rails before
them; in the infide of thefe compartments the
legendary ftories of the idols are exhibited in a feries
of hiftorical paintings. At the farther extremity
of this court ftands a large building, conftru&ed in the
fame ftyle of architecture as the temple. The infide is
fixty feet long and thirty broad : it is ftored with antient
weapons, and inftruments of war of a prodigious fize;
fuch as ipears, fcythes, and long pikes, with broad
blades, fhields, coats of arms, and military enfigns re-
prefenting hands’*, dragons heads, and other carved
* Thefe hands refemble the manipulary ftandards o f the Romans.
R U S S I A A N D C H I N A .
figures. All thefe warlike inftruments are richly gilded,
and ranged in order upon fcaffblds along the wall. Op-
pofite the entrance a large yellow ftandard, embroidered
with foliage and filver dragons, is erected ; under it, upon
a kind of altar, there is a feries of little oblong tables,
bearing Ghinefe infcriptions,
, An open gallery, adorned on both fides with flowerpots,
leads from the back door of the armoury to the colo-
nade of the temple. In this colonade two flate tablets
are placed, in wooden frames, about fix feet high and
two broad, with long infcriptions relating to the building
of the temple. Before one of thefe plates a fmall idol of
an hideous form ftands upon the ground, enclofed in a.
wooden cafe.
The temple itfelf is an elegant Ghinefe building,
richly decorated on the outfide with columns lackered,
and gilded carved-work, fmall bells;, and, other ornaments
peculiar to the Chinefe architecture. Within there
is a rich profufion of gilding, which correfponds with
the gaudinefs of the exterior. The "walls are covered
thick with paintings, exhibiting the moft. celebrated exploits
of the principal idol.
This temple contains five idols o f a coloflal ftature,,
fitting crofs-legged upon pedeftals in three recefles, which
fill the whole Northern fide.
The,