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T f a u d f in g
' C h u f l o j
arms are employed in drawing a bow, with an arrow laid
upon it, ready to be difcharged. This idol has a mirror
upon his bread:, and an eye in his navel: near it am
placed two imall figures •, one holds an arrow, and the
other a little animal.
The next idol in the fame recefs is called by the.Chi-
taefe Tfaudling, or the gold and filvergodp and by the
Mongols Tfagan-Dfambala. He wears a black cap, and
is dreffed, after the Chinefe fafhion, in fumptuous robes
of ftate ; he bears in his hand a fmall jewel cafket. Near-
him alfo hand two little figures, one of which holds as
truncated branch.
In the recefs to the left is the god Chufho-, called by
the Manfhurs Chua-fchan, and by. the Mongols Galdi, or
the Fire God. He is reprefented with a frightful fiery
reddifh face clad in complete armour lie wields a fword.
half drawn out of the fcabbard, and feems on the point
of flatting up from his feat. He is attended by two-
little harlbadeers,, one of whom, is crying and the other
hears a fowl upon his hand, which refembles a feaplieafant.
The other idol in die fame recefs is the god o f oxen,
Niu-o. He appears to be fitting in a compofed pofture;
he is habited like a Mandarin, and is diftinguifhed by *
crown
R U S S I A A N D C H I N A .
crown upon his h^ad. Ho has, in common with the
other idols, a mirror upon his breaft. The Chinefe
imagine him to be the fame with the Yamandaga of the
Mongols ; and it is, faid his Manfhurifh name is Chain
Killova ; his Mongol name, which relates to the hiflory
of Gheflur, is Bars-Batir, the Hero of Tygers.
Before thefe feveral idols there are tables, or altars, on
which cakes, paltry, dried fruit, and flefh, are placed,
on feftivals and prayer days; on particular occafions
even whole carcafes of fheep are offered up. Tapers
and lamps are kept burning day and night before the
idols. Among the utenfils of the temple, the moft remarkable
is a veffel fhaped like a quiver, and filled with
flat pieces of cleft reed, on which fhort Chinefe devices
are infcribed, Thefe devices are taken out by the Chinefe
on new-years day, and are confidered as oracles,
which focetel the good or ill luck of the perfon, by whom
they are drawn, during the following year. There lies
alfo upon a table an hollow wooden black lackered helmet,
which all perfons of devotion ftrike with a wooden
hammer, whenever they enter the temple. This helmet
is regarded with fuch peculiar awe, that no ftrangers
are permitted to handle it, although they are allowed to
touch even the idols themfelves.
The firft day of the, new , and full moon is appointed
for-the celebration of worlhip. Upon each of thofe days
C g a no