i
PORTRAIT OF A LAMA, OR BONZE.
T he p rie sth o o d o f C h in a an d T a r ta ry a re , since die conquest o f the fo rm
e r, become n e a rly the same, in respect to m an n e rs, dress, k c . ; a n d these
are the o n ly people o f e ith e r n a tio n , wh o hav e the head shaved e n tire ly .
T h e i r creneral h ab it is a loose robe o r gown, w ith a broad co lla r o f s ilk or
v e lv e t; th e co lo u r o f the robe dep en d in g on the p a r tic u la r sect o r m onast
e ry to w h ich th ey b e lo n g . Some o f them we ar an o rn am e n t re sembling
a ca p , exquisitely w ro u g h t in wood, k c . w h ic h th e y affix to the back o f
tbe head.
T h is fio-ure is from one o f the Lama s in h a b itin g the temple called Poo-
ta-la , w h ich is situa ted n ea r the Im p e ria l residence a t Z h e -h o l in T a r ta ry .
T h e se P rie s ts are all clad in 'th e ro y a l co lo u r, y e llow ; th e ir h ats have v e ry
broad b rim s , answering th e double p urpose o f defence from sun a n d ra in ,
an d are n ea tly m an u fa c tu re d from straw an d sp lit bamboo.
T h e temple P o o -ta-la , w h ich is d is ta n tly seen, m a in ta in s eig h t h u n d
re d Lam a s, devoted to the worship o f the d eity F o : to th is sect the Em p
e ro r is attached, and it is the gene ral re lig io n o f the em p ire . T h e form
o f th is edifice is sq u are, w ith lesser b u ild in g s in the C h in e se sty le o f a rc h itec
tu re a d jo in in g : each side o f th e large b u ild in g measures two h u n d re d
feet, a n d is n e a rly o f tbe same h e ig h t, h av in g eleven rows o f windows.
I n the centre o f th is im me n se fabric is a chapel, p ro fu se ly decorated and
roofed w ith tiles o f solid g o ld . W i t l i in this chapel is the sanc tum sancto
rum , co n ta in in g statues o f the id o l F o, w ith h is wife an d c h ild .