k eighty years, and
extended over three reigns. It may be two hundred and fifty cubits in
height, rich in elegant carving and inlaid work, covered above with gold
and silver, and finished throughout with a combination of all the
precious substances. Behind the tope there has been built a Hall of
Buddha, of the utmost magnificence and beauty, the beams, pillars,
venetianed doors and windows, being all overlaid with gold-leaf. Besides
this, the apartments for the monks are imposingly and elegantly
decorated, beyond the power of words to express. Of whatever things of
highest value and preciousness the kings in the six countries on the
east of the Ts'ung range of mountains are possessed, they contribute the
greater portion to this monastery, using but a small portion of them
themselves.

[Footnote 1: Mahayana is a later form of the Buddhist doctrine, the
second phase of its development corresponding to the state of a
Bodhisattva, who, being able to transport himself and all mankind to
nirvana, may be compared to a huge vehicle.]

[Footnote 2: A worshipping place, an altar, or temple.]

[Footnote 3: The Sapta-ratna, gold, silver, lapis lazuli, rock crystal,
rubies, diamonds or emeralds, and agate.]

[Footnote 4: A Bodhisattva is one whose essence has become intelligence;
a Being who will in some future birth as a man (not necessarily or
usually the next) attain to Buddhahood. The name does not include those
Buddhas who have not yet attained to parinirvana. The symbol of the
state is an elephant fording a river.]

CHAPTER IV

~Through the Ts'ung Mountains to K'eech-ch'a~

When the processions of images in the fourth month were over, Sang-shao,
by himself alone, followed a Tartar who was an earnest follower of the
Law, and proceeded towards Ko-phene. Fa-hien and the others went forward
to the kingdom of Tsze-hoh, which it took them twenty-five days to
reach. Its king was a strenuous follower of our Law, and had around him
more than a thousand monks, mostly students of the mahayana. Here the
travellers abode fifteen days, and then went south for four days, when
they found themselves among the Ts'ung-ling mountains, and reached the
country of Yu-hwuy, where they halted and kept their retreat. [1] When
this was over, they went on among the hills for twenty-five days, and
got to K'eeh-ch'a, there rejoining Hwuy-king and his two companions.

[Footnote 1: This was the retreat already twice mentioned as kept by th