In spite of the unfavourable disposition of the populace, I ventured out a good deal.  Herr von Carlowitz was untiring in his kindness to me, and accompanied me everywhere, exposing himself to many dangers on my account, and bearing patiently the insults of the populace, who followed at our heels, and loudly expressed their indignation at the boldness of the European woman in thus appearing in public.  Through his assistance, I saw more than any woman ever yet saw in China.

Our first excursion was to the celebrated Temple of Honan, which is said to be one of the finest in China.

This temple is surrounded by numerous out-buildings, and a large garden enclosed with a high wall.  You first enter a large fore-court, at the extremity of which a colossal gateway leads into the inner courts.  Under the archway of this portico are two War Gods, each eighteen feet high, in menacing attitudes, and with horribly distorted features.  They are placed there to prevent evil spirits from entering.  A second similar portico, under which are the four Celestial Kings, leads into the inmost court, where the principal temple is situated.  The interior of the temple is 100 feet in length, and 100 feet in breadth.  The flat roof, from which hang a number of glass chandeliers, lamps, artificial flowers, and silk ribbons, is supported upon several rows of wooden pillars, while the multitude of statues, altars, flower-pots, censers, candelabra, candlesticks, and other ornaments, involuntarily suggest to the mind of the spectator the decoration of a Roman Catholic church.

In the foreground are three altars, and behind these three statues, representing the God Buddha in three different aspects:  the past, the present, and the future.  These figures, which are in a sitting posture, are of colossal dimensions.

We happened to visit the temple just as service was being performed.  It was a kind of mass for the dead, which a mandarin had ordered for his deceased wife.  At the right and left altars were the priests, whose garments and gesticulations also resembled those of the Roman Catholics.  At the middle altar was the mandarin, piously engaged in prayer, while two stood beside him, fanning him with large fans. {104} He frequently kissed the ground, and every time he did so, three wax tapers were presented to him, which he first elevated in the air, and then gave to one of the priests, who placed them before a statue of Buddha, but without lighting them.  The music was performed by three men, one of whom twanged a stringed instrument, while the second struck a metal globe, and the third played the flute.

Besides the principal temple there are various smaller ones, and halls, all adorned with statues of gods.  Especial honour is paid to the twenty-four Gods of Pity, and to Kwanfootse, a demi-god of War.  Many of the former have four, six, and even eight arms.  All these divinities, Buddha himself not excepted, are made of wood, gilt over, and painted with glazing colours.