PORTRAIT OF A LAMA, OR BONZE.
The priesthood of China and Tartary are, since the conquest of the former, become nearly the same, in respect to manners, dress. &c; and these are the only people of either nation, who have the head shaved entirely. Their general habit is a loose robe or gown, with a broad collar of silk or velvet; the colour of the robe depending on the particular sect or monastery to which they belong. Some of them wear an ornament resembling a cap, exquisitely wrought in wood, &c. which they affix to the back of the head.
This figure is from one of the Lamas inhabiting the temple called Poo-ta-la, which is situated near the Imperial residence at Zhe-hol in Tartary. These Priests are all clad in the royal colour, yellow; their hats have very broad brims, answering the double purpose of defence from sun and rain, and are neatly manufactured from straw and split bamboo.
The temple Poo-ta-la, which is distantly seen, maintains eight hundred Lamas, devoted to the worship of the deity Fo: to this sect the Emperor is attached, and it is the general religion of the empire. The form of this edifice is square, with lesser buildings in the Chinese style of architecture adjoining: each side of the large building measures two hundred feet, and is nearly of the same height, having eleven rows of windows. In the centre of this immense fabric is a chapel, profusely decorated and roofed with tiles of solid gold. Within this chapel is the sanctum sanctorum, containing statues of the idol Fo, with his wife and child.
