| Show 1 RU u 1 a s. s e 7 S 'S V Vr r t 0 t i A 1 Y w Mongolian Lamas Lamia Conducting Religious Religion Ceremony With Aid of Pry Prayer r Flags Flag Prepared br by th the N Society D D. C. C t 10 religion of the tho a ah Til TIU debased form torm of Buddhism U colors col colors h ors nIl all life lite In Mongolia Its rites seem strange to the West West- erner Fanatical devotees de ma may be met performing per- per forming the falling failing worship that that I is III isto to o say throwing themselves III flat on 00 their faces and marking the places of their next prostration with their Foreheads o n very exhausting form tonn of piety which soon wears wear out hands and ond clothes unless as generally happens happens hap hap- pens lIens wooden woolen sandals are tilted titled to the hands hanels and sheepskin pads pods to the knees l Even en little children may maT be seen turning wheels prayer filled with writ written ten tn prayers the Idea being that any devout believer who turns tho the wheel acquires as os much merit by so 80 doing as If It he had repented repeated all the prayers thus thull set st In motion One of ot the greatest festivals of the theLama Lama Larna church Is U the Devil De 1 Dunce Dance which h takes place each ench spring and represents the chasing out of the the Spirit of ot I Evil III II The dance dunce I Is simply H a series of of ot men mo and anti boys bOYI In rich costumes and fearsome animal masks accompanied by an Impressive Impressive sive chant But a fur far more Interesting survival of ot the primitive nature cult Is known as us the Midsummer l Festival vaL It attracts attracts at at- tracts crowds of ot pilgrims Tho The richer and more more prosperous visitors arrive In III camel carts with an Impressive train of outriders and aud camp In their own tents Some families families fam tum come In bullock wagons which with a few tew mats fixed over them make admirable shelters for their stay Hut But by bT far tar the greatest number appear appear ap ap- pear on horseback solitary 7 or In fn companies companies com com- ponies men and aud women respectable characters and notorious thieves Lamas and dressed dressed some some well some poorly but hut nearly all alt gaudily gaudily ln In yellow ellow blue red red Yo white whito or green Assemble at the Sacred Mount On the day of ot the ceremony the monastery la is astir before dawn Th The monks monk of ot various grades gradel assemble soon lIoon after cockcrow gorgeous In 10 purple pur pur- hieratic gowns red waistcoats scarlet or golden togas The rite Living Buddha appears In his fringed orange oraDge felt helmet the abbots In their fat lacquer bats hats the lesser Lamas l In silk or gold brocade skull cups the lay loy officials In the theold theold theold old Manchu hats topped with colored buttons to denote their rank The whole company compau rides out of the monastery gate on ponies well well- groomed for tor the occasion and crosses the steppe to the obo oba or sacred mount Such elevations crowned by piles plies of ot stones with a flagstaff and fluttering prayer banners baDDers In the center are landmarks all nil over Mongolia Having ascended the hill the priests priest gather round the stone caIrn calm which has been een previously decorated with leaves and branches A tent ls is set let up near by for tor the Living Buddha the high Lamas lama and the civil chU officials official Lesser dignitaries squat upon the i ground In a circle Then the weird service begins accompanied accompanied ac ae- companied by all the strange paraphernalia para of ot the Inma cult huge cut huge bronze trumpets six feet long tong flutes raa ma male Ie from sea shells and libation cups from human skulls shulls By Iy this time a group of ot white tents has been erected In the meadow for forthe forthe forthe the feast The largest serves Berres as I a reception hull hall Inside a L big bis transversal bench bus hus bet ben pared for tor the guests of honor utilise places are marked marker I hy by y double cushions covered with priceless priceless price price- less old ohl silk carpets from the treasury of ot t the he monastery Two choirs of ot ringers In bright robes kneel on either side aid of the broad entrance and chant a Soot Soon the feast begins A cup made of the precious zabla wood which will make water boll and tins has th the power to detect poison polson 1 Is placed d beFore before be- be Fore tore each ach distinguished visitor With smaller cups for the tIle and koumiss koa kou miss liquors liquors made from fermented milk mille The principal meat dish U is mutton Sheep are ore served whole on large platters put plat the four tour It legs arranged around the rump the skull on top As AI a a kneeling attendant passes passes each dish to a guest the Lama host makes a n cross on the tho skull which Is II then thell taken n away A second serving Loins acting as butler for tor the thell cuts up the meat The Tho rumps rumps rumps' and tails are given to those whom wham the tho monks especially delight to honor After the least there Is 18 a wrestling match Dressed in to a Costume with sUit stilt vest Wilt and 8 short skirt not unlike the garb of ot a soldier two chap face eta h other In lu the center center cen cen- ter of ot an nn open Ollen space One Olle Is II obviously obvious a horseman to judge by hy his bowed legs Ills length of ot arm and breadth of ot client chest show him to he be a redoubtable opponent The adversary U Is a KI lIn tic Lotus belonging to the tile tsang community of ot the Living Buddha of ot the neighborhood Three rounds constitute the match and according to tho the rules neither wrestler may grip the other but Jilt each must try to throw his opponent by laying hold of or his belt The first bout Is II adjudged to the theLama theLama Lama Iama amid great enthusiasm the s second see sec ond and goes goes' to tho the horseman horleman and the tha third which wh the crowd watches In a a. fever of ot excitement Is also won by him after a hard struggle Then the proud champion much cheered rises risen to his full tull height ex expands ex- ex his mighty c chest est and Aud approaches ap ap- the entrance to the grandstand grandstand grand grand- stand tent teut In big jumps as II etiquette requires Here ho he kneels before the tha Lama who distributes the prizes Apart Allart from the amusements there Is also much visiting done dODe at Itt these thesa fairs which afford allord almost the only opportunities that neighbors who Ilva miles apart have ha of becoming ACquainted acquainted ac AC- with one oue another This applies applies ap up plies S especially to the womenfolk whose lives of ot household drudgery are dull and lonely while the men are away awny on the steppes rounding up the herds How the People Are Ar Attired The festivals also afford them a coveted ro opportunity to show sho oft their finery The Tho dress of both sexes Is much alike as far as shape Is con con- Tho rho main difference Is I. that the men gird themselves with a belt while the women allow allo their long garments gar gar- j i menu ments to hang hanl loose from shoulder to heel hence the common word for woman In Mongol Is II u The outer robe of ot both sexes Is a wide room roomy 1 coa coat which reaches to the ground with sleeves so 10 ample that the arms can be withdrawn from front froll them them and and reintroduced without touchIng touching touch touch- Ing the buttons But the most remarkable features feature of Mongol costumes are the hair ornaments omit orna ments tents and headdresses of ot the women l Even ven a poor girl once she ehe marries wears a profusion of silver ornaments j jon I Ion on ber her head hend The precise nature and shape of ot these thelle varies with the tribes One at least has a most ludicrous coiffure for Its matrons which projects projects pro pro- to so o high that the cap cyp Imperatively Impera demanded by bl etiquette Is tied on above e the ornaments quite clear of ot the head hlad Others adopt curtains ot of otred otred red corals or turquoise or strings ot or pearls reaching often to the waist When the wearers take their stand together In the picturesque veranda of ot some temple the effect Is most moab striking 1 At the close of ot the festival which may last two or three days dayl the crowds i depart to their homes sometime hundreds of miles distant 4 61 |
