[211] See No. LVI., [note 320].
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[212] Much of the above recalls Fa Hsien’s narrative of his celebrated journey from China to India in the early years of the fifth century of our era, with which our author was evidently well acquainted. That courageous traveller complained that of those who had set out with him some had stopped on the way and others had died, leaving him only his own shadow as a companion.
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[213] This may almost be said to have been the belief of the Arabs at the date of the composition of “The Arabian Nights.”
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[214] For Kuan-yin, see No. XXXIII., [note 208]. Wên-shu, or Manjusiri, is the God of Wisdom, and is generally represented as riding on a lion, in attendance, together with P‘u-hsien, the God of Action, who rides an elephant, upon Shâkyamuni Buddha.
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[215] See No. XLVIII., [note 277].
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[216] The term here used stands for a vitreous composition that has long been prepared by the Chinese. Glass, properly so called, is said to have been introduced into China from the west, by a eunuch, during the Ming dynasty.
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[217] The perfect man, according to the Confucian standard.
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[218] A large, smooth, area of concrete, to be seen outside all country houses of any size, and used for preparing the various kinds of grain.
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[219] Compare—“The not uncommon practice of strewing ashes to show the footprints of ghosts or demons takes for granted that they are substantial bodies.”—Tylor’s Primitive Culture, Vol. I., p. 455.
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[220] Fêng-tu is a district city in the province of Szechuen, and near it are said to be fire-wells (see Williams’ Syllabic Dictionary, s.v.), otherwise known as the entrance to Purgatory, the capital city of which is also called Fêng-tu.
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