The boy travellers in the Far East : adventures of two youths ... - Library

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THE BOY TRAVELLERS.
fine strncture of mai'ble more than a Imndred feet liigli, which is called
"The Gate of Extensive Peace." It is where the emperor comes on great
public occasions ; and beyond it are two halls where the foreign visitors
are received at the beginning of each 3'ear, and where the emperor ex-
amines the implements nsed in the 02:)ening of the annual season of
ploughing. The ploughing eei'emony does not take place here, but in
another part of the city, and the emperor himself holds the plough to
turn the first furrow. There are some very pretty gardens in the Pro-
hibited City, and we had a fine opportunity to learn something about the
skill of the Chinese in landscape gardening. There are canals, fountains,
bridges, flower-beds, groves, and little liillocks, all carefully tended, and
forming a very pretty picture in connection with the temples and pavil-
ions that stand anions' them.
A I'AVU.IOX IN TUL rROllIUlTED CITV.
" ATe have seen many temples— so many, in fact, that it is difficult to
remember all of them. One of the most impressive is the Temple of
Heaven, which has three circular roofs, one above another, and is said to
be ninety-nine feet high. The tiles 011 the top are of jjorcelain of the color
of a clear sky, and the intention of the builder was to imitate the vault of
heaven. On the inside there are altars wliei'e sacrifices are offered to the
memory of former emperors of (Jliina, and on certain occasions the em-
]ieror conies here to take part in the ceremonies.
" Then we went to see tlie great bell, which is one of the wonders of
the world, though it is not so large as the bell at Moscow. It is said to