SILK-WORMS IN A BUDDHIST MONASTERY.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XVI, 2 December 1857, Page 3

SILK-WORMS IN A BUDDHIST MONASTERY.

[From Fortune's Residence among the Chinese."]

About sixty miles west of Hoo-chow-foo I observed a large monastery, not very far from the banks of the river ; Jind as it seemed situated in the midst of rich and luxuriant vegegation, I determined to moor my boat to the banks of the river, and remain in the neighbourhood for a few days. As I was going up the road in the direction of the temple, I met an old respectable-looking priest, carrying a kind of flute or flageolet in his hand, which he induced now and then to give out not unmusical sounds. His head was shaven after the manner of the priests of Buddha ; but the three nails on his left hand were each about two inches in length — denoting that he did not earn his bread by the sweat of his brow, and that, in fact, he was one of the superiors in the order to which he belonged. This old gentleman met me in the most dignified manner, and did not express the least surprise at seeing a foreigner so far from home. He asked me to accompany him home to his temple, and when we arrived there he introduced me to his own quarters and desired his servants to set tea and cakes before me.

He then led me over all the halls and temples of the monastery ; which, although very extensive, were in a most dilapidated condition. They were too much like buildings of this kind in other parts of the country to require any further notice. If there was little to notice in these temples with reference to Buddhism and its lites, there were objects of another kind which soon attracted my attention. The halls and outhouses of the monastery seemed to be converted for the time into a place for feeding silk-worms. Millions of these little animals feeding in round sieves, placed one above another, in open framework made for the purpose. So great was the number of the worms, that every sieve — and there must have been many hundreds cf them — was crammed quite full. In one large hall I observed the floor completely covered with worms. I shall never fofget the peculiar sound which fell upon my ear as I opened the door of this hall. It was early in the morning, the worms had been just fed, and were at the time eagerly devouring the fresh leaves of the mulberry. Hundreds of thousands of little mouths were munching the leaves, and in the stillness around, this sound was very striking and peculiar. The place, too, seemed so strange — a temple — a place of worship with many huge idols, some from twenty to thirty feet in height, looking down upon the scene on the floor. But to a Chinese there is nothing improper in converting a temple into a granary or a silk worm establishment for a short time if it is required, and I suppose the gods of the place are supposed to look down with approbation on such scenes of peaceful industry. When, from the large number of worms, it is necessary to feed them on floors of rooms and halls, there is always a layer of dry straw laid down to keep them off the damp ground. This mode of treatment is resorted to from necessity, and not from choice. The sieves of the establishment, used in the framework I have already noticed, are greatly preferred. Whether the worms are fed on sieves or on the floor, they are invariably cleaned every morning. All the remains of the leaf-stalks of the mulberry, the excrement of the animals, an other impurities, are removed before the fresh leaves are given. Much inpr.rlance is attached to this matter, as it has a teudency to keep the worms clean and healthy. The Chinese are also very particular as regards the amount of light which they admit during the period the animals are feeding. I always observed the rooms were kept partially darkened; no bright light was allowed to penetrate. In many instances the owners were most unwilling to open the doors, for fear, as they said, of disturbing them ; and they invariably cautioned me against making any unnecessary noise while I was examining them. At this , time nearly all the labour in this part of the country was expended on the production of j the silk-.vorm. In the fields the natives were [seen in great numbers busily engaged in gathering the leaves ; boats on the rivers were fraught with them ; in the country markettowns they were exposed for sale in great quantities, and everything told that they were the staple article of production. On the other hand, every cottage, farm-house, barn, and temple, w as filled with its thousands of worms, I which were fed and tended with the greatest care.