CHINESE TIBET.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14700, 7 December 1909, Page 5

CHINESE TIBET.

MISSIONARY'S INTERESTING ACCOUNT. The following letter has been received by a gentleman in Dunedin from Mr J. Huston Edgar, who i 6 a missionary in the service of the China Inland Mission. Mr Edgar hails from Tapanui, and recently visited Dunedin:— " I arrived in this out-of-the-way village (Patuag) live days ago, which means that, travelling moderately fast, I have been four months en route. Wo entered the territory of China's tributary Princes 22 stages to the east; and at Tacluelu finally said goodbye to anything like moderate altitudes. For during the 18 stages between tho former town and P.itang the traveller is probably 14 days above 12,000 ft, of which six days will bo above 14,000, and some days -aad nights nearly oi above 15,000 feet! This journey is quito unlike most journeys in China, for almost everything used en route must be carried on (jack animals. Formerly, the road was a nightmare, but just lately the granite-strewn pavements have been mado into good roo<ls, and the old courier stations have been replaced by really comfortablo rest houses. The robber, too, a picturesque item in the old regime, is now no more, and the arrogant lama attends most assiduously to the spiritual side of his profession. For inetance, in Litang, a town 14,000 ft above the tide, there is a famous lamasery, with a population of nearly 4000 jamais. It was part of their profession. amongst other things, to be anti-foreign, and as a consequence until 6cven years ago no European traveller had remained more than two nights in tho adjacent village. In spite of vicioiw threats and schemes for poisoning, I remained 10 days in the vicinity. But this_ time the lamasery building® were at. my disposal for 3 nigh<6, and no objection wa6 made to my visiting the most ' holy places!' And before leaving your fortunate countryman had taken buttered tea with the famous Abbot, a living Buddha, under the golden tiles of lu's own temple! He also had the rare privilege of witnessing tho groat morning ceremony when tho Buddha sat on an exalted throne posing as a god. The Buddha was remarkably friendly, and seemed quite pleased to meet Europeans. There is no doubt in my mind that, thi6 Litang is not only a niaglrifioent centre, but that the time for opening it lias come. But the paltry £100 which would enable us to do so is corrating in some bank. Do you not know anyone who would like to open a mission station in the most elevated town in the world ?

In Paiang the conditions are indeed pcouhar. The great lam,i6cry here has been burned, and laraaism is dead or mortally wounded. But the Chinese seem to have thrown out the child nith tho water, for haying put tho old a.nd undeniably unsatisfactory Government, out of operation, they ha,v o replaced if. by no system of an efficiency equal to the need. The consequence i s local anarchy, and indications 'V" rulers, Jamas, and satraps in Anterior ■tibot have an idea that the gods mav call on tliein to 'make history.' W© at present find it not only impossible to do mission work, but difficult to get lajida, nouses, or even the ordinary food and necessary wares. China may realise in due lime that tho pmvin4i.il methods arc impossible in the Marches, and put tho country once again in the. hands of well-trained friendly Princes. This alone will save iatang from another of those political tornado,') which have been so fatal to Tibetans ~"}&*• aml Europeans in tho past. 1 atangas a mission station (Protestant) was opened last year by v my oonipamo'n, Mr Jplm Muir, and his-Canadian bride! inis Jady js absolutely the firefc. European, woman to neach Patang. My high ideal of missionary service ulonc forbide me writing what, would-be a sensational account of a woman s.-bravery and devotion. It seems a strange place for a New /ealander. this life on tho high table lands .There nations mwl, but the call of God ijhen willingly obeyed often leads into fit range paths."