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its title to the name "The Venice of China."

We came first to one of the highest pagodas I have ever seen. It quite dominated the city, and stood, I should say, well over two hundred feet in height. Although it and its temple were said to have been built in the Sung dynasty it was in splendid condition, wooden balconies and all. The wood work stood out from the stone, but did not blanket the main structure as in the Six Harmony Pagoda in Hangchou. Consequently it was much more graceful. The tower was eight sided. (And here I should mention that the Six Harmony Pagoda is also eight sided. I observed that it was eight sided inside, but did not pay much attention to the less interesting outside and took the word of Fitch's [[underline]] Hangchou Itineraries [[/underline]] that it was hexagonal.) These towers were built on the same plan. In each there was a central core of masonry and an outer shell. The beams and floors and parts of the stairs were of stout wood, and the floors were overlaid with tiles. Wooden balconies stood out from the outside, and the mast of the peak was set down to the second floor from th[[e]] top. The Soochow Pagoda was nine stories in height inside and out, and there were the usual number of Buddhas inside, while the structural details of arches and cornices were carfully carried out.

Behind the pagoda was a temple where there was evidence of a former large priestly population now apparently gone. The back hall had the three Buddhas, and the eighteen lohan. The hall next in front had the laughing Buddha and we T'o. On the newly decorated case of the latter were the words in English "Eternal Peace." This is interesting, since We T'o is the warrior who acts as defender of the faith. The beams and columns and rafters in the main hall were plain dark red, but well carved. The roof rafters were small timbers and the tiles were laid directly upon them. These buildings were not old. Incidentally the beautiful bronze bells on the corners of the pagodas roof bore the name of Tao Kuang, about a hundred years ago. We were told that though the temple was originally built in the Sung dynasty it had fallen into disrepair, and an old abbot who had collected money for many years had now undertaken to repair it. In a side chapel a woman prayed before the queen of heaven, a stately dame attended by the sixty divinities we have observed elsewhere.