Chapter 6

THE SACRED CITY OF THE LIVING BUDDHA

A city of contrasts--The Chinese quarter like frontier America--A hamlet of modern Russia--An indescribable mixture of Mongolia, Russia and China in West Urga--Description of a Mongol woman--Urga like a pageant on the stage of a theater--The sacred mountain--The palace of the "Living God"--Love for western inventions--A strange scene at the Hutukhtu's palace--A bed for the Living Buddha--Lamaism--The Lama City--Ceremony in the temple--Prayer wheels--Burial customs--Corpses eaten by dogs--The dogs of Mongolia--Cleanliness--Food--Morality--"H. C. L." in Urga--A horrible prison--Mr. F. A. Larsen 62