Buddhist Monks Salvage Murals

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 51, 2 March 1939, Page 2

Buddhist Monks Salvage Murals

TORONTO—The Chinese exhibit nt the Royal Ontario Museum here includes a library of 45,000 volumes, including an encyclopedia of 1000 volumes, said Dr. C. T. Currelly in an address. He also emphasized the importance of Chinese mural paintings soon to be on display. The murals, saved by Buddhist monks who cut them out of walls with a few inches of the clay on which they had been painted as a background, were brought here with the clay left on. When the clay backgrounds were ground away, the paintings alone were left, and new backgrounds of canvas md composition boards were affixed. Ihcse Chinese masterpieces were described by Dr. Currelly as “good for mother thousand years.” The museum’s excellent collection of seventeenth-century Irish glass came from the Chinese imperial court, and ;his year pieces were received from Persia. Dr. Currelly explained that ;he finest Irish glass was formerly ord Bred by traders who were seeking favour of the Manchu rulers or Persian shah. Stressing the value of studying Japan’s peasant pottery, he praised the village potter of Japan as a craftsman rejoicing in his work and showing a deep response to beauty. The tramp looked over the hedge and saw the lady of the house working in her garden. He launched out on a talc of woe. “Please give a ’elping ’and to a pore feller what’s down on ’is luck,” he moaned. ‘l’m just a good man in misfortune, trustin’ to Providence. You can sec ’ow I’ve worn out my trousers bein’ so much on my knees.” The woman was moved by his tale and his earnestness, and took him into the kitchen and had him given a good meal and sent on his way. As he went towards the gate he heard her call, and turned back, hoping for a coin as well. ‘•You tried to prove,” said the woman, •’that you were a good man by pointing out how worn your trousers are at the knees. 1 sec they are also very worn and patched in another part. Perhaps you can explain that?” The tramp thought quickly. ‘‘Well, num, ” he replied. “I confess that before I mended my wgys I was a great oackslider.”