ornamented with flowers and garlands, loaded with precious stones. They had
asked permission to place the body of the Master of the Law upon this
resplendent catafalque; but afraid of infringing his dying command, his disciples
had refused. So it went first, bearing the Master’s three robes and his religious
mantle, of the value of one hundred ounces of silver; next came the litter
constructed of coarse mats. Not one of the assistants but shed copious tears or
was almost choked with grief!
Upwards of thirty thousand religious and laics spent the night near his tomb.
On the morning of the fifteenth day the grave was closed; then, at the place of
sepulture, an immense distribution of alms was made, and the crowd afterwards
dispersed in silence.
On the eighth day of the fourth moon of the second year of the Tsong-tchang
period (669,) the Emperor decreed that the tomb of the Master of the Law should
be transported into a plain, situated to the west of the Fan-tch’ouen valley, and
that a tower should be erected in his honour.[15]