Architecture: Temples and temples and palaces are most magnificent and imposing, but an independent style has not yet been developed, the Indian style predominating with its rich ornamentation (p/. 54, fig. 2). Other buildings show Chinese influence, as the palace of Amarapoora 54, fig. 3) and the great pagoda of Seinao on the upper Me-Kong OM 6o, fig. 1, Gamier), whose monolithic door jambsare guarded by ivory clogs, the symbols of friendship. The smaller temples, like the private houses, are built of bamboo, are circular in shape, and rest on wooden piles: the interior of one of these is seen on Plate 55 (fig-. 5, Gamier).
houses in the cities show nothing remarkable. They often rest upon large stakes, the stables being below. This is seen on I'late 56 (fig. 7, Garnier)—the farm of a wealthy Laos, where the build ings are erected of rattan and bamboo, and arc inaccessible at night after the ladder is drawn up. At the right in the picture stands a little rice house; at the left, in the background, the dwelling of a poor man. The wagon in the foreground and the animals in the yard give an idea of the husbandry; in the garden are planted bananas, fan and areca palms, betel, pepper, cocoa, etc. Rice, which is the staple food, is generally culti vated even where agriculture is neglected. The mountain-races eat almost all kinds of animal food, but the civilized nations have many religious laws concerning their diet. In these dwellings the general fixtures of the house are simple, while great luxury frequently prevails in the cities. The use of mats for sleeping and resting is universal 55, Commerce and Trade, An and is mostly in the hands of foreigners; the trades are not well advanced, and in art we may mention the music of the Siamese. The Laos, as well as the Siamese, Assamites, and Burmese, have a kind of national literature—poems of myth ological and historical character, romances, dramas, and lyric pieces. The computation of time is derived from Hither India; in Aya the Brahmans revise the calendar. Writing is quite common throughout Aracan.
Intellectual intellectual activity of these people is not great, though the Anamites are most noteworthy. They are honest, gen tle, and harmless, but cruel and fierce ill their wars, as well as cowardly, and without any of true honor. The inhabitants of the larger cities are described in still more unfavorable terms. The wild mountain-races are on a higher level, being peaceful] and simple, even if somewlmt rough.
The Anamites possess greater mental power, which shows itself in the excessive animation of the countenance, and are more joyous, friendly, and complacent, than the Siamese with their dull expression. They are
quicker in comprehension. They arc also more particular about their exterior than the latter; they take pleasure in ornamenting themselves, though with little regard for cleanliness. Thus thcy have identified themselves with the nearest centre of culture, China. Their dress is the old Chinese; the speech of the learned, the characters of writing, their social usages, and even their religion, are Chinese.
Fanzily family life of all these peoples is pure, although polygamy prevails and the unmarried live quite without restraint. Yet they are not dissolute in this particular unless under the influence of liquor. Prostitution of unmarried daughters by their fathers exists in Anam, and of wives by their husbands in Aracan frequently, and is not considered dishonorable. Yet on the whole the position of the women is not bad. Entail of property goes by the mother's side. Children have much tenderness shown them, although infanticide both before and after birth is not rare in Anam. Old age is respected.
government is entirely despotic. The king is believed to have descended from the gods, to whom the higher classes stand nearer than the common people; therefore the king alone is permitted to wear yellow, the sacred color of the sun. This gives rise to the servility which is displayed toward him, to the excessive ceremony of the court, the strict divisions of society—which are particularly marked in Burmah and to the polite usage which requires a common man to use certain expressions and to avoid others when addressing a superior. It also accounts for the submission of the lower classes to every act of cruelty of their betters, which has undoubtedly had a most unfavorable influence upon the development of the national character. Plate 54 (fig. 5) shows the mandarins of an Anamite village clad in the dark-blue official garb.
are very numerous, and are of two classes—debtor slaves, who are held in bondage until their debts are paid; and perpetual slaves, who are principally members of the mountain-tribes captured in war. Slavery'among the Burmese is mild, but among the Siamese more severe. There is also a caste consisting of the unclean and of outcasts, who include temple slaves or prisoners of war presented to the temple, of lepers and incurables who are under control of a special functionary, and of undertakers, executioners, etc.