The ordination of Buddha bonzes in Cheugtu, China, 1934

This is a photograph of an "ordination ceremony of Buddhist bonzes in the monastery of Cheugtu, Szechuan Province. Nine balls of incense are placed on the closely shaven heads of the bonzes; they are lit and allowed to burn scars into the scalp. Buddhism in China bears very little resemblance to the original creed and is hardly distinguishable from Taoism whose deities it has had to borrow in order to popularize it's temples."