Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1918 — Sprouts After 1,000 Years. [ARTICLE]

Sprouts After 1,000 Years.

At the Zensui Temple, Iwane village, Koga-gun, Shiga Prefecture, a very ancient wooden idol of Vaisravana was opened four years ago and some rice that had reposed therein fully ten centuries was removed and planted. The seeds germinated and the rice grown therefrom appears to be similar in all respects to that of the present day. The yield was large and the crop for next year from this seed is expected to be excellent. Vaisravana is the God of Treasure. When the statue was repaired a bag'of coarse flaxen textile was exhumedcontaining rice seeds, with a piece of paper bearing the following inscription, in Chinese: “This image has been engraved for the peace of the world. If any one of later generations opens it, he should put in new seeds.” The Tokyo Academy of Fine Art pronounces the image and its contents of great antiquity—at least 1,000 years old.