New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-04-01
DEATH OF THE HIGH PRIEST OFJAPAN.

tfr~nssled BY The Tribune from the Moneuf de u Fote
The Dsiri, or High Priest Of Japan inhsbH splsn-
did palace in the city of Mako. on the Islssd Of
Nippon. His court 10 composed Of 10000 priests, who
are entrusted with the charge ofthe 400 temples oths
immense city. His costume s long tunic, over which
he wears large red Dress white, transparent va,
ornamented with golden fringe is won upon bis head,
falling about half way down tie body. Els counts-
naLce remains always invisible.
On the LIST of July, 1885, the Dsin was taken ii.
immediately the chief priest with his ghostly COL
leagues, 200 priests Of the first rank, who are endowed
with the religious power of the empire, were sum
noned to the palace. BY the next day the invsSds
situation became critical and on the Sd his death
was pronounced to be inevitable and close At hand.
The priests repaired at once to the temple, and In
formed the popusos that the Dair had entered into
compact with the Seven Gods Of Heaven, and was
upon the eve of rejuvenatng his mind in the embrace
Of Ten-syodai-sn, the principal of these dsi'es who
the Japanese believe 10 have created the world. She
has been at the head Of s4rs for about IS 900 years.
and from her spring al thes'ayai families Of japan.
To her the inhabitants u. the entire cIr1e address
thsir invocations the protscress Of the land. u
At the conclusion of the first prayers the pests de-
cared that the inhabitants could immediately enter the
palace and regsle their eyes with the sight Of thsx
bigbly-venerated High Priett. At once the crosd
sreamed to the palace, where they beheld ihe DAN
lying stretched upon bed of state. He was dressed
in white tunic and bis features, covered with very
thin mask, were dmly perceptbe through Va.
spread over them. The priests prayed ioa"y' ana
waited the sweet perfumes from then osnSe''
the dying man. 1t O'Clock In inc morning VI INC
9Th Of JuI, he brentbed bis last As the Isst breath
n.s.od ,h,ouob hi, lips the chief priest raising bis
ann token of the departing life assured the by.
..,der. that the soul Of the High Priest had ssoendel
70 The abodes of the gods but that 1t would shortly
return and resume It's earthly hsbtation. Upon this
announcement solemn silence pervaded the audience
After the aree Of ten minutes the chief priest, sur
rounded by crowd Of HIS religious companions threw
over the still warm corpse of the Dsin Large
white cloth, which he instantly withdrew, and in the
place just before occupied by the body there appeared
another, similarly attred, but alive ard strong, who
rasns himself from bis recumbent position, went TO an
altar standing the bedside and bestowed upon the
people present his blessing The crowd instantly broke
out into EXPLANATIONS Of gadnees and rejoicing.
BY "a well concerted sratsgem the prieet' bad so-
sIacted the body Of the Dsir supplying fs place with
bis son who nheriS bis fathers station. The state
bed being hung sround with drspery rendered all the
easier to perform the trick without srousng the sus-
pciors Of the credulous inhabitants. The corpse OF
the Dair was carried in the night time to the Yce ten
pie by the priests where il laid upon Q Pyre and
burned to asbes This being done the temple Is closed
and all persons are forbidden TO enter it VIOLATION
Of this law is punished by burning to death.
The Ycie temple, the hsrdsonest one IN the ci.y
contains sevesa Of esrthen statues OF the de'fy
Tsr-syo-dsi Elm. These statues are about one ya11
high are hollow, and have each large opening IN Too
back of the head. The ashes of each Dam are pre-
,erved in one Of these statues the same So IN On ufn
The inhabitants arc 90. permitted TO enter the portion
of the temple where these figures stand. On the aAy
after the death occurred, ceremonies Of very dmee
tnt character tsAs plseethe Inauguration ofsSs ss~