The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-03-20
MIRROR WORSHIP.
why The Bronze Mirror f. 50 Tmp0rtant
In Japanese Houses,
London Times.

Why The Bron1e Mirror Is so Tmp0rtAnt
In Bapanese Houses,
LONDON Times.
Professor Ayrton lectured last week
at the Royal institution, bis subject be-
ing "Ths Magic Mirror of Japan In
Japan there is, he said, an absence OF
house-waIls, interior and exterior, the
houses consisting of a roof supported
only ~ a,few posts, inclOsing very little
but empty space, and sliding screens
alone divide off Compartments why,
in this comparative absence of al that
we should call furniture, does one artiN
Gle pertaining to the ladies' toilet-the
bronze mirror with its stand-hold 40
prominent q position? This mirror IS
usually circular, FROM three inches to
twelve inches in diameter, made of
bronze, and with a bronze handle covered
with bamboo. The rejecting face isgen-
orally more or less convex, polished with
mercury amalgam, and the back is
beautifully ornamented with gracefully
executed raised design. Some for the
rustic population have also polished let-
tiers.
The explanation of the fact that the
mirror is almost par excellence the en-
tire furniture is found partially in the
elaborate head.dresses of the Japanese
ladies and the painting of their faces,
and partly from the belief that as the
word3 was the "soul of the Sameuri, f."
so is the mirror the "soul of woman"
1t therefore constitutes the most vslua.
bic Of all her possessions, and two mir
rors form part of the trosseau OF every
bride. The characteristic qualities of
the mirror must, it is believed, be in
accordance with the constitution of the
possessor, and " second sight Is resOrted
to IN the selection of a mirror. But
why is the mirror 30 important an article
in the Imperial palace, where the
Court ladies, still preserving the fashion
of old days, comb back their hair in the
simplest style? Why does the fortune
teller, instead of looking at q girls palm,
regard the reflection in g mirror? Why,
instead of referring to the book of the
recording angel, does the Japanese Plato
bring before the boatman his evil deeds
reflected in q mirror2 The mirror ranks
far higher in japanese history than has
been supposed; it, in fset, takes the place
of the cross in Christian countries.
Professor Ayrton read the myth of
tie origin Of the worship of the magic
mll4ur. Tho main points in it are that
when -uds ...uI, .nL }.--1 the earth the
Sun Goddess one day n4., ~ N70d
with her shuttle, having been suddenly
frightened by q practical joke of her
brother, the God of the Sea. She indig-
uan5 y retired to cave. Darkness fol-
lowed. and the goddess had to be ap-
peased. The wisest OF the gods sugges-
ted making an image OF her more beauti-
ful than herself. The japanese Vulcan
fashioned a mirror in the shape Of the
sun, and all the gods laughed and shout
ed, Here is a deity who surpasses even
your glory" Woman's curiosity could
not stand this. The goddess peeped out,
and, while admiring herself in the mir
ror, was caught and dragged out by 8
Iice rope. The national traditions have
it thai this sun Goddess ( Amaterasu {
mi Kami). sending her adopted grand
son, who was also the gTeat-grandtathel
OF the frzs Emperor Of Japan, to subdut
the world, made aim three presents: The
msga-sama (the precious stone, emblem
atical OF the spirit Of woman), the sworC
(embemstical OF the spirit OF man), a8C
the mirror (emblem Of her own soul)
Look" she said, con this mirror q
nv spirit; Keep it in the same house ans
on the same Goor with yourself, snJ
worship it as if you we're worshiping NJ
actual presence"