Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-09-23
Woman III Japan.

" OMAN III Jdpdus
\ youug japanese lsw-stuieL! &!
Harvard writes ihe following n 'un
Boston NyGt;.
We ele,l now t2le brief view Oh he
position Of ladies IN Japan. The
Western people arc invariably az
grieved t. See tie interior state Of
women in AsiItic countries. and
heartily sympathizs with them in their
condition of tetal sui lection under 'iia
desro'ic hands o. family tyrants. 30
this the japanese y les are an eXcip
ton; they are Fever reirccd to tie
same degree as in other Asiaiic
countries. They are undoubtedly
treated as the peutler sex, ind also witt
respect and considerate care. In ;Li~.
as IL so many other things. we totally
differ from the Chinese. An American
writer, Speaking OF Japanese womtn,
says that "the student of A-is-
tic life on coming TO Japan. il
cheered and pleased in contrasting the
position of women in Japan with that
of other countries" We sec them
treated with affection and Difference; in
fact. in Japan as in America. the ladies'
rule the house. They are allowed
greater freedom, and have more dignity
and selfconfdence than any other
Eastern ladies; yet it is true that u
Japanese lady is deprived of the priv
lege Of receiving her young male
friends in such I'll unrestricted manner
as is allowed in this country; nor is,
without chaperon, permitted to in
dulge in the pleasures of strolling or te'
share the amusement of theater going
with him with whom she may stand on
terms Of friendship, or of more tender
relation. We scarcely hear, in an.
Japsnese family, such free expression
of love and affection as is tolerated III
this country; in fact, it is there con-
sidered too delicate an affair to speak
of or demonstrate in the presence Of
parents or friends, if not a violation oi
the plopriety of social etiquette. We
can easily infer from these facts thai
marriage in japan is seldom the frui,
of mutual love aud admiration. The
matrimonial union is wholly to be ar
ranged and settled by the hands OF
parents. and the proposed husband and
wife have to take each other either foi
better or for worse upon the judgment
of others. But it is amazing to find
that there are no more unhappy couples
in Japan than there are in this country
where marriage is the sweet result oi
long acquainta nee and mutual love
Through the Influence of Confucianisn
and buddhism, Obedience has beef
inculcated as the chief and mos
amisble virtue of ladies'. and undoubt
eddy this prevailing notion has pre-
vented them from securing a position
of equality with men. Happily, O
shall 1 say uuhappily, for us men, ou'
wives have hardly ever attaiued suct
an ascendency as 20 henpeck their hus
bands, u custom often discoverablt
among the SO called civilized countries
In tracing the history of any nation.
we invsrisbly seem to come across al
age in which the female sex was more
Or less brought under subsection. Tn,
ancient Teutonic race is said, evei
during its barbarous times, TO have
regarded the gentler Sex with tn,
greatest respect and courtesy; but
We turn to the common law OF England,
We find the assertion quite inconsisten,
With it. Unfortunately for them
Japanese women have thus far beei
deprived of many rights, and also Of
the means Of elevating themselves; bu'
to-day the education of our girls is re
ceiving the greatest attention from oul
educational department. The prospec,
is chesrin8, and it may safely be pre-
.licted that, at no distant day, oul
scholastic institutions will produc.
my riads of schoolmarms, that pleasing
feature of the New England landscape
Japanese young ladies are general,
admired by foreigners as pleasing and
graceful in their department, and fol
their gentleness, neatness, and good
taste in dress. AS far az my rccoilec
ton goes, l can say thus much, thai
they are generally demure and difliden
in society, and apparently fall short o.
such an activity and ease OF manner a.
is shown by American young ladies
Our misses neither reduce the size OF
their feet, like the Chinese, ror cont: &c
their waists, like the western ladies
nor willingly iDjure what is given tt
them, that is. by piercing through
the ears, q custom prevalent almost
every where, both in the civilized
countries of Europe and America, and
the half-civilized country OF Asia
Among our married women it has, from
ancient times, been the custom to shave
off the eyebrows and to blacken tn.
teeth. This invariably attracts me at
lection OF strangers, and is not infre
quently ridiculed as a most singular
and unnatural custom. Every nation hat
it's own customs and pecullarities, and
we doubt if those ladies who are inclined
to condemn the custom are Normally
free from the shade Of any singular
fashions or peculIarities attendant upol
their persons. We have a common
saying. Correct Yourself before you
criticise others" We gladly state thai
our married women are sensible enough
to perceive the shortcomings in til,
custom above alluded to, Ynd it is nov
noticeable how rapidly it Is disappear
lug.
In summing up, We ehould say th a
our country men are extremely patriot.
and sensitive If personal honor; prouc
of their beautiful land and anxious I,
take forward place in the family OF
nations. Their iLfexible and appre
ciative dispositions are distinct,
shown in the two instances previousl,
deferred to; one in the adoption If IN.
Coniuci,n philosophy. and the otht
Ia thnt'tf the western civiliZ ttIoU. fh-
people are not endowed With that con
servative tirmDess and solidity whIci
is shown hv Euglishmen, but are tx
citable, active, aud vivacious, Otter
wbimisics. and full Of fancy, 80 tina
they are som, times sly led the French
men of the L, Bat in the place {,
the Fiei CHI selfi-hness, a kindly spiri
sremst pervade the social and domesti,
life Of Japan.
A Frenchman has Invented an ex