The sun., 1902-06-01

Our author hes no doubt that Buddhism
found i,s wav 20 m" hearts ~ IA" japanese
nation lr-s Icy reasnr Of rs doctrines than
hv means 81 III" oiviliza'ion Il INTRODUCED
Tts priests became tho peop"s teachers
Thel constituted a bridge. acto-- which
there pa->sd p"rp"tualiv from 'h" Asiatic
continent 10 Japan a stream 20 nov krovl-
ehge To enunera'e N" Innovations and
improvements that came 20 h"r hv that
Route would bc ~ rc'oun' almost III" Who'll"
story Of her progress II u certain hat
the seventh and eighth centuries 20 our era
are among VA" most mom"n'ous "pochs
Of Jnpans history. The" Witnessed her
pss-ag. from comparatively rId" con
dition - state 10 civilization a. high a.
that attained tv any country In III" world
from IA" fall o. th" Roman Emp'r" tu IN"
t,sa - modern Occidental ut'ipn-. and
th~y witnessed al-n political revolution,
the exact prntotvpe IL that which has made
japan remarkable in modern times
Prince Shutoku. rs We have mentioned
stood NJ tho head - the Progressive move.
rnent Not only did n. secure ~" adoption
of BUDDHISM hut he also organized an
sdrnini-' rativ. system emhuiving "a" tr-'
germs 81 practical imperialism Tho prin-
ciples 81 constitutional monarchy which
he enunclated were suggested hv the CON
dnions Of his era The ratriarchal families
which filled tho PRINCIPAL Offices - state
hy Hereditary nrh' had grown into great
clans Th"y graspcd the reality % adj
ministra,ivr power. leaving H. shadow
only tn the sovereign. who Gu ~ on the
one hand from all dir~s- communicate ion
with M. p-Norir. was condemned on tho other
70 so his authority abused Tor purposes
~ oppression and eN'ortion The state
90 the lower orders Was Ji'iahe Their
rnemhers wrrs li'l" h"''"r than sort
The prnduc', 81 their toll went almost en-
tirelv "a dc'fav 'n" eNtravagau' outlaws
~ tho pa'rcian clans. and 4 sometimes
,hsy rose m ahortiv" revolt their usual
resource was - Nv 20 mountain districts
hevond the rraoh of tho 'aN collcctor Even
here they would b" sought ont ana for"~i io
return - th"lr life Of unr"mun"rat"d labor
Prince Sho,oku saw 'ha' w." rcmeiv FOR
thesr " rot ch'.i conditions. which threatened
even the stability - -" 'hrnuc wa 20
crush the r,pwer e 'hc la rician class and
hiring 49," nation under ~" direct -wav
Of Img"rur- governing pu D,n- .iuIilur!al
Jrinciplc. II" incul-at~i ~" spirit II
this .rhgh'su,-i reform. lui ri u,t hv.
to $50 ~ prartlcal Communication WITHIN
n quarter - century a''"r his death how.
ever. 'hc la.i oi tho great ufic,hpldiug
clans wa, annirilste,i. AMI for the fr-' time
In Japaus.-a history no ln'r..r1r hararr"
= raj rIln- This happened m IN" m .'il"
e. IN. s.vcnth century \ n History call.
II tho Tlikws Reform \ J. - ~rr,c.
Of change ---re cruWr"d nv an ',ii'' 'hen
unpr~ceden'cd m japan II" -"y"rrisr
addressed himself directly tn no" poop"
and enplovcd language evidently A. cho
oi 'he constitution draf'ci bv Prince Sh.-
tolu IL gist vs~ that. -in"" N" faculty
q! -rlf government mus, hc a,gI.r'Ni h"-
FOR. an attempt = mad" - govern others.
and sirRr ntedi~n"e csn h." oh'alnHi orlv
hv one worthy to command 10" -,v"r"isr
pIcigrl himself 20 h.hayo ~ s'riC' r,u-
fnrinitv with tho principles Of i'np"r aii~m,
r,.lyinc on ihc aid uf heaven ami th" sup
pprt of 'he pNupl" T"nchi. who .>giei
this e-iict may l-' called the father ~ CON
siitu,inna! monarchism ~ Japan. Ihis
chapter of Japancr.' HISTORY - broadly Do
scritrd A. a poli't'al revolution resulting
from IN. Introduction e hIne-e civilization
through tho medium - Buddhist priests.
Jus, ~ n similar revolution IN r-rn' tlmc>
Tosulie,i from the introduction of Western
civilization through he medium 80 gun
bnats Another feature common 10 the
Japanc>n re,crd- uf the s"v"n'h and 'h"
nineteenth CENTURY ~ the extraordinary
spced with which progress was och'c'ed.