The Lamar register., 1902-06-18
QUEER JAP BELIEF.
Enthusiasts Willing to Become vie-
dms of Horrible Superstition.
Think the Sacrifice VIII give
Strength to Engineering Projects
"Human PilIars" ResiGn
Thensslves to Quick Burial.

In old Japan people were sometimes
buried alive-or, more frequently, al
Lowed themselves to be buried alive
at the Inauguration of any difficult
piece of engineering work, in order to
impart, as they thought, strength and
life to the undertaking. The victims
of the horrible superstition were
known under the suggestive titles Of
human pillars" and many are the
quaint and wierd stories that have
been woven around this custom and ars
recounted to this very day by Japan
ese grandmothcrs, writes Francis Mo
Cullagh, in the Chicago Daily News.
No one would imagine that any
grown-up Jananese of the present day
would seriously believe in these tales,
much less offer to "adorn" one of them
in Johnson's phrase-yet this is ex-
hctly what two japanese have just
done. II came about in this wise: The
Buddhists of Osaka recently opened
subscription lists for the erection of a
big belfry with monster bell at Ten
noj temple, in the suburbs of that city.
An old lady. fervent Buddhist, living
in the south island of Japan, got wind
OF the scheme and Immediately had a
letter written to the high priest of the
temple intimating that she was will
ing to offer herself as sacrifice Of
the human pillar" variety II the tenn
pie authorities did not object. OF
course, they did object. with the result
that nothing more has been heard Of
the old woman or her extraordinary
offer.
The second enthusiast was an eE-
priest of Osaka. Gwano Hayashi by
name, who was living comfortably
with his wife and two children and
who was 40 yenrs old. One evening
last month n policeman attached to
the Tennoji police station noticed
the figure of man, clad entirely in
white, proceeding cautiously toward
the temple. The lateness of the hour
aroused the suspicious of the police
man, who, on drawing nearer, no
ticed that the stranger was carrying
on his back n coffin. On the closer
approach of the policeman the stran-
ger attempted to run. but was soon
overtaken and led to the station.
An examination OF the coffin re-
vealed singuharly beautiful old
sword and n mortuary tablet. a let
ter addressed to the head priest of
the temple, which was discovered on
the person of the prisoner, explained
exactly what the latter had been
about to do with himself. The man,
on being interrognted, calmly con-
fessed that he had resolved to COM
init suicide that night in the tenn
pie premises in order, ms he elegant-
ly put it. 'to vitalize the collection
OF the bell funds and to give strength
to the belfry on it's completion"
The would-be suicide was perfect
ly sane and not illiterate; and the
police, assisted by the local Buddhist
priests, finally succeeded in making
him see his folly and in making him
promise to abandon his rash prot
ect.
He was consequently released, but
insisted on leaving behind in the
hands of the police his valuable
sword, an heirloom in his family and
an excellent specimen of the sword
smiths art His reason for doing so
was that he could not trust himself
with the weapon.