Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-12
RELIGIOUS REVIVAL
Mikado Moe p vout Because
ofG Var.
AN UNIQUE PAGEANT
a.:i>. ac
SAME CEREMONIES OBSERVED AS
cEaTbbR11k AGO.
Ancient Armor Worn-Alleged Tooth
Of Buddha Worshiped by Ma
tives-Emperor's Creed.
! AN UNIQUE PAGEANT

tives-Emperor's Creed.
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS,
Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star and
Chicago Record Herald
KYOTO. July II. 1904.
For good and sufficient reasons the En-
peror of Japan and others in high authority
are manifesting more than ordinary inter-
est in religious affairs and functions since
the war with Russia began There are
many anniversaries and traditional cere-
monies connected with both the Shinto and
Buddhist temples in which the government
formerly bore conspicuous part, but in the
light of modern days they have lost much
of their influence, interest and significance,
and some of them have not been observed
since the restoration OF the emperor until
recently. This year many Of the obsolete
pilgrimages and professions have been re-
vived. This may be due to lingering
confidence in the power of the deities wor-
SHIPPED In ancient days, and in the great
struggle in which the nation is engaged the
authorities may consider it wise and expe-
dent to take every chance in heaven as
well as on earth, and propitiate every pow
er which may possibly be Of anysassistance
to Japan. But it Is more likely that the
government has shown unaccustomed activ-
ity in religious matters to set an example
to the people, to give them something to
think about, to stimulate their interest in
the gods Of their fathers and their pride in
the glory of their race and the achieve
ments Of their ancestors. But whatever
may be the reasons. the emperor has taken
pains this year to send personal representa-
tves to religious functions which he has
hitherto ignored At important festivals
prince of the imperial house has appeared,
OF 9TH bicb official af Of
lesser importance an afd-de-camp with gen.
erous offerings to the gods and to the poor
and contributions for the repair and restor-
alton of the temples.
The emperor has also shown especial in
terest this year in the worship of his an
cestors. most of whom are buried In the
grounds of the beautiful old Buddhist tenn
pie called Sen-yuji which stands on the
outskirts of Kyoto In natural amphi-
theater surrounded by pine-clad hills. For
six centuries this has been the mausoleum
of the mikados. and there Is the tomb OF
the emperers father, Komei Tenno, with
a mortuary shrine OF great beauty covered
with exquisite carving and paintings. The
last burial was that of his mother, the late
empress dowager. She died at Tokyo seven
years ago, and her body was brought here
for interment with great ceremony
Buddha's Tooth.
The temple of Sen-yuji is also of great
interest because in it's reliquary is what Is
from China about thirteen hundred years
ago. The story goes 4 lat after Buddha's
death, while his body yas lying in state.
a demon named SoshikE1 jerked this tooth
from his jaw and ran away with 1t, but
was Immediately pursued by the war god
Idateh and forced to surrender the precious
relic. In the meantime the body Of The En-
lightened had been placed under great
pagoda so that the tooth could not be re-
stored to it's proper place. Hence the god
for many cen turieb It was kept until it was
brought to Japan. The tooth is worshiped
annually on the Sth of October, and Is then
exhibited to the public. 1t Is more tnan
three inches in circumference and at least
an inch and a half long and Is evidently
the molar of some elephant or mammoth
Surrounding the imperial mausoleum Is
a beautiful grove, watered Dy oas NM
hashi, the floating bridge OF dreams
where, on the anniversaries or their olrtns
and death, people come with offerings TO
the dead mikados and drop them upon the
swift-fowing current below. There is usu-
ally a midnight procession for that pur-
pose, on the anniversary of the birth OF the
late emperor and it Is regularly observed.
Near by Is San-ju-san-gen teIhple
with SO 1873 images of the goddess OF mercy,
which is absolutely unique. The temple
was built in the year 1872 by the emperor
Toba. who placed in 1t LOCI Images OF TINS
popular goddess. and his successors nave
added to it and contributed other images
from time to time until now It has become
a great pavilion, 3S9 feet long by 81 feet
wde and is entirely filled with vast com
pany of gilded idols, intended to be exactly
alike, and each five feet high, which rise
tier upon tier from a passage In the CEN
ter. While the popular notion that there
are 33 1893 of these images mas gwen tne
actually only about 11,OOO. The maximum
number is obtained by including smaller
effgies. which appear either carved or
painted in the hands or upon the haios or
on the foreheads or hanging upon the
breasts of the larger ones. While all OF the
idols are intended to represent the goddess
of mercy. and the general resemblance Is
maintained. 1t is found that no two OF them
are exactly alike. 1t is nevertheless re-
markable collection.
Ancestral Tablets.
The ancestral tablets of the emperor are
in a Shinto temple called Shimo-kamo.
about two miles north Of Kyoto, which
stands in a splendid grove Of patriarchal
naples. cryptomerias and oaks. and it
dates back as far as the year SIT A. D.
Botanists say that most of the trees are
several centuries old, and they certainly
have venerable appearance. On either
side or the main gate are two enormous
Japonica trees. called by the Japanese sa-
kaki. which form an arch, having been
joined together by a large branch from one
tree which has become grated upon limb
OF the other. Tradition says that this phe-
nomenon occurred more than a century
ago, and these beautiful trees thus married
by nature are frequently visited by wives
VINO nave quarreled with their husbands,
to pray for restitution and conjugal har-
mony. The leaves Of the trees are supposed
to exercise powerful influence over re-
fractory husbands
Several hundred years ago the Emperor OF
Japan was i'll and the doctors could do
nothing for him. hence he came to this
venerable shrine on; the 18th of May to pray
before the tablets Of his ancestors. On the
night following hef had vision in which
one of them appeared to him and told him
TO use hollyhock leaves which he did, and
was cured and for centuries, as long as the