New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-11

bcyhood 10 squat on their heels but insisted
u1c- heir sitting upon high chairs-upon chairs,
indeed. so high that their feet could not touch
ga --0und. Ee neglected 10 add that in China
where the people sit in chairs in lieu Of squat
t-s on their heels, as in Japan. the standard Of
h-.elt is much greater. Indeed, China furnishes
20 r1-lest and largest men OF the entire Orient.
re lverage stature being superior in the Celes-
t-1- Empire 10 that in this country. Still another
Plea which be might have put forward in sup
port # his contention Is the fact that to-day
tla 5tIriksha men. who are accustomed to run
thirty. forty and even fifty miles day Cheir
powers OF endurance in this respect being some
taing phenomenal), and who. therefore, develop
he muscles Of their legs by keeping them In
constant use instead Of subjecting them TO a
species Of atrophy by the practice OF squatung,
not merely for hours but for days together on
The heels furnish to-day the best physical speci-
mems Of manhood IL the Land OF the tAslns
Sun.
There seems TO be a widespread impression
that this strange sitting Posture-namely THAI
Of souattirg on the heels, which 70 foreigners
becomes positive torture after the first halfhour
is 2 purely japanese custom and OF japanese
origin This is not the case, for il is TO be found
among the lower classes IN Tashkend and IN
various other parts Of Central and Northern
Asia. where il is not considered respectful for
servants 10 sit cross-legged. Indeed, the squat
ting on the heels, which is 10 all intents and
PURPOSES kneeIing. is invariably eXacted from
Interiors in the presence OF their superiors. The
fact that the practice should have extended cen
t--ies ago 10 Japan without obtaining any hold
mon China constitutes an additional argument
n eavor Of the theory that the japanese are Of
Nz~lhu, NongoI and Central Asian origin
rather tnan Of Chinese OF Malay descent and OF
che hy-pothesis that they reached the islands OF
-gef Nippon by way Of Corea and Manchuria,
---re- than from the more southerly portions OF
.tt Chinese empire That q custom restricted
,- Central Asia 10 the lower classes should have
been adopted by the entire japanese people OF
cry e-a5e Of society is il keeping with their
Ar+-cfrles of excessive courtesy, courtesy
VIII. D causes 2 man always to assume posi-
t.-- cf affected inferiority when addressing an
o-rar r,erson- Examination Of ancient prints
Erl PICTURES representing the Mlkaoo VIII sho"
nat he alone did not sit on his heels, but cross
legged. as the chiefs and the khans do in Tur-
tfs-a- whereas all the dignitaries OF his court
~ virtually kneeIing before him by sitting on
.4a.- heels OF course, with the advent OF for
eigr civilization Western notions Of democracy
s-5 4 equality are rapidly making their way
S-..rg the japanese people, and these are likely
- ac-onIIish more than anything else toward
bringing about the abandonment OF the time
h0.a--d method Of sitting N japan "l-iON -
tz.--.res with class distinctions and with the
l5.a Il the iuferiority Of one citizen to another
C,..-fa.!ely enough the squatting on the heels
dos not seem il any way TO stunt the growth
or affect the physique Of the people Of Central
Asia For some Of them are exceedingly tan
AID handsome men Nor can II be said that
..s c-oss-legged position in sitting has ever
l-.e-rered with the bodily development Of the
Turks The Arabs. the Moors etc. all Of whom
Furnish SPLENDID specimens Of manhood, the
-4.t.r being the rule rather than the exception
Indeed a careful study Of the question would
.a-s 10 the belief that the stUnted stature OF a
caus.G eraLle naoiety Of the japanese people Is
d. less 70 their practice OF sQuatong on ulel
heels than 10 heredity. that is TO say 10 NE
r.-- nat many Of them are descended from
,s. tribes Of Northern Asia, who possibly owing
q. he climate, are usually small And this be-
Leg is strengthened by the circumstance tlat
L. ibis day the people il the northern part OF