The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-29

fNhA 'A@ N~'@'f ~
from other Far Eastern countries. He
believes, however. that these occasional
accessions were never so considerable as
to be incapable Of easy assimilation. He
admits, nevertheless, what later ethnolo-
gists regard as almost certain, namely,
that one of the additions to the original
Japanese population was much more i'm
portant than any other, that this came
from the south, and that the dark hued,
long haired newcomers were OF Malay,
or, as he calls it, Malagan, stock. What
DR.. Kaempfer has to say on this subject
bears surprising witness to the soundness
of his Judgment and the acuteness of his
observation.
A large part of Or. %Kaempfer's work
Il devoted to the political evolution of Japan
during the thousand or more years pre-
ceding his visit. His nomenclature differs
from that with which we are now familiar.
but, with a little pains, it is not difficult
to identify his proper names. His COM
prehensive review Of the subject may be
condensed in a few paragraphs.
DR.. Kaempfer Justly pays but little atten-
ton to the first two Of the three eras into
which the history and chronology Of the
Japanese Empire may be divided, namely.
a fabulous, a doubtful and a trustworthy
era. The first and fabulous epoch OF
japanese history reaches far beyond the
date Of the Creation, as deduoed from the
Hebrew Scriptures. During that epoch
Japan is alleged to have been governed
by a succession OF seven celestial spirits
or gods. The doubtful era beigns about
CBo B, c., and lasts for upward OF a thou
sand years. Regarding this period, also,
we nave to rely almost exclusively upon
legends, although the contemporary neigh
boring empire Of China was already grown
very powerful. and the arts and sciences
which fourished there were ultimately
to be transmitted, directly or indirectly.
to Japan.
According TO the author rites followed
by Kaempfer, the japanese monarchy was
founded in the ffty-eighth year Of the
thirty-hfth Chinese cycle B. c. 6e0) by
Syn Mu, whose full title was Syn Mu ten
90, better known to us as Jimmu Tenno.
The mythical character Of the anr ais during
the second period of Japanese history is
evident from the fact that Jimmu is re-
ported to nave reigred seventy-nine years,
HJu W q biCN ~ viz io'N' ~ ~ ''S tSV
In the thirtieth year Of the reign of JIM
mus third son and successor was born in
Chira the philc scpher whom the Jap
anese rame Koo al, the Chinese Cumfusu,
and Eur pears Confucius. The Emperor
K,si,, wa a3ce1d,d thu throne in B. c.
47e, is alleged to nave reisned nearly eighty
three years ard to have died in the ll5th
wear Of his age. His son, the Emperor
~ 80 .-t 60. H. l., nn--.l l..
have reigred 1O1 and to have lived 1877 years.
His son Kcrai, 40 we are Il I'D, reigned 10
and lived l2s years; his grandson, H okin,
reigned So and lived 116 years. As late as
the time Of the Emperor iusin, who ascerded
the throne B. c. OF, it ia related that he
reigned 6s ard lived llo years. There
seems to be s, me Foundation for the legend
that in A. D. cot the Empress lingo, whom
DR.. Kaempfer calls Sirg gu Ko gu, invaded
and conquered Ccrea. His own AGO. unit Of
the trarsactiors runs as fCll.ws: "She
carried on war aFairst the Ccrears,
aa1 at the very be ginning Of her reign
vent over with a numerous army, which
she commanded in person, but finding
herself with child in a foreign country she
FASTENED back to Jaran. She died after a
glorious reign OF seventy years in the u
dreth year Of her age" There seems to
be no doubt that this successful expedition
was followed by the introduction Of Corean
civilization, some Of the Chinese sacred
books arriving in Jaran from the Corcan
peninsula in A. d. 2s5. Shortly EefoTe
A. d. GAG, after which the national history
may be clearlv traced, a Buddhist hierarchy
had been established by the Ja,ancse Gov
eminent, direct relations hal been entered
upon with China and Chinese civilization
was thereafter rapidly assimilated. Dur
ing the five ensuing centuries the ~Jaranese
people made an immense advance in the
arts Of civilized life. A complete system
of civil officials was organized under the
headship Of the Fujiwara family (about
which Kaempfer seems to be imperfectly
informed), whose members filed all the
chief posts under Government and gave a
succession Of consorts OF the Imperial
House. During the twelfth century OF our
era the decadence Of the Fujiwara family
and the growing weakness Of the Imperial
Government favored the rise OF the military
class. hitherto subordinate, which, in the
person OF Yoritomo Kaempfer calls him
Jorjtomo), created Shotgun or Generalissimo
In A. d. 1892, seized the reins Of power.
The usurpation of supreme secular authority
by this officer. long known to Europe by
the Chinese name Of Tycoon, led to the be-
lief SHARED by Kaempfer) that down to
1863 there were two emperors in japan, one
a Mikado or ecclesiastical emperor, who
reigned but did not govern, and another, the
Shotgun, who really governed, though he
paid homage to the Mikado, As a matter
of fact, there has always been but one kind
of emperor in Japan, the Shotgun being
merely a sort of Mayor Of the Palace, who
gradually concentrated in his hands almost
all OF the secular authority. The military
lefs organized by Yoritomo gradually
evolved a feudal baronage that succeeded
in making itself virtually independent OF
the central povAr, Ultimately the sho-