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

After a detailed account Of the provinces
OF japan, of the climate and minerals, the
fauna M fora, DIR. kaempfer IN
n charte. Of his first volume the perplexing
question Of the origin of the japanese.
After recognizing that the civilization OF
Japan was der ed flcm Chi a, first. me-
diateIy through the Corears, and, subse-
o%uentlv, directly through intercourse with
the Middle Kingdom, he sets forth many
reasons for believing that the japanese are
not descendants from the Chinese. In
the first place, although the Chinese written
characters were imported into Japan at an
early date, tho sroken languages OF the two
peoples are sharply differentiated. So
distinct is the pronunciation. even of the
same words or letters, hat it would seem
that the Physical Instruments of articulation
are differently formed. The pronunciation
Of the Jaranese tongue is, in general, pure
and distinct, while that Of the Chirese is a
confused roise Of many ~consonants, pro-
pounced with a sort of singing accert,
disa greeable to the European ear. DR..
Kaetnpfer rotoi a like difference with re-
gard to particular letters. For example,
the Chi.ese rror ounce our letter II very
distinctly, Tut the Jararese can give it TO
Olit1 SOlilll bit NlidS Va "h va VIZ
other hand, the japanese pronounce dis
tirctIy the letters r and D, of which the
Chinese, particularly those residing near
Marking. always make an L even though
otherwise they may be well skilled in Euro
peap languages. Another argument against
the descent of the japanese from the Chi
nese is drawn from the difference of the
inGieer GUS reliei ors Of the TWO peoples.
.l.,t- thnt 10 tho Inno raan
were a co'ory Of the Chinese, they
would COUNTLESS have brought from the
mainland into the previously urinhabited
islands the religion and worship OF their
ancestors. and transmitted the same to
their posterity. As a matter Of fact moth
ing of the kind occurred. The very old
and probably original religion of the jap
anese, which is by them called Shinto, is
peculiar to their empire. The Chinese
know nothing of It. AS for Buddhism,
1t was not introduced effectively into
japan until a. D. $50, and not until
forty years later was It recognized by
the State. Even then Buddhism could
never prevail 50 far as to Danish respect
and veneration for Shintoism, the religion
of their ancestors, from the minds OF the
Japanese. DR.. Kaempfer goes on to show
that the Japanese greatly oil ereu from
the Chinese at the date Of his visit-the
difference is, of course, intensified at the
present day-in their customs and way
of life. as to eating, drinking, sleeping,
dressing. shaving Of the head, salutinR,
sitting and many more usages. He laid
even more stress upon the fact that the
very ~inclinations or predispositions Of thor
several natures are remarkably different.
The Chi >se, he points out. are peaoeable,
modest, ;reat lovers of a sedate, specula-
tive ano philosophlo mode OF life, but
withal very much given to fraud and usury.
The Japanese. on the contrary, at the time
when DR.. Kaempfer knew them, were war
like, inclined to rebellions and n dissolute
life. mistrustful, ambitious and always
bent On aspiring designs. We may here
interject the remark, however, that for
many centuries preceding the middle Of
the third century B.. C.. China was as not
ably feudal and military az Japan long
after came to be, while, On the other hand,
zip to NOR the close Of the twelfth century
the Japanese civilization was Of a civilian
rather thar a military type, like that which