The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1906-05-10

into useful citizen is typifed in this
collection in bronze through the stcry
OF Jiariya, or Young Thunder, who,
in his youth, became chief of a band
OF robbers. He and his men started
out one day to rob an old man named
Sense Dojin, who had lived in the
mountains for many centuries, and
whose real body was in the form of a
frog. When Jiariya met the old man,
the latter undertook to teach him the
secrets of the spirits of the mountains
how to control the elements, how to
govern frogs and other animals. He
commanded him to henceforth cease
from robbing the poor and to take
only from the rich, and those who
acquire money dishonesty. Jiariya,
having learned his lesson, repented
OF his life, and left the old man de-
termlned never to rob the poor. He
was later appointed Daimio of Idzu.
A bronze statue shows the muscular
development of Shoki, god endowed
with enormous strength. He is here
represented in the act of destroying
two of the horde of demons who
brought sickness and all kinds of ills
upon the people.
The delicacy and exquisite work.
manship OF these wonderful artists
can be studied in silver and bronze
ornament in the shape of basket
filled with flowers of their favorite
plum tree, adorned with nightingales.
In making this basket work, the
pattern is woven of wax strands, a
mold is made Of clay, and when dry
; the wax is melted out, and the bronze
cast in its place.
There are number of these bronze
basket-work effects among the "Hana
Ike" or flower vases, in this collec-
ton OF bronzes. Most of them being
among those presented to the Museum
by Thro Shire Alabama, at one time
Secretary of the Japanese Legation.
Besides the objects already men
toned in this collection in the
Museum, there are a number of very
beautiful sword guards, knife handles,
seals, water vessels for inkstones, tea
services, paper-weights, candlesticks,
all worth the careful attention of the
lover of the unique and the beautiful.
No collection of Japanese bronzes
would be complete without an
Imperial Dragon, and an Imperial
three-clawed dragon is to be found
among the bronzes in the Museum.
This dragon has hideous four horned
, serpent's head with fangs, and long
: barbels, scaled body and tail with
crusted barbed spine, four legs each
having three claws, and flame append
= ages proceeding from the juncture of
r legs and body. In all essentials the
r Japanese and Chinese dragons are
= alike with the exception that the
Chinese dragon has five claws, and
the Japanese three. As seen in their
objects OF art, one would imagine that
these dragons were intended to
represent the evil spirit but such does
not appear to be the japanese view.
J They believe that it exerts a potent
influence over all important and
national events connected with the
. Emperor and heroes. The chronicles
and history of the Gods and heroes
are full of fabulous stories of this
3 animal. They believe that it dwells
in the bottom of the sea, as in it's
proper element. Although water
appears to be its proper element it is
, by no means confined to it. Prof.
Griffis says of the dragon:-
"There are many kinds of dragons
such as violet, yellow, green, red,
white, black and flying dragons.
Some are scaly, some are horned and
some are without horns. When the
white dragon breathes, his breath goes
into the ground and turns to gold;
when the violet dragon spits the
spittle leaves balls of fire crystals of
. which gems are made. One kind of
dragon has nine colors on his body;
another can see anything within 245
miles. Another has immense
treasures of every sort. The dragon
J causes the floods and the earthquakes,
and when it is sick, the run of fish is
small"
1t is interesting to note in studying
Japanese bronzes, that in the latter
half Of the 18th century, one of the
{ most skillful of Japanese bronze
, workers was woman by name of
Kane, of whom it is said that the fine
surface of her bronze and the clear
sharpness of her castings attracted so
much attention that her methods were
regarded as new departure.
Test Of Precious Stones.
"The real test OF precious stones"
one expert quantity put 1t, els that
they scratch each other all the way
down the list" The diamond scratches
the emerald. and the emerald