Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-07-13
How Japanese Show Emotion
BY ALBERT S. AsHIEAD, MD.

SO 80 thinning Nhdl INC JdpuneAG
sailors expressed no surprise or as
constituent while visiting New York
In the "6ightseeing" automobiles. He
does not understand Japanese facial
expression. What appeared to him
as calm" was quite the opposite.
Darwin in 1857 presented the an
| thropological world with a formula
for physiognomical researches, using
sixteen questions for expression OF the
emotions in man and animals" Pro-
lessor Wernich. of the Toxic Surgi-
cal Academy, in 1874 put these ques-
lions to the japanese and obtained a
set of answers, some Of which, in ac-
cordance with Japanese popularity,
are tinged with Occidental colorings,
as some of the Japanese questioned
We're already In contract with for
eign ideals.
Astonishment in the Japanese is
expressed by widely opening the eyes,
slight raising of the head, stretching
1t up and drawing up of the eye
brows. I watched those rubber
neck" sailors as they passed me on
Cathedral Parkway and recognized
this expression on many of the faces.
While deeply meditating on the
sights they saw or trying to UNDER
stand some surprising fact bawled
out to them through the megaphone
by their Japanese guide many OF
them put their heads slightly aside
and shook them at intervals, and
while conversing with those beside
them drew the air between their
teeth Ia la Malay with an "F"
Il 9und; they Wrinkled thai- fowl - s.
,t.igtu neld their mouths open. These
signs showed that they were struck
With establishment and were not so
calm as American observers sup
posed they were. Complete (obsti-
aate) silence would imply not calm
ness but contempt in Japanese.
To explain further how different
the Japanese expressions are from
ours, l may add that turning the face
to one side with a single bitter laugh
ike hal" means in Japanese SUI
preme disdain. So does a single smile,
such as Mr.. Sato used to employ
when interviewed sometimes during
The Portsmouth Peace Conference.
Putting out the lips and assumption
If falsetto tone of voice, with wide
~ opened eyes, means scolding or
.eproval among the Japanese. The
suffering forth of words whilG
speaking to mistress or master means
bad humor when a japanese servant
m New FORK so speaks. He need
not use any facial expression at all;
his face Is blank. japanese are too
shy to show expressions of guilt.
Only by the deep sinking of the head
can you tell whether the Japanese
child is guilty or not Adults do not
sink the head at all and maintain a
blank expression.
Jealousy in woman is shown only
by the eyes being widely opened, the
mouth being tightly shut. Not q
muscle flickers; yet she is wild
enough to stab you. Japanese never
lod the head vertically, as we do, to
express the affirmative. A slight bow
expresses it. The negative is ex-
pressed by a single sidewise turn of
the head, so that the right ear comes
to stand little more forward; or
It is expressed with the hand held
downward, while the wrist Is moved
four or six times toward him who is
making the sign.
If person to be called is at some
distance the arm is lifted forward
1t the breast level, the better to be
seen. Lateral motion of the hand,
at breast level, with palm turned out
ward and fingers extended, means
forbidding. The Japanese never puts
ais thumb to his nose with fingers
extended, as our American boys do
In derision. The Japanese identical
sign is holding the wrist to the nose
with index finger extended and the
other fingers tightly closed to the
palm. One hand held like this in
front Of the other is doubly scorn-
full.
The Japanese never wiring their
hands in agony, or do they ever make
use Of the muscles of the neck. They
never throw up the head or throw up
the eyes to heaven.
Handshaking is unknown in Jap
an. Equals bow to each other at a
separated distance and only to the
same level. For one to bow 10 over
than the other party would imply ac-
acknowledgements of inferlority.
Friends stroke each others backs
with the hands.
Deep sinking of the head and flood
Of tears mean great sorrow. They
grasp the hands together but never
wiring them as we do. They never
turn to heaven their faces bathed in
tears" The Japanese while crying
sinks his head and does not lift his
eyes but holds the body shrunk to-
gether. He cries "Itai! Itai!" Ut
hurts! 1t hurts!) just as often as
we do, when in pain. In fact, he can
not stand pain as well as we can. All
the talk of his stoicism in this re-
gard Is stuff and nonsense. When
condemned to death the Japanese
criminal cries out in fear, Just as
any other human being would; he
turns pale and his lips tremble. He
Is no drawer than any other mortal. In
victory he Is t''tremely "cocky," but
In failure or defeat he is abject. All
japanese education is bent toward
abolishing stiffness of backbone and
teaching much bowling and self-de-
probation; but toward an enemy a
Japanese is extremely "chesty' until
the enemy proves his superiority,
when the japanese is meek enough.