The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-07-05
SWORDS OF JAPAN
Old SamuraI Blades Are Looked
Upon as Sacred.
HANDLED WITH REVERENCE.

4 Curious Formuis ~ Etiquette Pei.
lows When "ths Steel Bible %
Oushide" 10 Drawn From tie ohsath
By Q Hand Which Grasps Il In Psaee.
IL one were In friends house In
Japan aud should ask to examine one
of the old snnIurai swords that rest in
the lacQncred sword rack In q place
Of honor there curious formula OF
etiquette would be followed by the
hpst.
He would go TO q closet and return
with little square Of silk In his hand.
This he would wrap about the shark
skin bundle Of the sheathed sword BE-
fore touching his bare hand to the
sheath. Then. with bis right hand
grasping the silk covered handle and
the nngers Of bis left ginGerly raising
the lacQuered hilt from the rack. the
japanese host would lift the sword to
the level Of his forehead and bow to Il.
AL this In reverential spirit and with
utmost gravity. The square Of silk,
preserved for no purpose but this and
having its own name In the japanese
Vocabulary. u to prevent the denle-
ment OF the handle BY q hand which
grasps lt In peace. The bow II meant
Tor the spirit Of the swordsmith who
forged this weapon. The reverence II
Tor the sword itself. soul of the "a
mural" IN the japanese poetical con.
eeption and aptly called BY foreigners
stho steal Bible Of Bushido." .,s
But this y only the beginning Of the
foemality. WheD the japanese host
unsheaths the blade he does 1t with
The edge toward his own body and the
point directed away from his guest
when the guest receives the sword In
hls own hands he must be careful to
keep the outer edge always away from
the direction Of his friend the host
If be wishes to examine both sides of
The blade be must even turn his back
% that never viii the menace Of the
sharpsned edge b directed toward his
TREND.
After the examination Il completed
che sword = returned to its scabbard,
and the owner receives Il with an
ether bow and places It once more on
- rack.
The etiquette Of the sword Is no
empty thing. with the high spirited
japanese. who HAYS not forgotten the
many centuries Of chivalry and Of
hand lighting behind them. the deli
oatsly curved and curiously welded
sword Of the samurai has q signia-
canoe almost sacred. There u . phi
Oooophy OF the sworn no less stern
~ - kA
In the old days when the Japanese
fighters wore the war masks and the
steel armor seen nowadays In the
curiosity shops the boy was taught
that ~ the shining blade must be KEEP,
tree from spot and corruption. % mus,
he soul be ever clean. Neglect OF the
blade brines rust: neglect OF the SOU
90 impure character.
Then the sharp edge was held moi
only a. . constant guardian Of per
sonal safety and hcnUr. but az a sacred
disciplinarian to punish whenever IL
posssssor stepped from the narrow
putb Of the Yamato spirit Of chivalry
Again, tho sword was emblematica
OF sruo gsntility. which u never over
herring or vulgar 10 department, but
eteruly self repressive.
No man knows when 0rst the forge
for lighting weapons was set up In thu
daws Of japanese history nor who
vas the mau who nrst replaced thu
yu0e brooxs blades Vt . primitive foil
~ the tempered steel OF the Yamals
nlaAe. Thsrs h In the imperial coliec
-. - swords AZ The casts Of Mars