Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-07-20
SWORDS OF JAPAN
Old Samurai Blades Are Looked
Upon as Sacred.
HANDLED WITH REVERENCE.
4 Curious Formula OF Etiquette Fol-
lows When "the Steel Bible Of
5ushido" Is Drawn From It's Sheath
es Hand Which Grssps u In Peace.

6ushido" Is Drawn From, IT'S Sheath
BY Hand Which crasps u In Peace.
IL Que were n friend's house In
Japan and should ask 10 examine one
of the old sarnurai swords that rest In
the lacQuered sword rack In 3 place
OF honor there curious formula OF
etiquette would be followed by the
host.
He would go TO closet and return
with little square OF silk In his hand.
This he would wrap about the shark
skin handle OF the sheathed sword be
fore touching his bare hand TO the
sheath Then. with his right baud
graspinG the silk covered handle and
the nngers OF his left gingerly raising
the iacquered hilt from the rack. the
IapSnese host would lift the sword TO
the level Of his forehead and bow TO II.
All this In reyerential spirit and with
utmost gravity. The square of silk.
preserved for no purpose but this and
having It's own name In the Japanese
vocabulary. Is to prevent the defile-
ment OF the handle by hand which
graSpS II In peace The bow Is meant
for the spirit OF the swordsmith who
forged this weapon. The reverence Is
for the sword itself. soul OF the sa-
mural" in the lnpaifeSe poetical con-
ception and aptiy called by foreigners
the steel Bible OF Bushido."
But this is only the beginning of the
formality. When the Japanese host
unsheaths rhe blade he does Il with
the edge toward his own body and the
point directed away from his guest
When the guest receives the sword In
his own hands he must be careful 70
keep the outer edge always away from
the direction OF his friend the host.
IL he wishes 60 examine both sides Of
the blade he must even turn his buck
so that never will the menace of the
sharpened edge be directed tOwnrd his
friend
After the examination H. completed
the sword is returned To its scabbard.
and the owner receives Il with an
other bow and places II once more on
its rack.
The etiquette of The sword is no
empty thing With the high spirited
japanese, who have not forgotten the
many centuries OF chivalry aud OF
hand fighting behind them. the deli
cately curved and curiouSly welded
sword OF the sainurat has a signla-
canoe almost sacred. There is phi
losophy OF the sworn no less stern
than the use of the weapon
In the old days when the Japanese
lighters wore the war masks and the
steel armor seen nowadays in the
curiosity shops the boy was taught
that Us the shining blade must be- kept
free from spot and corruption. so must
his soul be ever clean Neglect OF the
blade brings rust: neglect OF the soul
an impure character
Then the sharp edge was held not
only as n constant guardian OF per-
sonaI safety and honor. Dut as n sacred
disciplinarian 90 punish Whenever its
poSseSsor stepped from the narrow
path OF the Yamato spirit OF chivnlry.
Again, the sword was mathematical
Of true gentility. which is never over
bearing or vulgar In department, but
sternly self repressive.
No man knows when first the forge
for fighting weapons was set up IN the
dawn of Japanese history nor who
was the man who first replaced the
rude bronze blades OF primitive folk
by the tempered steel OF the Yamato
blade. There Is In the imperial collec-
ton OF swords at the castle OF Nara
the weapon worn by the Crown Prince
Shotoku. who complied the constitu-
ton OF seventeen articles in A. ID. COS
the Oldest sword known in Japan. From
that weapon. which was straight and
not curved as NIL other swords OF Nip
pom are. down TO the fall OF the Toku-
gawa shogunate In the middle of the
last century there Is an unbrOken his
tory of the art OF the swordsmith
Twelve centuries OF recorded art IN
swordmaSing aud The names OF over
10000 makes constitute the history OF
the sword in Japan
The Japanese blade. placed almost
on n par with the Damascus product
in art and utility. differs from the
Arabian weapon in one material detail
of manufacture. Instead of having 0
uniform high temper. which gives the
remarkable hexibnity possessed by the
Damascus blade. the japanese sword
has two tempers. hard and a mild
steel.
The edge OF the blade is hard with
the finest temper. the body and back
of a milder temper. sufficient to give
some elasticity. 4 japanese sword
cannot be bent half double with the
pressure OF a hand; it is nearly rigid
Though sword manufacture has ceas
ed to be in Japan today outside of the
government arseDals. which turn out
only the accepted military blade of the
modern army, the country Is filed with
priced relics Of the past art and these
are relics which the japanese will not
sell. A possessor of one of the old
swords, keen and blue white In IusteI
as the day 1t was forged. would sell
his house. even himself maybe. before
he would part with his iron Bible OF
Bnshido for money.-Japan Magazine