New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-14
CORONATION" At TOXIC
Investiture of the Mikado with
the Insignia of Empire.

-, an which occasion the United States,
~, .ha other great powers, will be repre-
nv special ambassador. The
".,,rt regalia Of the Japanese Empire,
s,,b dates back some twenty-five CEN
IS has never Included anything in the
80 80 of A crown. SO it is improbable
no. no. ,bere will be any actual coronation,
"a "a the ceremony will doubtless consist
ali0 49,. solemn investiture of Emperor
', .s,n,to with the insignia of sover-
eighty. ,,. .s.z -
,troDe IN February, 1857, and received
~ ~ t,vestiture in October, 1868. But since
~ -. rsnaD has won for itself a foremost
- ", IN the concert of civilized nations as
V...t mower, and in view thereof 1t Is
'.,srded that the investitare should be
',,sr6es by an infinitely greater amount
:, ceremony and splendor than in any
previous reign
.,,rlsh the young Mikado with brand
80, Irperial crown, patterned European
+..,ion But this would be entirely out
- keeplng with all the ancient and time
s,rored regalla. as we'll as with the Gus
s.,,s and traditions Of the people, and 1t
.,,,ld certainly never excite that venera-
~, or convey that meaning which the
800 Mirror and the other insignia have
always possessed.
These insignia consist, first and fore
mist. Of a mirror, then Of a sword. and
.,,o NJ a tusk-shaped jewel. all of which,
:, as,vIne" origin, are said TO have been
A.stowed upon Jimmu, the first Emperor
=, Japap, BY his mother, the Sun God
5.ss six hundred years before the begin
mig Of the Christian era. According to
I.nsnsse legend the Sun Goddess accom-
napied the bestowal Of these symptoms OF
sovereignty with the words:
Look upon this mirror as If II were
nv own spirit, and reverence II as you
would my own presence. For centuries
upon centuries shall thy descendants
rule this kingdom. Govern this country
with purity like that Of the light that
radiates from the surface Of the mirror.
Deal with thy subjects with the gentle
ness lyplueu ~ inc pAoAiN anu 'NA>
ustre Of the jewel. Combat the enemies
OF thy empire with this sword"
And these words have been used ever
since. throughout all these twenty-five
hundred years, in the investiture of
Jimmus successors on the throne OF
Japan, in the direct male line, without
break until the present day.
According 10 the Japanese, this mirror,
this sword (Which bears the title OF
Cloud Cluster and had been used by the
Sun Goddess 10 kill the huge eight
headed dragon that had devastated the
land and eaten up all the fair virgins)
and the jewel, which was taken from the
sun Goddess own necklace, symbolic
knowledge. courage and mercy, and it
has always been held in Japan that IN
less a ruler be possessed of all these
three virtues he will be powerless TO
govern the country in peace and pros
psrity.
The influence Of the regalia upon the
people is phenomenal Coming from the
gods to Jimmu, the first Emperor, him
self q descendant Of the gods, fits exist
ence dates from the very foundation Of
the japanese Empire. without II the
empire would hardly be conceivable 10
the Japanese people. The whole tradi-
ton Of the dynasty is bound up there
with and It's possession bestows SOW
sreignty by divine right In fact, the
Instinct Of the Japanese people is to
acknowledge no man as emperor unless
he possesses these sacred symbols OF
japanese sovereignty.
They are preserved I'm the great vi
Temple at Ise, sacred to the worship Of
the Sun Goddess II cannot. strictly
speaking, be called an ancient temple.
for # has beer erected anew every twen-
" years fog more than twenty centuries.
each temple occupying the same site and
being the exact repetition Of its prede-
eessor. II is wonderfully picturesque. en-
bosomed in woods Of MAGNIFICENT old
trees, and It's High Priestess has always
been a virgin princess Of the imperial
family
In Turkey the insignia Of sovereignty is
the Sword OF Gilman. In India, the SYM
Dol Of empire was that jewelled bird
known as the Una. which figures among
the crown jewels Of King George OF
Great Britain while another insignia OF
imperial dignity recognized from time i'm
memorial by all the dusky races Of Hin
GUSTAV, Is the great Koh-i-Noor diamond,
which also now belongs 10 George v.
Lee g., T~tN l..
R1ss's and in Hungary that real corona
Tons still take place. and where the In
Vsstture with the crown IS regarded as
Indispensable 10 full-fedged sovereignty
Neither In England nor in Russia, how
ever do the crowns used on these occa-
SONS possess any particularly sacred
character in the eyes Of the people, being
o. relatively modern manufacture. In
'seL The only two crowns that enjoy
'ecred attributs are the crown Of ST.
oSephen at Pesth, with which Emperor
francis Joseph was crowned King of
hungary IN 1867, and the Iron Crown of
L0Inoardy consisting Of a broad and
,e"elied gold band enframing long,
'ent strip OF iron. which is said 10 have
oseh one Of the nails used in the cruel
lA'oh Of Christ The first Napoleon, IT
a'ay be remembered, crowned himself
herewith at Milan, Formerly II belonged
~ 'he regalia Of the Holy Roman Empire.
,nO"aaays 1t belongs to the Kings Of
''@'y' None Of them have. however, ever
10fh IT, and the only time that It figures
u 'heir connection IS when II is placed
rpOn The collins containing their bodies at
their funerals.
s..poIOr william has never been
:. '@heo' for the reason that. although
mas acknowledgements Prussian
, ve'' he has no crown as German
:, King Alfonso OF Spain, the Queen