Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-03-01


The Woman's Missionary society of
the Congregational church met ait the
home of Mrs. Henry il. Durham on
Tuesday afternoon, twenty being pres
ent. The subject was Japan Mrs.
Burnham had charge of the meeting,
being particularly adapted for this Of
fee, as she has visited the country.
The rooms were lavishly decorated
with Japanese curiOs of every descrip-
tion in laCquered and inlaid woods,
fans paper, beautiful basketwork,
cloth. embroidery, postcards, views.
metal and beads. japanese paper Ian
terms and a real Japanese lantern were
hung about the rooms and held lights.
I'm the dining room the chandelier and
ceiling We're festOOned with uumberlcss
cherry blossoms. The talk given by
Mrs. 8urHham and the articles read by
the ladies' were illustrated by the GU
rios fr2m JaDan. Mrs. Durham told
the history of Japan from its very be-
ginning, it being Of volcanic origin.
Its area is nearly equal TO that OF our
middle and New England states. Japan
is the foreign corruption of this Chinese
Jipun or JipuOn. III is difficult TO tell
from whom the japanese are descend
ed Many Of their traits point to the
Malay, others to the Ainu character
istics. They have taken much from
China and Korea. To the Jap himself
their history is all poetry lovclier than
a fairy tale and until recently their re-
ligi0n. 1t appears i'm poem picture
bronze, ivory carvings and the whole
wonderful art Of Japan
She described the folk lore and art
Art Originated in China.
The beginning of Japanese art, as Of
almost everything except cleanliness,
came from China through Korea one
of their stories is that when the Jap
enese scholars learned from the
DutChman living at Nagasald that the
earth revOlyed on its axis, spinning
round like a top i'm motion, they at
once remembered that Izanagi had
thrust i'm his spear and stirred the
earth around. and of course that was
what caused the daily revolution. The
spot where he first struck his spear
was formerly the north pole, but since
that ancient time the earth had W0b-
bled over. Their way Of reckoning
birthdays is peculiar as no matter in
what month a birth occurs each waits
till New Years day to start i'm the
race of life.
Japanese Fans.
She gave a most interesting history
of the fans of Japan, of which there
ara two chief kinds. the round or nom
folding fan and the palmleaf and the
folding fan or ogi. of the latter the
most interesting are those which for
merly were sacred to royalty and
these were described infinitely.
The use of the fan was formerly
governed by 4 rigid code Of etiquette
So elaborate that it must have made
! life q burden upon all formal OCCASIONS
| The most singular type of fan was the
war fan. Tt had ribs of steel or iron
I ending i'm sharp points and carried i'm
1 the left hand during an enlargement
( served as q combination buckler and
/ dagger TO supplement the heavy sword
welded by the right hand Only Jap
anese paper can stand the handling
/ necessary TO make the fans.
Paper Making
Atami IS a town famous for tine man
ufacture of this paper. 10 is made
from the bark Of several trees and
plants and is used I'm hundreds Of
/ ways. as in making umbrellas, rain
/ coats, tobacco pouches and air cusn-
/ ions. 1t might be said that Jun Japan
/ that there are more shoemakers than
4 in an the other corners Of the earth for
/ almost every peasant makes and sells
J Waraji and In every tea house. sh0I
! or temple By the roadside hang cils-
! ters Of the Inexpensive tootgear tai
/ half a cent one may be nicely sugu
/ one pair Ct sandals lasting on eoog
roads about two days. The degrth "
animal life is due To religion FOR tine
| Buddhist faith declares thar TO de-