Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1914-05-30
GROWING OF EMPEROR NDSIIT-
IIITO IL POSTPONED ANOTHER
TWO YEARS. FOR USE OF RICE
OF SEASON A SAcRlLEGE.
ANCESTORS ARE NOTIFIED
WE'RE VISITED At THEIR VA.
RIOTS SIIEINES AND INFORMED
THAT THE CEREMONIES HAD
BEEN POSTPONED To 1916

Toxic. May N. Although II i nearly
two years SINE the death Of the En-
pcror MutSuhito. il will be another two
years before his successor. tlr Emperor
YoShihito. is fully enthroned. according
TO all japanese rites. The ~poStponement
Of the coronation festivities. which had
been arranged for the coming fall. is
bemoancd by the whole japanese people.
but the death Of the Dowagcr Empress
neceSsitates a long period of national
mourning and il j. a sacrilceious thing
10 use AZ the coronation ceremony the
seed Of rice hat has been ripened during
a season Of SORROW.
A part Of the coronation ritual had
been observed prior 10 the death Of the
Empress Dowager. however. The inn
perial ancestors had been duly notified
that the ceremonies were planned for
the coming fall. and upon the death Of
the Dowagcr Empress. the ancestors
were again visited mt their various
shrincs and notified that the
would be deferred until 1916.
In Toxic. the emperor himself made
the encouragement before the imperial
sanctuary in the palace. This j. the
most sacred of the Shrincs where the
spirit Of the grand ancestor. AmateraSu-
Omikami. goddess Of the sun" H. en-
shrined. Here. also. are the three sacred
symbols Of the throne. the metal mirror.
the sword. and the ma-shapcd Jewel.
around each Of which is woven the ira
dition that they were all handed down
by the goddess Of tho sun." the imperial
grand ancestor. To her grandson. Ninigi-
nomikoto. on the occasion of the ~lattcrs
descent Ia the island empire from the
heavenly region. When the sun goddess
conferred these treasures upon her
grandson she solcmnlv told him 20 re
spcct them and cnshrinc them IN the
palace.
She told him that the sacred mirror
which was the most important ~ the
three. representing the spirit of the sun
Goddess should bc held in highest re
Spo-t and the imperial descendant should
regard il a. he would the spirit of his
grandmother. The treasures were
handed down TO Emperor .Jimmu. the
first Of the imperial line. through five
dynastics and then "a the present en-
peror as the smybol Of the throne.
The sacred sword. one If the three
treasures. also has u romantic history.
I'm the dim prehistoric days the brother
Of Amatcrasu Omikami. who was n very
heroic and restless deity came down 10
tl,a leland .,n,fr. h.tpu lrtv.u out from
the heavenly region hy the sun goddess.
While travelling through the province of
Izumo he happened to kill a very large
boa constructor which had been terrify.
ing the people and found a rare sword
in its tail. Returning 10 the heavenly
region he presented il to the sun goddess
who later bestowed il to her grandson
together with the mirror and jewel.
The comma-Shaped jewel. last ~ The
sacred treasures. is also believed to have
been made nj the time Of the sun god
desS ~ one of her followers but no exact
description Of the jewel il available.
That is n sacred secret of the sanctuary.
The ceremonies nj this imperial sane
tuary were impressive. All 81 the par
tF1naliuH Ollitidi> Ntft w luli UIf~>.
chamberlains. court ritualists and court
ladies being aitircd in ancient. cercmon-
ial costumes. The emperor. attended by
Count Toda. grand master of ceremonies,
and Count Watanabc household minis
ter. made his entry. followed by chamber
lains who carried the sacred symbols.
Afterward the empress entered with
equal pomp. escorted nv numerous court
ladies and princesScs. and Baron Hara.
vice chief of the coronation commission.
When all were seated. the emperor
proceeded Ia n plarc before the sanctuary
and. after making a reverend bow. read
an address informing the ancestral souls
Of the late of the coronation ceremonies
The empress also went before the shrine.
followed in order by all IF the members
Of the imperial family. making the same
lobeisancc.
Similar ceremonies were conducted he
fore the shrineS of koreiden and Shin
lden. with the emperor participating. and
Imperial messengers were ut the same
thine despatched 10 other shrines. Later
lall Of the original ceremonies were re
heated "a announce 20 the imperial an
I~cestars the postponement OF the corona
ton for another two years.