Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1917-06-27
A TRIP THROUGH
CENTRAL EASTERN ASIA
A. c. Baker Writes About His Trip
Through Eastern Asia and Its
Many Points of Interest.
ATTENDED PLAY AT
A JAPANESE THEATRE
Visited Manila Bay, and Saw the
Place Where Admiral Dewey
Made Short Work of the
spanish War
Ships.

L
In the letters which | will furnish
to the Public Opinion from my diary
while in eastern Asia, perhaps the
attention of the reader will be di-
rected more to pagodas, shrines and
temples than other surroundings of
the yellow mans country.
1t Is not my intention to start as
la lecturer on religion, but to those
not familiar, perhaps few words as
to the religious thought that induc-
ed the building of these places of
worship, l will just touch on the
three religions that have swayed
these parts of the world.
/ The oldest of these religions, the
shinto was brought over from Ko-
rea In the earliest history Of apan
and came to Korea from China. I
might say here that all religion, ait
and science followed the same ro.te
to Japan. The shinto teaches com
plete subserviance to the Emperor
first, then to the head of the family.
All the decendents in family pay
ing obeisance to the oldest prcgen-
orator OF the family, the oldest being
the law for other younger genera
tions. The place Of worship of this
sect is called the Shinto Shrine.
Confuciasm came from Confucius
who lived In the sixth celtuiy be-
fore Christ, born Of Chinese parents
he was endowed with great intelli-
gence, his life was spent in instruct
ling the masses their duty to one an
other and the whole as to their duty
TO the state; he never put claim to
having any supernatural gift. T., one
that has studied his teachings must
feel that they were of the wisest in
struction. After his death he was
revered as supernatural and had
many deciples that taught of him and
temples were erected throughout
IChina and many in other countries.
No doubt his teachings had a fine
moral influence on the Chinese and
was great factor in their wonderful
civilization for number of CEN
tnrieS.
The birthplace of most religions
was along the Euphrates and Tigres
valleys. From here Northern India
seemed to get its inspiration and
many beliefs originated there. In
the sixth century before Christ in
Northern India was born the being
whose doctrines covered all east
Asia; this was the great buddha.
According to the Buddhist belief or
theory buddha appears from time
to time and breaches the true doc
Urine.
The great buddha was of one Of
the best families in northern India,
an only child, the family name being
GOtama. He had married and had
one child when religious fervor
took possession of him. He left his
family and became a wanderer, beg
ging his living. 1t is related that
while lying in the sun, almost dead
from hunger, that the snails covered
his head to protect him and his many
statues always show him with this
crown Of snails, deciples gathered
carried his belief into China and
from there it reached Korea and
Japan. The buddhist temple and
pagoda is found in every city of
China, Korea ana Japan. In China
all religious thought has subsidized
into an entire indifference and as
has been the history of all nations
loosing all religion general dcca-
dsrce has taken place.
| In Japan my observation conyinc-
ed me that there still exists very
high degree of religious sentiment.
Those Of the older generation at
about the age of fifty leave off all
business and turn their attention to
religion making every effort to
reach the state of nirvana, meaning
extinction OF sin.
The Shinto and Buddhist religion
| in japan have been merged nearly
into one religion; they live Shinto
life and are hurried Buddhist.
The evening after our visit to the
great buddha of Kamakura, We at
tended our first native Japanese
theater. Securing an extra first
class ticket, the first class being in
the pit with the mob of about $500.
We found our location in the first
gallery, we'll front, where We had
the view of both the putting up and
taking down scenery while We viewed
from front the play, if We may so
name it. The performance is on a
moving platform and whei scene is
through like a turntable they turn
on the new scenery from the
back and that of former scenery is
taken down.
| The changing of the scenery was
far more interesting than the play.
The music, should not degrade real
music by entering this in its class,
was nothing but tumble OF dis
cords. The scenery was fine and the
only part of the entertainment worth
speaking of. / saw number during
my trip and pronounced them all or
one family ofymislits.
After the show We were taken TO
see the geisha girls dance. We had
heard much of these as being or a
vile cast OF humanity, hat 20 tar as
our observation the average Ameri-
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