The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-08-20
Inner Workings of the Japanese Mind"

Washington, ID. C.-"What manner
of folk are the japanese? What sort
of Gods do they worship? What KIND
of laws do they have?
"These are few of the questions
the western world is asking in view
of the universal interest aroused III
Japans controversy with China about
the Shantung concession says bul'
letin from the National Geographic
Society
BY way of reply the bulletin quotes
from a communication to The Society
by Baron kentaro Kaneko, written be-
fore the world war gave rise to these
controversial questions, as follows:
THE Japanese have n peculiar char
acter. When they come in contact with
a foreign civilization they always go
through three stages of evolution. First,
they pass through the stage of imita-
ton. At this period they initiate every
thing that comes from foreign source
and | might say that they blindly copy.
But after some years of imitation they
arrive at the stage of adaptation then
at last they reach the stage of oriSlna-
lion. These three stages are clearly
shown by our history, if we only eN
anime into the inner workings of the
japanese mind
About 1,5O0 years ago, when we IN
troduced the Chinese civilization into
our country, we copied everything
after Chinese fashion. At that time
we had no national alphabet. Ihere
were some sorts Of signs to express
ideas in writing, and even these signs
differed in different parts of the coun'
trv. The Chinese had highly develop
ed type of hieroglyphics to express
their ideas; therefore at one time the
Chinese hieroglyphcs took such hold
on the mind of the Japanese that we
adopted them as our national language
This period might be called the era
Of imitation. Fortunately there came
a scholar-the most famous scholar we
ever had-by the name of Maple' VIM
returned from China in 735 a. ID. lie
was in China many years for his educa'
ton at Chinese schools. When ne
came back he saw what was most need
ed in his native country, and he III
vented out of the Chinese hieroglyphlcs
the forty-seven characters OF our al
phabet, founded upon the principle oi
phonetic language. AS you Know the
Japanese language is phonetic, whereas
the Chinese is hierogyphic.
1--WE have passed through three sta
yes in our religion just as much as Ill
our literature.
buddhism was first introduced into
japan through Korea in the year oo@
A. ID. At first Buddhism was emprac-
ed by the higher classes, particularly
among scholarly circles, but the lower
classes or common people still clung
to their old faith of Shintoism. Those
who believed in Buddhism went SO far
as to CODY the ceremonies and rituai'
isms. The doctrine Of buddhism was
written in the Chinese language, ana
the believers offered their prayers III
that tongue.
"At one time Buddhism made such
n stride as to become almost state
religion, but the common people sun
opposed it, with Il determination 10 up'
hold their own Shintoism. Consequent
lv n most terrible struggle began De
tween the two religions-Buddhlsm IL,
the hands of the upper classes anu
Shintoism in the hearts of the coihiioi,
people. such a contest as TINS plocheu
every step in Japan's progress put IN
,llv the statesman and priests began
to understand that they NO longer couiu
force upon the people blind imitation
of buddhism, and they changed their
policy and tried to find out some means
to meet the requirements OF the tiihe'
Here again we reach the stage OF adap-
tation.
"Thev invented an ingenious theory
of explaining and interpreting the reh'
pSous principle of Buddhism. IheS
adapted the theory of Monotheism as
well as Polytheism by saying that there
is only one Supreme Power. which Is
in the form of various goos
and goddesses, according to the diiier
ent countries and different institutions
Thus they reconcile the principle OF the
one Supreme Power in BUDDHISM Will
the Polytheistic theory of Shinto;sm.
in order to convince the popular
mind with this theory Emperor Shomu
% itronized movement to erect large
l,ronze statue of Daibutsu or Buddha
al Nara. and this statue was erected
in 1852 A. d., after fourteen years IN
casting and construction.
"In the beginning of the thirteenth
century there was one priest by the
name Of Shinran. who is considered IN