The New York herald., 1921-01-02
Reviewed by DR.. w. E. CRIFFIS.

Reviewed by Or. w. r. 0NlrFio.
A last we have a concise and readable
~ history of Japan by native scholar
who does not begin either in the ages
of eternity or at $50 b. C. He ignores the
existence of the nation as an organized COM
munity before the introduction OF BUDDHISM
and the arts of writing and record, In the
sixth century. In a word, here is Houerh
Japanese who in the spirit Of the age writes
in an honest way Casting aside the inveter-
ate insular prejudices belonging to people
long in hermitage, he tells what is known
In word, he illustrates handsomely his own
country's proverb: Proof is better than
argument.
diava, ancestry when they emerged from
savagery and barbarsm into the world OF
Roman letters and civilization, followed the
only literary model known to them. Our
forebears "swallowed whole once Japan
ese phrase-the Roman legends, including the
she wolf, the twins Romulus and Remus,
Troy, Anchises and ALL As their pride OF
the new consciousness, developed by Htera-
ture increased they saw themselves In the
mirror of what they accepted as history
When they manufactured schemes OF an
cestry and descent and OF the part whlcn
their own progenitors and the various De-
longings of their race had in producing the
results which were visible only ages after
ward and now before their eyes, then THESE
took on enormous proportions We all know
the literary activities of the medieval monks
in producing what they called history
In Japan It was exactly the same. The
one model was China and Chinese hlstorl-
ography-in producing which armies Oh
fahulists and myth-makers labored long ana
hard In due time native scrlpes In the
Japanese archipelago produced coshosery.
Imperial" genealogies legends OF the gods
and a whole apparatus or propasanua III
support of the throne"
The chief of the conquering tribe was
called-with the impersonality that runs all
through Japanese literature and history
the Sublime Porte or the Awful Gate, that
is the Mikado Around him all legends CEN
tired.
For must not our august ruler-the
ancient Japanese asked-be equal in dignity
mower. prestige anything else known in the
world I. e., China? So gradually the legend
of the celestial origin of the Mikado became
not only matter of universal BELIEF out
dogma, an orthodoxy, carrying potency,
which showed the pen to be mightier than
the sword. BY theology (for that is exactly
what Shinto, the national cult or faith,
means) as much as by sword, spear and
arrow the whole archipelago was conquered
Even in 1868, after century and half of
previous literary propaganda, the dogma Oh
the Mikado's supremacy and divinity-vindi-
Gated in civil war, on sea and Handicapped
the white man is now so afraid. Then, most
naturally-have not we ourselves seen the
same phenomena illustrated In heresy trials
in Boston, New York and Richmond?-aH
professors were silenced, unchaired or re-
duced in rank who in their critical writings
questioned the divine inspiration of the ma
tive scriptures the divinity Of the Mikado
The reviewer knew and honored several OF
these ruth-seekers or heretics in both lands
No higher criticism" of ancient Japanese
documents was allowed.
But now-as with us after the World War.
and in Japan, in the wake of a constitutional
monarchy, and when the voice of the democ-
racy is heard-even in Japan-the truth may
be told Most glad are we that the professor
in the college of literature In the Kyoto
University seeks this truth in history and
tells it SO clearly Stril1ingly interesting,
also, is the fact that this book goes forth
at the instance and as the utterance OF the
Yamato Society, composed of some of the
most prominent men in japan. Their OBJ
1ect as stated by themselves, is ito make
clear the meaning and extent of Japanese
culture, In order to reveal the fundamental
character of the nation to the world" They
expect to do the same in behalf OF foreign
countries, introducing the best literature and
art so that common understanding of
Eastern and Western thought may be pro-
noted" This book. then. is in large sense,
an epoch maker. The day for freedom of
thOugnt In nlStOTlOBrapny IN Japan mas
come. The myth of "the Oriental" as subtle
cunning, elusive, must drop among us also
and we must accept the facts.
F'or--to go back to the early ages-it was
hardly possible for the initial Japanese
chroniclers to do anything else than to copy
the Chinese model For Japan" in the
eighth century, when the Kojiki, or first
book. was written, consisted only of the
court" or chieftain's headquarters. All
around Yamato. the central province, were
uncorrelated tribes of Aryan. Malay. Semitic,
and Tartar origin, unlettered and savage.
BY the twelfth century these tribes, through
the military activity of the Mikados forces,
were brought under one system of govern
mental rule. With these campaigns there
was steady pressure Of one common re-
ligion, manners, customs and culture, spirit
ual. moral, economic These forces produced
a nation, a commonwealth, that could, even
from a, twentieth century point Of view, be
called Japan" In a word the Japanese, Of
very mixed origins, are not an old people,
but young one, with all the faults, and,
happily, with all the promise. of young ma
ton. In this truth herein set forth In
mastery style by Professor Hara, lies the
key to the understanding of the evolution
of the japanese
Now, having read every page of Professor
Haras suggestive record, we think he has
blazed the path for even broader interpreta-
tions by natives Of q national history, or
which none Of his countrymen need to be
ashamed We shall mot hereafter, expect
grave ambassadors and persons high in office