The tribune independent of Michigan. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1933-1935, 1934-09-22

Uui txCtIiloH. Ab the NEUTRAL Oul-
growth OF this organized relation
OF the sovereign 10 his people, the
Japanese dynasty endures fore y,
like Heaven and Earth. II Is
fascinating story how the Japa-
nese Emperor came to have the
double quality OF divine and hu-
man being. According to The Ja-
panese mythical narrative, the
August Grandson OF the Sun God
dess. upon his descent to this land.
met a charming maiden as bcauti-
full as a flower In full bloom cLd
asked her hand. Whereupon, she
said her father, the Diety-
Great Mountain Possessor would
like 10 decide the matter So the
divine grandson sent message 10
the Deity for this purpose, and the
latter, greatly delighted, had her
elder sister. called the Princess
Long-as-the-Rock. accompany the
graceful princess, and thus they
both appeared again before the
prince. The prince, Niniginomiko-
TO, was alarmed at the sight OF
the elder sister who was very
hldeous, and sent her back, only
keeping the younger sister. whom
he Immediately married. Then, the
Observation-Disclosures Possessor
was covered with shame at
Princess-Long-as-the Rocks being
sent back, and he said my reason
for respectfully presenting my
daughters together was that. by
sending Prince-Losg-a Rock. the
August offspring of the Heavenly
Deity. though the snow falls and
the winds blow, might live eter-
nally and be immovable like the
esduring rocks. But. you have sent
her back and married the Princess
Blossoming- Brilliantly-Like ( h
Flowers OF the Trees--so the life
of the August Offspring of the
Heavenly Deity shall be but as
frail as the flowers OF the trees"
This story Is replete with Symbol
lical Meanings AS the direct de-
scendant of the Sun Goddess. the
August Prince, Niniginomikoto.
had been purely divine being
who enjoyed perpetual life. How
ever, In consequence of his mar
riage with the Bios
soming-Flower. who was to pass
away just like flower which falls
after a time, he acquired anew
an earthly human nature and had
to die like other ordinary human
ngs. So It happened
direct descendants of the August
Grandson of the Sun Goddess. who
assembled the Japanese Throne.
have become provided with a dual
capacity. The first capacity is that
OF the divine successor to the
Japanese Throne, which lasts
eternally through all ages (since
the time of the descent on this
land OF the grandson OF the Sun
Goddess. who Yields the absolute
heavenly power). Hence, from this
point OF view, the Emperor par
takes OF an endless and divine
character and what amounts to be
the infallibility OF the Imperial
authority comes from this fact,
The second capacity is that of a
human being sharing all secular
concerns with his subjects. and
thus the life OF the Emperor In
limited and death will befali him
In the due course of time. Hero1m
lies the double nature OF the Jap4-
nese Emperor and this affords the
key 10 a deep understanding Of
the popularity OF Japanese culture
which combines the transcenden-
tai and ideal respectively with the
immanent and real. In word. we
have been led 10 believe that
Japan. as the source of the Sun, is
a Kingdom of Heaven brought
down To this earth. The foregoing
will also account for the nature OF
our sentiment of loyalty towards
the Emperor which Is akin to
religious devotion to the supreme
divine being who created this land
and this people. This is also the
very secret OF the spontaneous
readiness with which the Japanese
will dedicate their lives and proper
~ for the sake of the Emperor.
Anyhow in Japan the wonderfully
strong intuitive sub-consciousness
which had enabled our ancestors
10 make direct spiritual commu-
Mon with supernatural things has
been faithfully transmitted to the
present time. inspire of the COM
Ing of the disintegrating power of
mechanical civilization. Thus the
Japanese have been able to main
| tain to q considerable degree that
primitive sub-consciousnes which
prevents the modern rational con
seriousness from becoming too
acute. think the study OF this
kind OF a synthetic culture may be
OF keen interest for the Western
people now standing. to all APP
pearances. at the parting OF the
ways as regards choice OF their
future cultural orientation; wheth-
or to follow as before the path OF
the machine civilization or to
create n more spiritual culture OF
another pattern. II was under
these circumstances that the 'Toku-
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