JAPAN.
As regards the beliefs of the ancient religion, Shintoism, it
taught primarily the existence of gods, and in the division
which it made of them into good and bad, recognized that
fundamental and eternal distinction between right and wrong,
the deep rooting of which in the human soul has been man’s
safeguard against what is bad in religions and in everything
else.--SIR EDWARD J. REED.
Japan is one of the most interesting of countries to the American
people. It is our nearest neighbor on the west; and America was mainly
instrumental in introducing Japan into the ranks of the nations of
modern times. The present line of Mikados among the Japanese is the
longest continued among existing nations. China has changed its
dynasties many times, and has been twice subdued by foreigners, the
Mongols and the Manchis; but the line of Japanese monarchs is an
unbroken series from B.C. 660 to the present day. The Mongols sought to
conquer the Island Empire in 1281 A.D.; but they were utterly defeated
and driven away. The present emperor, Mutsuhito, is the one hundred and
twenty-third Mikado of Japan.
The religions of this people are two, Shintoism and Buddhism. The
tenets of Confucius have been introduced together with Buddhism, and
Buddhist preachers of to-day take their texts from the classic Chinese
books. Shintoism has been much mixed up with Buddhism. Many features
of its worship have been changed in imitation of Buddhism, and some
of its essential doctrines have been greatly modified. There has
been some discussion as to whether Shintoism is really a religion or
only a system of state-craft; but it is very generally believed to
be a religion which has degenerated into a mere system of political
machinery. Certainly it has gods and goddesses, and sacred symbols,
legends, myths and religious notions which existed in Japan long
before Buddhism came there. There are also sacred books which have no
connection with the Buddhist writings. The temples and priests are an
innovation of later days. Shintoism is and was the State religion;
it is supported by the State; its head is the emperor, the Mikado;
its sacred books are but the chronicles of its history, and the whole
system is interwoven with the national life of Japan.
THE SACRED BOOKS OF JAPAN.
The _Kojiki_ and the _Nihonki_ are the two most sacred Shinto books.
The one was written 711 A.D., the other 720 A.D. They were composed
long before this. It always has been an Oriental practice to commit
books to memory. Thus the Hindu and Parsee sacred books were preserved,
and thus, too, the ancient Japanese books have been kept. Without
being written out, these books were handed down from mouth to mouth.
Soon after the invention of the Japanese written characters, these
records were reduced to writing. The story of this is thus told:
“As to the historical records of Japan, it is first mentioned that,
under the twentieth emperor, in 415 A.D., officials were sent into
the country to verify and describe the names of all the families.
Later, a transcription of these records (originally written, in all
probability, in the old Japanese letters, ‘the gods’ letters,’) in
Chinese characters took place, and in 644 A.D. an historical account
of the emperors, the country, the officials and the people is said
to have existed, which was destroyed when Iruka was murdered, and his
father’s palace, in which these records were kept, was burned. Only the
history of the country was saved. From this work, as well as from what
the old men of the whole empire remembered, a new compilation was made
under the Emperor Temmu (672–686 A.D.), and in order that it might not
be lost again, it was read to a peasant girl, named Aré, who was said
never to forget anything she had once heard. From this record, and from
what Aré still remembered, the first historical record of Japan known
to us, the Kojiki, was compiled about thirty years later.”
These works, though histories, strictly speaking, are full of stories
of mythology, describing the origin of gods and men. The mythology of
Japan is superior to that of Greece. It contains but few or none of
the horrible stories of the gods, or the voluptuous amours of gods and
goddesses which so abound in Grecian mythology. Some of their myths are
really beautiful, others are very extravagant. The origin of gods, of
men, of the earth, are here all described. It begins with the time when
“Far in the deep infinitudes of space,
Upon a throne of silence,
Sat Ame-no-mi-naka-nushi-ro-kami.”
This strange name signifies The Lord of the Centre of Heaven. The
heavens and earth were then joined together. There was nothing but
chaos. Pairs of beings were then created, male and female. Last of all
Izanagi and Izanami were created.
JAPANESE STORY OF THE CREATION.
It is said that the other pairs of beings before Izanagi and Izanami
were only their imperfect forms or the processes through which they
passed before arriving at perfection. These two beings lived in the
heavens. The world was not yet well formed, and the soil floated about
like a fish in the water, but near the surface, and was called “The
Floating Region.” The sun, earth and moon were still attached to each
other like a head to the neck, or arms to the body. They were little by
little separating, the parts joining them growing thinner and thinner.
This part, like an isthmus, was called “Heaven’s Floating Bridge.” It
was on this bridge that Izanagi and Izanami were standing when they saw
a pair of wagtails cooing and billing sweetly together. The heavenly
couple were so delighted with the sight that they began to imitate the
birds. Thus began the art of love, which mortals have practiced to this
day.
While talking together on this Bridge of Heaven, they began to wonder
if there was a world beneath them. They looked far down upon the green
seas, but could see nothing! Then Izanagi took his long jeweled spear
and plunged it into the turbid mass, turning it round and round. As
he lifted it up, the drops which trickled from it hardened into earth
of their own accord, and thus dry land was formed. As Izanagi was
cleansing his spear the lumps of muck and mud which had adhered to it
flew off into space, and were changed into stars and comets. It is also
said that by turning his spear round and round, Izanagi set the earth
revolving in its daily revolutions.
To the land thus formed, they gave the name “The Island of the
Congealed Drop,” because they intended to create a large archipelago
and wished to distinguish this as the first island. They descended from
Heaven on the floating bridge and landed on the island. Izanagi struck
his tall spear in the ground making it the axis of the world. He then
proceeded to build a palace around the spear which formed the central
pillar. The spot was formerly at the North Pole, but is now at Eshima,
off the central eastern coast of Japan. They next resolved to walk
around the island and examine it. This done, they met together. Izanami
cried out, “What a lovely man!” But Izanagi rebuked her for speaking
first, and said they must try it again. Then they walked around the
island once more. When they met, Izanami held her tongue while Izanagi
said, “What a lovely woman!”
Being now both in good humor, they began the work of creating Japan.
The first island brought up out of the water was Anaji; and then the
main island. After that, eight large islands were created, whence comes
one of the names of Japan, “The Empire of the Eight Great Islands.” Six
smaller islands were also produced. The several thousand islets which
make up the archipelago of “Everlasting Great Japan” were formed by the
spontaneous consolidation of the foam of the sea.
After the country was thus formed the divine pair created eight
millions of earthly gods or Kami, and the ten thousand different things
on the earth. Vegetation sprung up over all the land, which was,
however, still covered with mist. So Izanagi created with his breath
the two gods, male and female, of the wind. All these islands are the
children of Izanagi and Izanami, and when first born were small and
feeble, but gradually grew larger and larger, attaining their present
size like human beings, which are at first tiny infants.
As the gradual separation of the land and sea went on, foreign
countries were formed by the congealing of the foam of the sea. The god
of fire was then born of Izanami, his mother. This god often became
very angry at any one who used unclean fire. Izanami then created by
herself the gods of metals, of clay, and of fresh water. This latter
god was commanded always to keep the god of fire quiet, and put him out
when he began to do mischief.
Izanagi and Izanami though married but a short time, began to quarrel.
Izanami being very angry went down to the lower world of darkness
and disappeared. In the dark world under the earth Izanami stayed a
long time, and after wearisome waiting, Izanagi went after her. In
the darkness of the under-world he was horrified at what he saw, and
leaving his consort below he tried to save himself and make his escape
to the earth again.
[Illustration: THE GOD CREATED FROM IZANAGI’S STAFF.]
In his struggles several gods were created, one of them coming out
of his staff. When he got up to daylight, he secured a large rock
to close up the hole in the earth. Turning this rock into a god, he
commanded him to watch the place. He then rushed into the sea, and
continued washing for a long time to purify himself. In blowing out
from his lungs the polluted air inhaled in the under-world, the two
evil gods sprang forth from his breath. As these would commit great
harm and wickedness, Izanagi created two other gods to correct their
evil. But when he had washed his eyes and could see clearly again,
there sprang out two precious and lovely beings; one from his left eye
being a rare and glistening maiden, whom he afterward named Amaterasu,
or “The Heaven Illuminating Spirit.” From his right eye appeared
Susa-no O, the “Ruler of the Moon.” Being now pure again, and having
these lovely children, Izanagi rejoiced and said, “I have begotten
child upon child, and at the end of my begetting, I have begotten me
two jewel-children.” Now the brightness of the person of the maiden
Amaterasu was beautiful, and shone through Heaven and earth. Izanagi,
well pleased, said: “Though my children are many, none of them is like
this wonder-child. She must not be kept in this region.” So taking off
the necklace of precious stones from his neck and rattling it, he gave
it to her, saying, “Rule thou over the High Plain of Heaven.” At that
time the distance between Heaven and earth was not very great, and he
sent her up to the blue sky by the Heaven-uniting pillar, on which the
heavens rested as on a prop. She easily mounted it, and lived in the
sun, illuminating the whole heavens and earth. The sun now gradually
separated from the earth, and both moved farther and farther apart,
until they rested where they now are. Izanagi next spoke to Susa-no O,
the Ruler of the Moon, and said, “Rule thou over the new-born earth
and the blue waste of the sea with its multitudinous salt waters.”
Thus the heavens, and the earth, and moon were created and inhabited.
And as Japan lay directly opposite the sun when it separated from the
earth, it is plain that Japan lies on the summit of the globe. It is
easily seen that all other countries were formed by the spontaneous
consolidation of the ocean foam and the collection of mud in the
various seas. The stars were made to guide warriors from foreign
countries to the court of the Mikado, who is the one and only true son
of heaven, before whom all should bow.
THE EMPERORS DESCENDED FROM THE GODS.
Amaterasu, on account of her bright beauty, was by her father made
queen of the sun, and shared with the two creator-gods the government
of the world. In sending her to her dominion, Izanagi gave her the
necklace of precious stones from his neck, and told her to go up by
way of the floating bridge. As the sun was then near, she ascended
without difficulty. Desiring afterward to give the government of the
earth to her grandson, Ninigi-no-mikoto, after considerable difficulty
in getting the god in possession to make way for him, she was able to
carry out her purpose and dispatch him to his post. She proclaimed him
sovereign of Japan for ever and ever, and appointed his descendants to
rule it as long as the heavens and the earth endure. Before starting
he received from his grandmother, the sun-goddess, the Three Divine
Insignia of the Imperial Power of Japan, namely, the Sacred Mirror,
which is still worshiped at the Naiku Shrine in Isé as representative
of the goddess; the Sacred Sword, which is still enshrined at the
temple of Atsuta, near Nagoya, at the head of the bay of Owari; and
the Sacred Stone, or “Magatama,” which is always in possession of the
Emperor of Japan.
Possessed of these divine symbols, and accompanied by a number of
inferior gods, Ninigi-no-mikoto descended upon the Floating Bridge of
Heaven, or the “Ama-nouki-hashi.” Grains of rice were thrown broadcast
in the air to dispel the darkness of the sky. Ninigi-no-mikoto was
the god who was sent down from the Sun-goddess, whose grandchild he
was, to take possession of the land, and it was his offspring, and the
offspring of his suite, who peopled Japan. Ninigi-no-mikoto lived to
the age of 310,000 years; his son Hohodemi lived to the still riper
age of 637,892 years, and a grandchild of his, Ugaya, died at the
remarkable age of 836,042 years. He was the father of Jimmu Tenno,
first Emperor of Japan, who is, at the present time, very widely
worshiped as a god.
[Illustration: JIMMU TENNO, FIRST EMPEROR OF JAPAN.]
THE SUN-GODDESS ENTICED FROM THE CAVE.
The young brother of the Sun-goddess so seriously offended his bright
and beautiful sister that she went away and concealed herself in the
cave of Ameno Tuaya, closing the entrance with a large piece of rock.
From this time the entire country was dark, and was given up to the
noise and disturbance of all sorts of inferior gods. This state of
things was so distressing that all the gods assembled at the cave’s
mouth, on the bank of the Yasukawa River, and deliberated upon the
means to be adopted for inducing the petulant goddess to re-appear,
for be it understood that after the birth of the Sun-goddess no light
could be obtained except from her brightness, as she had been appointed
to illuminate the space between earth and Heaven, and it was the
brightness of her body that shone through the sun. At the council of
the gods it was decided to entice the goddess forth by means of an
image of herself, and one of the gods and a blacksmith made mirrors, in
the shape of the sun, with iron brought from Heaven.
Japanese mirrors are always made of fine metal, not of glass coated
with quicksilver. Those in common use are generally five or six
inches in diameter, having the surface polished with great care and
some figures or flowers stamped upon the back. The mirror is a Shinto
symbol. In the centre of the Shinto shrine of Isé, in the “Holy of
Holies” of that temple are found four boxes of unpainted wood, resting
on low stands. These are the only objects to be found here. In each
box, wrapped in a brocade bag, is a mirror. On festival days, these
boxes--but not the mirrors--are exposed to view.
[Illustration: SHINTOISTS WORSHIPING THE RISING SUN.]
The first two mirrors produced by the blacksmith, as stated above,
were unsatisfactory, but the third was large and beautiful, and is now
the deity of the inner shrine of Isé. The gods also planted hemp and
paper mulberry, and with their fibre and bark wove clothing for the
goddess. They also cut down trees and built a palace. Magatama jewels
(carved and polished pieces of stone, such as were worn in those days
as ornaments) were also produced, and wands were made from sakaki
branches and bamboo. One of the gods then pulled up a sakaki-tree by
the roots, and on its upper branches hung the necklace of jewels; at
the middle he hung the sacred mirror, and to the lower branches he
attached both coarse and fine cloth. This formed a large _gohei_,
which was held by Ama-no-futo-dama-no-mikoto, while he pronounced an
address in honor of the goddess. And _goheis_ like this, with
jewels, mirrors and strips of cloth cut zigzag, we still see in the
hands of the young priestesses at the shrine of the goddess herself,
and the simpler _gohei_ or wands, with strips of cloth or paper
attached, are now to be seen, as they have for ages been, all over
Japan, at every Shinto temple or shrine and in thousands of other
places.
A number of young cocks were next collected, and set to crow in
concert; a strong god was concealed by the door of the cavern, to
wrest it open at the favorable moment; and a very renowned goddess,
Uzumé, was set to dance, blowing music out of a bamboo tube pierced
with holes, while the gods kept time to her performance by striking
two pieces of wood together. A sort of harp was made, by placing six
bows together, with the strings upward. This was played by the drawing
of grass and rushes across it. Uzumé, who appears to have entered upon
her task with great spirit, bound her sleeves close up to the arm-pits,
and grasped in her hand a bundle of twigs and a spear wound round with
grass and having small bells attached to it. Bon-fires were lighted
and a circular box or drum was placed for her to dance upon. Then this
young goddess commenced to tread with measure upon the hollow box and
cause it to resound. She sang a six-syllable song or charm of numbers,
and, gradually quickening her dance wrought herself up to such a pitch
of excitement, or rather “such a spirit descended on the goddess,” that
she loosened her dress, revealing more and more of her loveliness, and
at last, to the intense amazement and delight of the gods, appears to
have discarded her dress altogether. With the laughter of the gods
the heavens shook. The address in her honor, the stirring sounds of
the music and dancing, and the loud and joyous laughter of the gods
was too much for Amaterasu, and slightly opening the door, she softly
said from inside, “I fancied that because of my retirement both Heaven
and Japan were in darkness! Why has Uzumé danced and why do the gods
laugh?” Uzumé replied, “I dance and they laugh, because there is an
honorable deity here” (pointing to the mirror) “who surpasses you in
glory;” and as she said this, the mirror was pushed forward and shown
to the Sun-goddess, reflecting her own radiant loveliness, of course,
and her astonishment was even greater than before. As she peeped out
of the cave to look around, the strong god pulled the rock-door open
and drew the bright goddess forth. Then a rice-straw rope was passed
behind her, and one of the gods said, “Go not back behind this.” As
they were putting the mirror into the cave it was struck against the
door, and received a flaw which remains to this day. They then removed
the goddess to her new palace, and, as an expression of their kindly
interest, they put a straw rope round it to keep off evil gods.
SHINTO WORSHIP.
Buddhism was introduced into Japan in 532 A.D. Up to this time
Shintoism had continued to be the sole religion of Japan, during
some twelve hundred years at least. It is called by the Japanese
themselves, Kami-no-michi, or “The Way of the Gods.” The religion
consists essentially, so they say, _in an implicit obedience to
the Mikado_. He is the descendant of the gods, and his common
designation is Ten-Shi, or “Son of Heaven.” The Mikado has two crests,
one, representing the chrysanthemum, is used for government purposes.
The other, representing the leaf and blossoms of the _Paulownia
Imperialis_ (_Kiri_ in Japanese), is used in the business
personal to the Mikado and his family.
[Illustration: THE MIKADO’S COAT-OF-ARMS.]
There were no creeds, nor elaborate systems of doctrines in their
religion. The good gods were to be worshiped so that there might be
an increase of good gifts; and the evil gods, so that they might be
appeased. The people prayed for a sufficiency of food, clothing and
shelter, and twice each year held festivals of General Purification,
when the whole nation was purified of its sins and pollutions. The
following prayer was to be used by the Mikado: “O God, that dwellest in
the high plain of Heaven, who art divine in substance and in intellect,
and able to give protection from guilt and its penalties, to banish
impurity, and to cleanse us from uncleanness--Hosts of Gods hear us and
listen to these petitions!”
[Illustration: RAIDEN, GOD OF THUNDER, WITH HIS STRING OF
DRUMS.]
[Illustration: FUTEN, GOD OF WINDS, WITH HIS HUGE SACK.]
The emperor was the god dwelling in the flesh, and his ancestors
were, of course, to be worshiped. The first emperor, Jimmu Tenno,
receives especial worship and honor. Besides these gods--the deified
emperors and heroes--there were hosts of gods who were the deified
powers of nature. We have already spoken of the sun-goddess and
moon-goddess. Besides these there were gods of storms, winds, rain,
thunder, fertility, of mountains, fields, seas and rivers. Raiden, the
god of thunder, is supposed to have a string of drums, which he beats
when it thunders. The Japanese say that when he is angry, he throws
from the clouds a terrible creature like a cat, with iron claws and a
hairy body. Futen, the god of winds, carries a huge sack slung over
his shoulders, the mouth of which is closed by his hand. It blows a
typhoon, a gale, or a breeze, as he clinches his fingers little or
much. Besides these gods are a number of gods of occupations, of the
household, of the work-shop, the field and the store.
The sun is one of the most common objects of worship among the
Shintoists. The country of Japan is often called “The Land of the
Rising Sun.” Their national flag is of white with a large red sun in
the centre. On the top of Fuji-yama, the famous sacred mountain, and on
the sea-shore, pilgrims and priests often gather to offer their worship
to the rising sun.