[1] The Taira and the Minamoto both traced their descent from
imperial princes; the Tokugawa were a branch of the Minamoto.
[2] Daimyo ("great name") was the title given to a feudal chief.
[3] Neither the Liberals nor the Progressists had a working majority
in the house of representatives, nor could the ranks of either have
furnished men qualified to fill all the administrative posts.
[4] The following expression of the Japanese point of view, by a
statesman of the writer's authority and experience, may well
supplement the general account of the progress of Japan and its
inclusion among the great civilized powers of the world.--(ED.
_E. B._)
JAPANNING, the art of coating surfaces of metal, wood, &c., with a
variety of varnishes, which are dried and hardened on in stoves or hot
chambers. These drying processes constitute the main distinguishing
features of the art. The trade owes its name to the fact that it is an
imitation of the famous lacquering of Japan (see JAPAN: _Art_), which,
however, is prepared with entirely different materials and processes,
and is in all respects much more brilliant, durable and beautiful than
any ordinary japan work. Japanning is done in clear transparent
varnishes, in black and in body colours; but black japan is the most
characteristic and common style of work. The varnish for black japan
consists essentially of pure natural asphaltum with a proportion of gum
animé dissolved in linseed oil and thinned with turpentine. In thin
layers such a japan has a rich dark brown colour; it only shows a
brilliant black in thicker coatings. For fine work, which has to be
smoothed and polished, several coats of black are applied in succession,
each being separately dried in the stove at a heat which may rise to
about 300° F. Body colours consist of a basis of transparent varnish
mixed with the special mineral paints of the desired colours or with
bronze powders. The transparent varnish used by japanners is a copal
varnish which contains less drying oil and more turpentine than is
contained in ordinary painters' oil varnish. Japanning produces a
brilliant polished surface which is much more durable and less easily
affected by heat, moisture or other influences than any ordinary painted
and varnished work. It may be regarded as a process intermediate between
ordinary painting and enamelling. It is very extensively applied in the
finishing of ordinary iron-mongery goods and domestic iron-work, deed
boxes, clock dials and papier-mâché articles. The process is also
applied to blocks of slate for making imitation of black and other
marbles for chimneypieces, &c., and in a modified form is employed for
preparing enamelled, japan or patent leather.
JAPHETH ([Hebrew: Yefeth]), in the Bible, the youngest son of Noah[1]
according to the Priestly Code (c. 450 B.C.); but in the earlier
tradition[2] the second son, also the "father" of one of the three
groups into which the nations of the world are divided.[3] In Gen. ix.
27, Noah pronounces the following blessing on Japheth--
"God enlarge (Heb. _yapht_) Japheth (Heb. _yepheth_),
And let him dwell in the tents of Shem;
And let Canaan be his servant."
This is probably an ancient oracle independent alike of the flood story
and the genealogical scheme in Gen. x. Shem is probably Israel; Canaan,
of course, the Canaanites; by analogy, Japheth should be some third
element of the population of Palestine--the Philistines or the
Phoenicians have been suggested. The sense of the second line is
doubtful, it may be "let God dwell" or "let Japheth dwell"; on the
latter view Japheth appears to be in friendly alliance with Shem. The
words might mean that Japheth was an intruding invader, but this is not
consonant with the tone of the oracle. Possibly Japheth is only present
in Gen. ix. 20-27 through corruption of the text, Japheth may be an
accidental repetition of yapht "may he enlarge," misread as a proper
name.
In Gen. x. Japheth is the northern and western division of the nations;
being perhaps used as a convenient title under which to group the more
remote peoples who were not thought of as standing in ethnic or
political connexion with Israel or Egypt. Thus of his descendants,
Gomer, Magog,[4] Tubal, Meshech, Ashkenaz, Riphath and Togarmah are
peoples who are located with more or less certainty in N.E. Asia Minor,
Armenia and the lands to the N.E. of the Black Sea; Javan is the
Ionians, used loosely for the seafaring peoples of the West, including
Tarshish (Tartessus in Spain), Kittim (Cyprus), Rodanim[5] (Rhodes).
There is no certain identification of Tiras and Elishah.
The similarity of the name Japheth to the Titan Iapetos of Greek
mythology is probably a mere accident. A place Japheth is mentioned in
Judith ii. 25, but it is quite unknown.
In addition to commentaries and dictionary articles, see E. Meyer,
_Die Israeliten und ihre Nachbarstämme_, pp. 219 sqq. (W. H. Be.)