The Mikado's Empire/Buku 1/Bab 5

V.

THE TWILIGHT OF FABLE.

BETWEEN the long night of the unknown ages that preceded the advent of the conquerors, and the morning of what may be called real history, there lies the twilight of mythology and fabulous narration.

The mythology of Nippon, though in essence Chinese, is Japanese in form and coloring, and bears the true flavor of the soil from whence it sprung. The patriotic native or the devout Shintoist may accept the statements of the Kojiki as genuine history ; but in the cold, clear eye of an alien they are the inventions of men shaped to ex- alt the imperial family. They are a living and luxurious growth of fancy around the ruins of facts that in the slow decay of time have lost the shape by which recognition is possible. Chinese history does indeed, at certain points, corroborate what the Japanese traditions de- clare, and thus gives us some sure light; but for a clear understand- ing of the period antedating the second century of the Christian era, the native mythology and the fabulous narrations of the Kojiki are but as moonlight.

Jimmu Tenno, the first mikado, was the fifth in descent from the Sun-goddess. His original name was Kan Yamato Iware Hiko no mikoto. The title Jimmu Tenno, meaning " spirit of war," was post- humously applied to him many centuries afterward. When the Ko~ jiki was compiled, pure Japanese names only were in use. Hence, in that book we meet with many very long quaint names and titles which, when written in the .Chinese equivalents, are greatly abbrevi- ated. The introduction of the written characters of China at a later period enabled the Japanese to express almost all their own words, whether names, objects, or abstract ideas, in Chinese as well as Japa- nese. Thus, in the literature of Japan two languages exist side by side, or imbedded in each other. This applies to the words only. Japanese syntax, being incoercible, has preserved itself almost entirely unchanged.

The Kojiki states that Jimmu was fifty years old when he set out

THE TWILIGHT OF FABLE. 55

upon his conquests. He was accompanied by his brothers and a few retainers, all of whom are spoken of as kami, or gods. The coun- try of Japan was already populated by an aboriginal people dwelling in villages, each under a head-man, and it is interesting to notice how the inventors of the Kojiki account for their origin. They declare, and the Japanese popularly believe, that these aboriginal savages were the progeny of the same gods (Izanagi and Izanami) from whom Jim- mu sprung ; but they were wicked, while Jimmu was righteous.

The interpretation doubtless is, that a band of foreign invaders land- ed in Hiuga, in Kiushiu, or they were perhaps colonists, who had oc- cupied this part of the country for some time previous. The territory of Hiuga could never satisfy a restless, warlike people. It is mount- ainous, volcanic, and one of the least productive parts of Japan.

At the foot of the famous mountain of Kirishima, which lies on the boundary between Hiuga and Ozumi, is the spot where Jimmu re- sided, and whence he took his departure.

Izanagi and Izanami first, and afterward Ninigi, the fourth ancestor of Jimmu, had descended from this same height to the earth. Every Japanese child who lives within sight of this mountain gazes with reverent wonder upon its summit, far above the sailing clouds and within the blue sky, believing that here the gods came down from heaven.

The story of Jimmu's march is detailed in the Kojiki, and the nu- merous popular books based upon it. A great many wonderful creat- ures and men that resembled colossal spiders were encountered and overcome. Even wicked gods had to be fought or circumvented. His path was to Usa, in Buzen ; thence to Okada ; thence by ship through the windings of the Suwo Nada, a part of the Inland Sea,*

• The " Inland Sea" (Se'to Uchi) is a name which has been given by foreigners,

and adopted by the Japanese, who until modem times had no special name for it as a whole. Indeed, the whole system of Japanese geographical nomenclature proves that the generalizations made by foreigners were absent from their con- ceptions. The large bays have not a name which unifies all their parts and limbs into one body. The long rivers possess each, not one name, but many local ap- pellations along their length. The main island was nameless, so were Shikoku and Kiushiu for many centuries. Yezo, to the native, is a region, not an island. Even for the same street in a city a single name, as a rule, is not in use, each block receiving a name by itself. This was quite a natural proceeding when the universe, or "all beneath heaven," meant Japan. The Se'to Uchi has been in Jap- anese history what the Mediterranean was to the course of empire in Europe, due allowance being made for proportions, both physical and moral. It extends near- ly east and west two hundred and forty miles, with a breadth varying from ten to

56 THE MIKADO'S EMPIRE.

landing in Aki. Here he built a palace, and remained seven years. He then went to the region of Bizen, and, after dwelling there eight years, he sailed to the East. The waves were very rough and rapid at the spot near the present site of Ozaka,* where he finally succeeded in landing, and he gave the spot the name Nami Haya (swift waves). This afterward became, in the colloquial, and in poetry, Naniwa.

Hitherto the career of the invaders had been one of victory and easy conquest, but they now received their first repulse. After severe fighting, Jimmu was defeated, and one of his brothers was wounded. A council of war was held, and sacred ceremonies celebrated to dis- cover the cause of the defeat. The solemn verdict was that as chil- dren of the Sun -goddess they had acted with irreverence and pre- sumption in journeying in opposition to the course of the sun from west to east, instead of moving, as the sun moves, from east to west. Thereupon they resolved to turn to the south, and advance westward. Leaving the ill-omened shores, they coasted round the southern point

thirty miles, with many narrow passages. It has six divisions (nada), taking their names from the provinces whose shores they wash. It contains avast num- ber of islands, but few known dangers, and has a sea-board of seven hundred miles, densely populated, abounding with safe and convenient anchorages, dotted with many large towns and provincial capitals and castled cities, and noted for the active trade of its inhabitants. It communicates with the Pacific by the chan- nels of Kii on the east, Bungo on the south, and by the Straits of Shimonose"ki (" the Gibraltar of Japan"), half a mile wide, on the west. It can be navigated safely at all seasons of the year by day, and now, under ordinary circumstances, by night, thanks to the system of light-houses thoroughly equipped with the latest instruments of optical science, including dioptric and catoptric, fixed and revolv- ing, white and colored lights, in earthquake-proof towers, erected by English en- gineers in the service of the mikado's Government. The tides and currents of the Se'to Uchi are not as yet perfectly known, but are found to be regular at the east and west entrances, the tide-waves coming from the Pacific. In many parts they run with great velocity. The cut on page 57 shows one of these narrow passages where the eddying currents rush past a rock in mid-channel, scouring the shores, and leaving just enough room for the passage of a large steamer.

A very destructive species of mollusk inhabits the Inland Sea, which perfo- rates timber, making holes one -third of an inch in diameter. Sailing-vessels bound to Nagasaki sometimes find it better in winter to work through the Inland Sea rather than to beat round Cape Chichakoff against the Kuro Shiwo. This lat- ter feat is so difficult that sailors are apt to drop the o from the Japanese name (Satano) of this cape (misaki) and turn it into an English or Hebrew word. Those who are trying to prove that the Japanese are the " lost tribes " might make one of their best arguments from this fact. Kaempfer, it may be stated, derived the Japanese, by rapid transit, from the Tower of Babel, across Siberia to the islands.

• The spelling of Ozaka (accent on the 6) is in accordance with the require-

ments of Japanese rules of orthography, and the usage of the people in Ozaka and Kioto.

THE TWILIGHT OF FABLE. 57

of Kii, and landed at Arasaka. Here a peaceful triumph awaited them, for the chief surrendered, and presented Jimmu with a sword. A representation of this scene, engraved on steel, now adorns the green- back of one of the denominations of the national bank - notes issued in 1872. The steps of the conqueror were now bent toward Yamato. The mountain-passes were difficult, and the way unknown ; but by act of one of the gods, Michi no Omi no mikoto, who interposed for their guidance, a gigantic crow, having wings eight feet long, went before the host, and led the warriors into the rich land of Yamato. Here they were not permitted to rest, for the natives fought stoutly for their soiL

A Narrow Passage iii the Inland Sea.

On one occasion the clouds lowered, and thick darkness brooded over the battle-field, so that neither of the hosts could discern each other, and the conflict stayed. Suddenly the gloom was cleft by the descent from heaven of a bird like a hawk, which, hovering in a flood of golden effulgence, perched upon the bow of Jimmu. His adver- saries, dazzled to blindness by the awful light, fled in dismay. Jim- mu, being now complete victor, proceeded to make his permanent abode, and fixed the miako, or capital, at Kashiwabara, some miles distant from the present site of Kioto. Here he set up his govern- ment, and began to rule over all the lands which he had conquered. Peace was celebrated with rejoicings, and religious ceremonies of im- posing magnificence. He distributed rewards to his soldiers and offi- cers, and chose his chief captains to be rulers over provinces, appor- tioning them lands, to be held in return for military service. It will

58 THE MIKADO'S EMPIRE.

be noticed that this primal form of general government was a species of feudalism. Such a political system was of the most rudimentary kind ; only a little better than the Council of the Six Nations of the Iroquois, or was similar to that of the Aztecs of Mexico.

The country being now tranquilized, weapons were laid aside, and attention was given to the arts of peace. Among the first things ac- complished was the solemn deposit of the three sacred emblems — mir- ror, sword, and ball — in the palace. Sacrifices were offered to the Sun-goddess on Torimino yama.

Jirnmu married the princess Tatara, the most beautiful woman in Japan, and daughter of one of his captains. During his life-time his chief energies were spent in consolidating his power, and civilizing his subjects. Several rebellions had to be put down. After choosing an heir, he died, leaving three children, at the age of one hundred and twenty-seven years, according to the Nihongi, and of one hundred and thirty-seven, according to the KojiTd.

It is by no means certain that Jimmu was a historical character. The only books describing him are but collections of myths and fa- bles, in which exists, perhaps, a mere skeleton of history. Even the Japanese writers, as, for instance, the author of a popular history (Dai Nihon Koku Kai Biaku Yuraii Ki\ interpret the narratives in a rationalistic manner. Thus, the " eight-headed serpents " in the Kojiki are explained to be persistent arch-rebels, or valorous enemies ; the " ground-spiders," to be rebels of lesser note ; and the " spider-pits or holes," the rebels' lurking-places. The gigantic crow, with wings eight feet long, that led the host into Yamato was probably, says the native writer, a famous captain whose name was Karasu (crow), who led the advance-guard into Yamato, with such valor, directness, and rapidity, that it seemed miraculous. The myth of ascribing the guid- ance of the army to a crow was probably invented later. A large number of the incidents related in the Kojiki have all the character- istics of the myth.

Chinese tradition ascribes the peopling of Japan to the following causes : The grandfather (Taiko) of the first emperor (Buwo) of the Shu dynasty (thirty-seven emperors, eight hundred and seventy-two years, B.C. 1120—249) in China, having three sons, wished to bequeath his titles and estates to his youngest son, notwithstanding that law and custom required him to endow the eldest. The younger son re- fused to receive the inheritance ; but the elder, knowing that his father Taiko would persist in his determination, and unwilling to cause trou-

THE TWILIGHT OF FABLE. 59

ble, secretly left his father's house and dominions, and sailed away to the South of China. Thence he is supposed to have gone to Japan and founded a colony in Hiuga. His name was Taihaku KL* This event took place about forty-six years before the usually acceptr ed date of Jimmu's departure from Hiuga upon his career of conquest

Whatever may be the actual facts, Jimmu Tenno is popularly be- lieved to have been a real person, and the first emperor of Japan. He is deified in the Shinto religion, and in thousands of shrines ded- icated to him the people worship his spirit. In the official list of mikados, he is named as the first. The reigning emperor refers to him as his ancestor from whom he claims unbroken descent. The 7th day of the Fourth month (April 7th) is fixed as the anniversary of his ascension to the throne, and that day is a national holiday, on which the iron-clad navy of modern Japan fires salutes, from Krupp and Armstrong guns, in his honor, and the military, in French uni- forms, from Snider and Remington rifles, burn in memoriam powder.

The era of Jimmu is the starting-point of Japanese chronology, and the year 1 of the Japanese era is that upon which he ascended the throne at Kashiwabara.f A large number of Japanese students and educated men who have been abroad, or who, though remaining at home, 'have shed their old beliefs, and imbibed the modern spirit of nihilism, regard Jimmu as a myth. The majority, however, cling to their old belief that the name Jimmu represents a historical verity, and hold it as the sheet-anchor of their shifting faith. A young Jap- anese, fresh from several years' residence in Europe, was recently ral- lied concerning his belief in the divinity of the mikado and in the truth of the Kojiki. His final answer was, "It is my duty to believe in them."

• The twelfth name of Japan (see foot-note, p. 44), Kishi koku, is also translated

"country of the Ki family," from this legend (shi, family; koku, country); and the Chinese still apply this name to Japan.

t Dr. J. J. Hoffman, who has written the best Japanese grammar yet published, in expressing the exact date given in the Kojiki, in terms of the Julian style, says the 19th of February (660 B.C.) was the day of Jimmu's ascension. Pro- fessor F. Kaiser has found out by calculation that at eight A.M. on that day of the said year there was a new moon at the miako. " Therefore," says this gram- marian, leaping on the wings of his own logic to a tremendous conclusion, and settling down into assured satisfaction, "the correctness of the Japanese chro- nology may not be called in question." (See page 157, and note of "A Japanese Grammar," J. J. Hoffman, Leyden, 1868.)