Japan, Its History, Arts, and Literature (Volume 5); Japan, Its History, Arts, and Literature (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1902. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... Chapter VI SUPERSTITIONS IT will have been gathered, from what has been already written, that the Japanese are superstitious. They believe in ghosts, in demons, in the possession of supernatural powers by animals, in the efficacy of divination, and in the potency of spells and amulets. Of course the degree of such credulity varies greatly in the different strata of society, the upper and the educated classes giving themselves little concern about theories and traditions which play no small part in the lives of the low-born and the ignorant. That differentiation should be always remembered in reading what follows. Not many painful superstitions attach to the lower orders of creation. Birds, animals, or fishes that have lived to a great age in secluded places are regarded as tutelary spirits, especially when they have an awe-inspiring aspect, as is the case with the bear, the monkey, the eagle, the cat-fish, the eel, the turtle, and the snake. Rustics call these creatures nushi (master), and treat them with profound reverence. A cognate form of superstition is to revere doves as messengers of Hachiman (the god of war), rats as those of Daikoku (the deity of wealth), centipedes as those of Bishamon (the god of fortune), and ants as those of the Sun Goddess. A notable exception to this generally kindly view is connected with the origin of the earthquake. That source of gravest alarm to the Japanese is believed to be due to a giant cat-fish (namazu) which lies buried under the "land of the gods." Over its head is built the shrine of Daimyo-jin at Kashima in the province of Hitachi, and that deity is supposed to have his feet planted on the monster's snout. Whenever the god reduces the pressure or alters the position of his feet, the cat-fish writhes and the earth qua...