992 CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS. 



No. 15. Hideyoshi. — Hideyoshi, born of a peasant family in 1536, was represented 

 as a cunning, reckless boy, at one time a "betto" (groom). He grew up a man of 

 war and a successful soldier. He first reduced the daimios to submission, and then 

 sent his generals Konishi and Kato Kiyomasa, to invade Korea, which he made 

 tributary to Japan. Hideyoshi was one of Japan's ablest rulers. He died in 1598. 

 (See Corea, the Hermit Nation.) 



No. 17. Kato Kiyomasa. — This figure is supposed to represent Kato Kiyomasa, who 

 commanded one wing of Hideyoshi' s army in the Korean expedition in the six- 

 teenth century. It was he that instigated the cutting off of the ears of the Koreans 

 killed in battle. The ears of 10,000 Koreans killed in one battle were cut off and 

 preserved in salt, or sake, and carried back to Japan. In the city of Kioto stands 

 to this day a barrow — Mimidzuka, or Ear Monument — under which are entombed 

 the ears of the 10,000 Korean warriors. (The Mikado's Empire, p. 245.) 



No. 18 represents an ancient warrior in full armor. Japanese armor is made of 

 steel and lacquered paper, laced with silk pords. 



No. 19. Lu Wen, the Japanese Rip Van Winkle. — This woodman one day shouldered 

 his own ax and started for the woods to procure his winter's supply of fuel, but was 

 beguiled by a large fox a long distance up the mountain, when suddenly he came 

 upon two beautiful ladies seated upon the ground playing checkers. Lu Wen stopped 

 .and wondered, but the ladies took no notice of him, continuing their game, not even 

 asking him to play with them. At last Lu Wen bethought himself of his home and 

 family and the necessity for his preparation of his winter's wood. Turning back he 

 went off down the mountain, but his cabin was gone. The venerable rocks were 

 there, but a strange people surrounded them; the children mocked, the dogs barked 

 at him; no one knew him and he knew no one. His long white beard swept the 

 ground and his strange appearance excited wonder. At last he was met by a vener- 

 able lady, who, taking compassion upon him, informed him that away back in the 

 history of her family there was a man lived in that neighborhood by the name of 

 Lu Wen, but that was six generations back, and no one ever knew -what became of 

 him; so poor Lu Wen hobbled up the mountain side and was never heard of after. 

 (The Mikado's Empire, p. 503.) 



No. 20. Hotel, the Japanese Santa Clavs. — Hotel is one of the seven patrons of hap- 

 piness. He is as round as a pudding and as fat as if rolled out of dough. He is a 

 jolly vagabond, but a great friend of the children, who romp over him, standing 

 upon his knees and hanging around his shoulders, pulling his hair and his long ears. 

 He always has something good for them, which he carries in a sack, which he par- 

 tially opens that they may see what it contains, but suddenly closes it before they 

 have fairly ascertained its contents. By and by, if the children are good, he opens it. 

 (Japanese Fairy World, p. 83.) 



No. 21. Daikoku. — Another of the seven patrons is a short, chubby fellow, with 

 eyes half sunk into his fat face, but winking with fun. He has a cap set on his head, 

 a long sack over his shoulders, his throne is two straw bags of rice, and his badge a 

 small hammer or mallet, with which he makes people rich when he shakes it at 

 them. He has long, lopped ears. 



No. 22. Raiko and the dragon. — Raiko was famous for his prowess in arms, and 

 deified because of his having killed the great ghoul with three eyes, and the Doji, 

 or giant-boy demon, who ate up young girls. (Japanese Fairy World, p. 191.) 



No. 23. This exquisitely wrought ivory figure represents a Japanese fisherman, 

 returning from the scene of his daily labor, bearing his little child upon his shoul- 

 ders holding a fish. It is a beautiful illustration of a Japanese's love for his chil- 

 dren. To fully appreciate the delicacy of the carving in this, as in all the other 

 pieces in this collection, it should be examined under a magnifying glass. 



No. 24. This group represents Tokiwa. Tokiwa was a young peasant girl of supe- 

 rior beauty, whom Yoshitomo made his concubine, and who bore him three chil- 



