22 .INTRODUCTION. 



The idolatry of the common people, who are Buddhists, is exceedingly gross, while among the 

 learned the religion assumes the character of a high mystic creed, not wanting in some features 

 that are pure enough. 



There is a third sect, called by some writers religious, though Kcempfer more properly speaks 

 of it as a school of philosophers. It is known by the name of Siutoo, which means "the way 

 of philosophers." It inculcates no particular faith, and can accommodate itself to any, whether 

 true or false. In some of its features it borders closely on Pantheism. It is supposed, and we 

 presume correctly, to be an importation from China, compounded of most of the moral precepts of 

 Confucius, and some high, mystic Buddhist notions. It has no religious rites or ceremonies of 

 its own. There are five great points which characterize it. They call them Dsin, Gi, Be, Td, 

 Sin. Dsin teaches them to live virtuously ; Gi to do right and act justly with everybody; Re 

 to be civil and polite ; Tsi sets forth the rules for a good and prudent government ; and Sin 

 treats of a free conscience and upright heart. Nearly all the early European writers say that 

 by far the larger number of the learned men of Japan belong to this school, which is remarkable 

 for its scorn of the Buddhist idolatry. When Christianity was driven from Japan, the Siufooists 

 were suspected of a tendency toward that faith, and thenceforth every Japanese was required 

 to have in his house an idol of some kind. 



Meylan, the Dutch official at Dezima, speaks of a fourth religion, which co-existed with 

 these three prior to the introduction of Christianity. His story is, that about A. D. 50, a Brah- 

 minical sect was introduced into Japan, wliich taught as doctrines the redemption of the world 

 by the son of a virgin, who died to expiate human sin, thus insuring to man a joyful resur- 

 rection. It also taught a trinity of immaterial persons constituting one eternal, omnipotent 

 God, the maker of all things, who was to be adored as the source of all good. 



Some have hence in mated what certainly is not impossible, that Christianity may have thus 

 early reached Jajjan thro gh India. But there is probably some mistake in this statement of 

 the doctrines held. No wrier but Meylan has mentioned the story, and both the Buddhist and 

 Brahminical systems afford materials which an over zealous and i;ninformed spirit of Christianity 

 may easily convert into seemingly Christian doctrines. Thus, the old Spanish ecclesiastics who 

 first came to America were quite convinced that the gospel had been brought to our continent 

 by St. Thomas, long before their arrival. 



SECTION V. 

 GENERAL VIEW OF THE PAST RELATIONS OP THE EMPIRE WITH THE WESTERN CIVILIZED NATIONS. 



THE POKTUGUESE. 



Ferdinand Mendez Pinto has been immortalized by Cervantes, but unfortunately for his 

 reputation it is, to use the phrase of Shakspeare, as a "measureless liar." Like Marco Polo, 

 when he told strange things that had befallen him in his wanderings, the men of his generation 

 refused to believe him. But like Polo, he related a great deal that has since been found to be 

 true ; and we arc inclined to think that, when telling what he professed to have seen himself, 



