PREFACE 



The assistance received from Chinese and Japanese litera- 

 ture has been but slight, for though from the earliest days 

 Eastern Emperors and their subjects have recognized the 



qualities of the dog- 

 in life the firmest friend, 

 The first to welcome, foremost to defend, 

 Whose honest heart is still his master's own, 

 Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone,* 



no Eastern writer has thought fit to devote a volume to study 

 of the species. Almost every Chinese and every Japanese is 

 fond of pets individually, bird, insect, or canine; but 

 for dogs generally the same individual is apt to manifest 

 contempt. 



Absence of European specialization and training of the 

 breeds has deprived the Chinese and Japanese of enjoyment of 

 those particular canine qualities which have for centuries given 

 much of the zest of life to the sportsman in Europe and, more- 

 over, provide no small interest to the soldier, fowler, trainer, 

 shepherd, and breeder. 



From certain State papers it has been possible to show that 

 from very early periods the dog has been used extensively by 

 European and Eastern monarchs as State presents. The 

 emperors and kings of the past prided themselves on their 

 success in adapting dogs to the varied uses of the chase, and 

 this success, which fell in no small measure to British trainers, 

 was utilized on many occasions for the promoting of friendly 

 intercourse with foreign countries. 



The culture of Japan, including much of its religion and 

 art, has its origin in China. The scantiness of literature 

 dealing with Japanese dogs is, consequently, compensated to 

 some extent by the comparative wealth of Chinese sources of 

 information. The two chapters dealing with the Buddhist 

 lion and its symbolism represent a considerable amount 



* Inscription on the monument to a Newfoundland dog. Byron. 



vi 



