EASTERN DOGS IN EARLY TIMES 



to the nature of the dogs mentioned. They speak of some of 

 them as being called by the name " Pai," which later Chinese 

 authorities explain as referring to a very small " short- 

 legged " * and " short-headed " f type of dog, which belongs 

 under the table.J The Chinese table of the period was low, 

 and those round it sat on mats. 



From this period onwards, many of the Chinese emperors 

 seem to have taken greater interest in small dogs. The 

 Eastern emperors appear to have been led, partly, perhaps, 

 through feminine influence, to extremes unsurpassed by the 

 Merry Monarch himself. It may here be noted that re- 

 ferences to dogs in Chinese history are often made with the 

 object, not of recording details to throw light upon the 

 manners of the period, but as obiter scripta to illustrate ef- 

 feminacy and want of care in statecraft on the part of the ruler. 



There was a similar tendency among Japanese historians. 

 " In the days of Takatoki, the ninth representative of the Hojo 

 family (who reigned at the end of the thirteenth century) a 

 new atmosphere permeated Kamakura. Instead of visiting 

 the archery-ground and the fencing-school men began to waste 

 day and night in the company of dancing-girls, professional 

 musicians, and jesters. The plain simple diet of former 

 days was exchanged for Chinese dishes. Takatoki kept 

 thirty-seven concubines, maintained a band of two thousand 

 actors, and had a pack of two thousand fighting- dogs." 

 Twelve great fights took place every month, and when the 

 champion of the dogs, fancifully described as being in some 

 cases as big as oxen, were led through the streets, people 

 doffed their head-gear, and even knelt down in reverence . 



The official history of the Han dynasty states that the 



* " Chien Lei Han." f " Kwong Yun " by Ch'en. 



I " Shuo wen " of Hsu Shen. 



" Japan and China," vol. ii, p. 13, by Captain F. Brinkley. 

 H " Hou Han Shu," vol viii. Quoted by Pei Wen Yun Fu. 



B I 7 



