VI PR K F A C E. 



Buddhist ideas concerning the Nagas which came from India to 

 the East. Being not acquainted with the Sanscrit language, we 

 have to refer to the works of European scholars and to trans- 

 lations, in order to explain the western elenaents found in Chinese 

 and Japanese dragon legends. This being our only aim with 

 regard to the Nagas, we will deal with them only by waj of 



introduction. ____^-- 



— iTT^thFTlret^ Book we have systematically arranged the most 

 interesting quotations concerning the dragon in China, selected 

 from the enormous number of passages on this divine animal 

 found in Chinese literature from the remotest ages down to 

 modern times. In order to give the original conceptions we did 

 not quote the numerous poems on the dragon, because the latter, 

 although based upon those conceptions, enlarged them in their 

 own poetical way. The Second Book treats of the dragon in 

 Japan, considered in the light of the facts given by the Introduc- 

 tion and Book I. 



I avail myself of this opportunity to express my hearty thanks 

 to Professor De Groot, whose kind assistance enabled me to 

 largely extend the Chinese part of this paper. Not only was his 

 very rich and interesting library at my disposal, but he himself 

 was an invaluable guide to me through the labyrinth of many 

 a difficult Chinese passage. Moreover, from the very beginning 

 his splendid works, especially the Religious System of China, 

 formed the basis of my studies in Chinese and Japanese religion 

 and folklore. 



I also tender my best thanks to Professor Speyer, who with 

 great kindness gave me most valuable information concerning 

 the Nagas, and to Miss E. Schmidt, who kindly put her know- 

 ledge and time at my disposal in undertaking the weary labour 

 of perusing the manuscript and correcting its language. 



Leiden. M. W. de Visser. 



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