ETHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT DAY. 225 



for state dress. The feet are protected by sandals, with or without 

 stockings. The usual color of the clothes is black, white being the 

 mourning color with the Japanese. Their hats are of straw, wood, or 

 leather, painted and lacquered, with small crowns but large brims. 



Mining, agriculture, horticulture, fishing, and rearing silkworms, are 

 much more attended to in Japan than hunting and cattle-breeding. Their 

 silk fabrics are by far the best in commerce. The Japanese are very 

 skilful also in lacquered work, as well as in making hardware, and their 

 porcelain is better and more durable than that manufactured by the 

 Chinese. In medical science they are likewise more advanced than the 

 Chinese ; their navigation, however, is still very imperfect. The use of the 

 compass is nevertheless understood by them, the circle being divided into 

 twelve parts (winds). In astronomy, they are still far behind ; their land 

 and sea charts, however, are not bad, being perhaps copies of European 

 ones. Foreign commerce rests entirely in the hands of the Chinese and 

 Dutch. It is no longer of very great importance, as but few ships are 

 permitted to come to Japan. Before the extirpation of Christianity, there 

 were quite a number of religions and religious sects in Japan ; at present 

 there are only four, according to others seven, prevailing creeds. Some 

 worship the heavenly bodies, others still cling to the ancient faith of 

 the country, the Sinto religion, the head of which is called Kin-Reh, by 

 the Europeans Dairi, who at the same time is the spiritual chief of all 

 Japan. The Kuho or Ziogoen is in possession of the temporal power, and 

 is little restrained by the Dairi, who is his apparent superior. The state 

 or crown property constitutes more than half the empire ; the Kubo 

 receives besides considerable presents from the hereditary princes of the 

 country ; and as the taxes and duties swell his receipts still more, the Kubo 

 may be considered as one of the richest sovereigns in the world. The 

 army is maintained, for the greater part, by the hereditary princes. 

 Japanese laws either depend upon the orders of the Emperors or follow 

 ancient usages. The legal code is very short ; there are few magis- 

 trates, and the penal statutes are very severe, but are as rigidly enforced 

 towards the higher as towards the lower classes. The police are vigilant, 

 and endeavor strictly to maintain public order. All the streets of the 

 cities have officers of their own, who take care that the regulations are 

 properly observed ; these again have others over them. 



The Japanese inhabit the Islands of Nipon, Sikok, Kiu-siu, and Lieu- 

 Kieu or Riukiu. The name of this nation is of Chinese origin, and is 

 made by the Europeans from Shi-pan, i. e. " sun-rise," which in Southern 

 China is pronounced ja-, or jat-pan. The Japanese pronounce it Nifon or 

 Nipon ; hence the Europeans denominated the largest island JVipon, 

 although the name belongs properly to the whole group. 



Between the Japanese language and those of the neighboring Kurile and 

 Mandchoo-Tungusian tribes there is no similarity whatever. Any resem- 

 blance manifested to the Chinese and Corean has unquestionably arisen in 

 later times, when the Japanese aborigines were civilized by Chinese colo- 

 nies, and received the Buddhist religion by way of Corea. There can be 



397 



