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scheme by which all the real powers of government became his in virtue of 
his offices as the generalissimo of forces to subdue the barbarians (Sei-I- 
Tai-Shdgun) and as the superintendent of the police for sixty-six provinces 
(Rokujuroku-Koku-So-Tsuihoshi). I cannot enter into the most adroit 
manner in which all these changes were accomplished ; but since this, which 
we may perhaps date from 1190, the year of the appointment of Yoritomo 
to the office of the superintendent of the police, until 1868, with a very 
brief interval in the fourteenth century, the country was under the rule of 
the military class, the Shoguns or their regents being the practical rulers of 
the land. Again I repeat that nevertheless all this time the people in 
general, including the military class and the rulers themselves, held the 
Imperial House in utmost reverence. I lay great stress on this point, 
because, as I have stated, I consider this a most important factor in our 
national development. 
And here I must say a few words about a particular sect of Buddhism, 
viz., the Zen, which has exercised a very great influence on the military 
class, from the time when it became the ruling class of the country. Its 
influence is felt in our character even at the present day, and something 
must be said about it if we would fully understand the spirit of our people. 
The Zen sect was first introduced into Japan just about the time of the 
establishment of the feudal system by Yoritomo ; it was warmly welcomed 
by the military chiefs, just as the earlier sects introduced had been by the 
court ; and many Zen temples were built by them in Kamakura and 
afterwards in Kyoto. There were many reasons why it should be so well 
received by the military class. It teaches a man how to arrive, by means of 
a certain form of contemplation, at a habitual state of mind which will 
enable him to meet with calmness any event and endure with indifference 
any hardship. Such a power of perfect self-control and undisturbable peace 
of mind must indeed be invaluable to a man of any profession, but more 
especially to a Samurai of old days, whose life had to be spent amid 
continual dangers and hardships. There was also charm in that it did not 
require on the part of its votaries any profound book-knowledge ; it was 
also in accord with that simplicity and frugality which were the 
characteristics of the Samurai. I may mention that at the present time 
there are many earnest young men who perform this contemplation at the 
temples of the Zen sect. 
Coming down now to the fifteenth century, we find that, owing to the 
weakness of the central government, military chiefs arose in all parts of 
the country and were continually fighting against each other. Among 
these, there appeared three great men. The first was Nobunaga, who from 
