Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 1.djvu/130

 Notably the style of dwellings was altered. Architects, turners, tile-makers, decorative artists, and sculptors coming from China and Korea, magnificent temples were built, enshrining images of high artistic beauty, and adorned with paintings and carvings which would be worthy objects of admiration in any age of æsthetic development. Rich nobles, at the same time, began to construct for themselves mansions which already showed several features destined to permanently distinguish Japanese residences. The processes of manufacturing paper and ink, of weaving carpets with wool or the hair of animals, of concocting dyes, of preparing whetstones, of therapeutics, of compiling a calendar, and of ship-building on greatly improved lines,—all these, learned from China, were skilfully applied.

It may be noted incidentally that the growth of wealth resulting from this influx of material civilisation gave additional emphasis to the superiority of the Chinese, for they had to be placed at the head of the various bureaux of the Treasury, there being no Japanese competent to discharge such duties. Commerce also felt the expansive impulse. Men travelled from province to province selling goods; foreign vessels frequented the ports; a collector of customs and a superintendent of trade were appointed, and an officially recognised system of weights and measures was introduced.