Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 8.djvu/362

 JAPAN

304

JAPAN

eighteen companies, attached to the eighteen divi- sions of the army, and commanded by a brigadier- general. It numbers only 2500 men. In 1907 it inter- vened in 2082 cases, and assisted 66 sick or wounded persons.

Navy. — Under the government of the Tokugawa the lack of stimulation and the complete rupture of relations with the outside world caused the nav.v to lie completely neglected. In 1871 a vessel presented by the King of Holland and some ships purchased abroad li.v the Government of the shogun and the daimios of Tosa and Satsunia constituted the im- perial fleet. Of all the services organized under the present reign none has undergone such rapid develop- ment as that of the navy, as is shown by the follow- ing table: —

Year

No. OF Ships

Tonnage

Horse-power

1871 1894 1904 1907

17 33 76 126

6,000 tons 61,000 ■• 258,251 " 506,093 •'

518,040 1,045,383

This list does not include the 77 torpedoes weighing 7258 tons. This proiligious development of the Jap- anese navy in recent years is due to the three projects of exjiansion voted successively by the Chambers, the first (1903) requiring an extraordinary expenditure of 115,000,000 ven; the second (1905), 175,000,000 yen; the third (1907), 76,000,000 3-en. There are five mari- time prefectures: Yoko-Suka, Kure, Sasebo, Maizuru and Port Arthur; three naval stations, Takeshiki, the Pescadores, and Ominato. The fleet is divided into three squadrons. On 31 March, 1908, it was com- posed as follows: armoured battleships, 15, tonnage varying from 10,960 to 19,900 tons: armoured cruisers of the first class, 13, from 7700 to 14,600 tons; ar- moured cruisers of the second class, 10, from 3700 to 6630 tons; armoured cruisers of the third class, 8, from 2439 to 3420 tons; armom-ed coast-defence boats, 12; armoured gunboats, 6; torpedo gunboats. 2; des- patch boats, 5; destroyers, 55, from 350 to 381 tons; torpedoes, 77; total tonnage, 7258 tons. The navy is recruited by conscription and volunteer service, more than half the naval forces being volunteers. The number of recruits varies greatlv each vear. In 1902 there were 4130; 1905,9583; 1906,5839; 1907,8682. On 31 March, 1908, the naval forces were composed as follows: —

Rating

21

<>

k

s

s S

5§

<

3 ^ a S

Z E "

b

Q ^

Active service.. First resen'c. .. Second reser\-e.

69 52 16

803 128 40

2270 47 84

236

1067 60 57

8,356 2,677 2,206

33,662 6,433 4,730

Totals

137

971

2401

236

1184

13,239

44,825

There were more than 780 students; in all 63,773 men. But in 1895 the force was 17,140; in 1899, 28,710; in 1904, 45,999. In 1907 the courts-martial judged 756 cases. Seamen committed to prison, 730; released, 562. Marine hospitals, 5; sick persons cared for dur- ing the year, 31,088; deaths, 191.

Jap.\nese Religions. — Shinloism [literally, "way of the gods " (Kia/ii)] is properly the religion of Japan, born on the very soil and without foreign admixture. It has neither tlogmas, nor moral code, nor sacred books, and is summed up in a rather confused mixture of nature-worship and veneration of ancestors. Phil- osophical anal.vsis discovers a basis of pantheism. Shintoi.st mythology first speaks of five gods culled Koto-.\matsu-Kami. The first three are tlic creators of heaven and earth, and they arc Amc-no-minaka-

nushi, who existed immobile at the time of the Crea- tion; Takami-musubi, and Kami-busubi. agents in the Creation. The other two, Umashi-asliirabi-llikoji and Ame-no-Tokotachi, have no clearly deterrained role. After them come seven generations of heavenly spirits (Tenj'in shichi-dai), namely, Kuni-Tokotachi. Ivuni- Satsuchi, Toyokunnu: then the four co\iples, l^ijini and Suijini, Otonoji and Otomalie, Omotaru and K;ish- ikonc; finall,y Izanagi and Izanami, the special creators of Japan and of a number of gods, gods of water, wind, trees, mountains, rivers, roads, thunder, rain, etc. Of Izanagi and Izanami were born Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, and Susano-o. Amaterasu became the goddess of the sun, Tsukiyomi that of the moon, and Susano-o, the god of the earth. Amaterasu sent her grandson, Ninigi-no-mikoto, to reign over Japan and he was the great-grandfather of Jimmu Tenno, the first emperor. From .-Amaterasu to Jimmu Tenno there are five generations called terrestrial spirits (Chijiu-go-dai), who succeeded the seven generations of heavenly spirits.

Hence, according to Sliintoist mythology, the em- peror is not only the high-priest, he is the representa- tive and direct descendant of divinity, and as such the duty devolves upon him of celebrating the wor- ship of the gods who are his ancestors and of offering to heaven as supreme mediator the prayers and sacrifices of the subjects whom he governs. At first the only temple was the palace of the emperor, and the cere- monies consisted chiefly of ablutions and purifica- tions. The temple of Ise was the first erected outside the palace, and an im|ierial princess was charged with the sacred treasures there contained. The treasures, which were transmitted by Amaterasu to her descend- ants, were the Mirror, the Sword, and the precious Stone.

Shintoism remained in this state of simplicity until the introduction of Buddhism in 552. It was soon supplanted by the new religion, which brought with it more profound metaphysics, a more exalted moral code, and more solemn ceremonies. A few conserva- tives attempted to resist, but the bonzes won the day by what they called Rio-bu-Shinto, a system accord- ing to which Shintoism and Buddhism should form one and the same religion. Thenceforth, save for a few private ceremonies at the palace and in the great temples of Iso ancl Izumo, the two religions were but one. This state of tilings lasted until the eighteenth century, when the works of Kaino Maliuchi and several others brought, aljout a reaction in favour of the na- tional religion against Buddhism and Confucianism, both foreign importations. The Restoration com- pleted what had been begun, and since 1868 Shintoism and Buddhism have been entirely separate from each other.

Together with the gods of its mythology Shintoism adores several of the emperors and famous men of Japan. It also pa.vs special honour to the spirits of soldiers who died for the imperial cause. In several towns temples called Shakon-sha (temples where souls are invoked) are erected in their honour. Shintoism is divided into ten branches which differ only in cere- monial details, the moral code of all being reduced to the single iirineiple: follow the inspiration of your own heart ami obey the emperor. Number of temples {miya or jinjaj 190,436; staff: administrative heads of sects, 12; heads or rectors of temples, 16,365; priests (preachers), 74,347; priestesses, 4428; semi- nary students (March, 1908), 259; boys, 250; girls, 9. Japanese especially professing Shintoism, about 19,000,000.

National Feasts. — (1) Shihohai, a ceremony cele- brated in the palace on the first day of the .year, from 3 to 5 A.M. The emperor turns successively to each of the four cardinal pomts, venerates the tomb of his an- cestors and prays for the prosperity of his reign and preservation from every calamity during the year.