P rogressive
G eo g
r aph y.
Hifïorical
Epochs.
chiefly derived from etude Japanefe maps, and having erred fo grofsly
as to confound the ifle of Jeflb with Kamfchatka, from which, befides
thé gréSt diflféïéHGë isr löngitüdë, it '€s, diftant about 6 degrees, or
360 geographical miles! Thefe faults are not indicated to upbraid this
in dullrious who* like all otherSj muft- only be1 eftimated by the
ftate of knowledge when he wrote; but for the information of thofe
who, unaware of the daily progréfs' of ' geography, repofe an üöduè
confidence on antiquated aùthoritiëSi
The hiftory of their own country is ïinivérfally ftudied byjfhe Japanefe;
and Kæmpfer has produced an elaborate abftrad, divided into"
three epochs, the fabulous, the doubtful, and the certain,
■ The firft extends beyond the Judaic era of the creation, when th'e
empire is fabled to havé been governed by lèvén 'great - celéftiaJ fpirks
fuceeffively ; and the.laft having wedded a gôddefs; therfe liicC'ëéded a
race of five demigods, one of which is laid to havé reigned âCi^oè'ô’
years, while the laft reigned more than 800,000 !
The fécond or uncertain epoch is by Kæmpfer interwoven With thé
Chinefe hiftory : this part of his work detööhftratmg that the Japanefe
themfelves at leaft acknowledge their government and civilization to
have been derived from China. Sin Noo, one of thefe Chinefe monàrchs
admitted by the Japanefe into their-annals, is reprefeiited with the head
o f a bull, or with'two horns, as having taught the nib of agriculture and
herds ; " perhaps the fimple and natural origin of the Jupiter Ammon,
and fimilar images o f claffical antiquity.
The third Of certain period .begins with the hereditary fuccëffión of
the ecclefiaftic emperors, from the year 660 before the Chriftian era, to
the year of Chrift I58j^uring which 107 princes.of the lame lineage
governed japan, f At the laft period the fecular princes aflumed the
fupreme authority. In general the reigns are pacific ■ though at very
diftant intervals the Mandfhurs. and Coreans occafionally invaded Japan,
but were always defeated by the valour of the inhabitants. In the reign
óf Gouda, the ninetieth Dairi, or fpiritual emperor, the Mongols, under
Mooko attempted a grand invafion of Japan,, after having conquered
China about fourteen years before.' The number of final! veffels is ex-
1 Kæmpfer, 1.231. Frenchtranflatic
aggerated
aggerated to 4opq,< and tjiat of the’army to -240,000; and it is-probable
that numerous Cfiipefe junks cpji.ta|ned a formidable army of Monguia.
But they were difperied and' aJmoft vyhplly deftf°yp4 by ft furfeus tern-
peft, which, the Japanefe pioufly afcri|pd, tq, the gods their protedpfft,
In 1585 the generals, of the crown, or f^qular emperors, who were alfo
hereditary, aflu'med tlj£ fupreme power: the. Dairis being- afterwards
confined, and ftri&ly guard.ed, that they might not reaffume their am-
cient authority.
The temples and palaces being cbnftru&ed of wood, few monuments
of antiquity can remain. Some of the .caftjes of the hbb|lity have walls
of .earth of ftone; hut the moft ahciehT’reJic§ ftrq probably the coins and
idols..
- C H A P T E R II.
Po l i t i c a l , G e o g r a phy . ;
ReJigion.-^Qpver^^ent..—Law st^Po$uIatipn,.r-ColQniet.^Artny,r?-N4‘V]li.-*-Re‘tfer
,, , nues.r—PoIitical-pnJ>ortance and Relgtittns.,, , .
THE .eftablifhed refigion of Japan is a polytheifm, joined with the
acknowledgment of a fupreme! creator. There are t^o principal
feds, that of Sinto aiid that pf Budfdb. The firft acknowledges a fupreme
bei-ng, far fuperiot' to the little' claims- and worfhip ' of man,
whence they adore-the inferior deities as mediators, the idea of a mediator
being itfdifpenfable in almpft every fbrm of religion.. They believe
that the foul! of the virtuous have a place affigrfed' to them immediately
Under heaven, whileythofe ofr, the1 wicked wander i’ir the' air till they
expiate their offences. The trahfmigration of fouls is of cotitfe unknown.
They ab-ftain from animal food, deteft bloodshed, and will
not touch any dead bedyi\
■ *-Thuriherg, iv. 19,
. x 2 ' “ Although
HlSTORtCAE
E pochs.
Antiquities.
R e l ig io h .