“ Although the profêflbrs' of this 'religion be perfua'ded that their
gods know all things, and that therefore it ïs unnêcfeffa’ry fó'pfiay to
them upon ahyóccaftön,'they have neverthelefs' both temples and certain'ftated
holidays.- - Their gods are called Sin or Kami; rand their
temples are ftyled M ia. Thefe temples' cönfift' of feveral différent
apartments and galleries, with windows and. doofs- in front, which can
be taken away and replaced at pleafure, afccording tö the cuftom'bfthe
Country. The floors are covered jvith firaw mats, and tbc Joofs prójpéf
ib far on every fide as to overhang an elevated path, in winch, people'
walk round the temple. . In thefe temples one meets with pb® vihble
idol, nor any image which is dèfigned to repfefent the fupremeftivifjblè
Being: though they fometimes keep a. little image in a box, reprefènt-
ing fome inferior divinity, to whom the_temple is confecrated. In the
centre of the temple is frequently placed a- large mirror, made of caff:
metal well polifhed, which is intended to remind tfiofe that borne to
worfeip, that in like manner as. their, perfoual blemhhes are faithfully
pourtrayed itt the mirror^ & do the fecret blemiflies and evil qualities of
their hearts lie open arid expofed to the all-fearching eyes of the immortal
gods.” *
The priefts are either fecular or monaftic; “the latter alone being en-
trufted with the myfteries. The feftivals and modes Of worfhip'ari?
chearful, and even gay •; for they regard the gods as‘beings who -felejly
delight in difpenfing happinefs. Befides the firft day of the year, and
three or four other grand feftivals, the firft day of the month is always
kept as a holiday. There are feveral orders of monks and nuns, as in
the Roman Catholic fyftem: but human nature is every where the
fame. .
The feet of Budfdo was imported from Hindoftan, being'the fame
with that of Budha or Boodh, reported to have been born in Ceylon
about i ooo years before the birth of Chrift. . Palling through China
and Corea, it has been mingled with foreign maxims, but the tenet of
the metempfyehofis remains ; wicked foul's being fuppofed to migrate
into the bodies of animals, till they have undergone a due purgation.
1 Thunberg, iv. p, 21.
The do‘£trihe of tjfeir’philbfophers and morallffikis- called Shuto, and Reugioh.
partakes"df the Epieurfekn', though' i'Btalknb.w^eage, with Conftici'us, that
thepufeft fdUrce“of^bamre is a ^ Th$fip® admits fa foul
of the'Vdild^^fjIldoea reKgroW '
forms'. By a fin^ulSr thb%§fdeu'fion of thb Chrrftiinl’^*
greatly ■■ diminifeedMSeiJ'iiurilber^ of *the" ftj^orflef to
avoid fufpieion, am^e%er tb,^d|prn\tdHhe*^bmn!p&^"S^^'-,,of't'h;e"
codritty. ■
' Sbbn after tH^ difcpvery 'oF thf$'cp|rit!ry by the lPo4tu|&®|e|ntic
miflioriafies arrived in 1^49 i^a'nd their ftiCcCQbrsw C'dntihrrep|ib diffufe
their doeftrirt’e till 16*3*8, when *3 ^oo^Cnnftlabs^wlfd’ mafffpr .
verkl perfections had formerly takeft plate;,'and in 1 Jgo u'pwardstof
'dtLoob are'laid to have- penfhedi , The’prlle arid a f b f the Portui
gfiefe pbnfpif^d yritK the' viin ambitioh of* the j'efriitsi Xwhbl^oti^-
tented with their ftation,'endeavoured (6 introdueeffie^felye's into the
governing bbiiqeils .of the natiqn,) firft to-contaminat^ and render pd/ous
the^dligron which they.profeffed, in Its pure principles eirmtiaJlyi^b^ ''
fite to- fuch- views, and afterwards hb "produce 'this,;mglapqfiply Ipata-
ftrophe; 'the exigence'of the 'chriftiari faith1 'beipf' tfirough.fuch per-
verfion found incompatible with ‘h^t ^ of a ftatel^herwife^t^lverfil^-
tblerarit. _ Si nee that.meinorable epochiCm^fljanip^ h^s'^been held-in
fupfeme deteftation ; and theqrofs, wi^ i^’other fymbb^, are annually
trampled under foot f but it is ,a fable that the Butch are conftraiped to.
join In this ceremony.
The Kribb,' or,fecular emperor, is now .foie-monarch of the country-; Government,
but till near the end'of the feventeenth century the Bairisy pontiffs, or _
fpiritual monarchs, M d the fuprqjne aUt]dpn^Hbeing^ppi^;ed by. the
high ecclefiaftical epurt according to their laws ©f fu,cejeffjpji.. Yef occa-
fionally the appointment ha^bepn .controverted ; and Japan has been
ravaged by many civil wars. The ecclefiaftical dignities »Were, -of fix
orders, fome belonging to*’ particular offices*, others merely honorary. .
The fecular prince i§ acquftomed to Roofer, with ,thes confent of the
. dairi, two honorary ranks, equivalent to Qurpffoplejnen and knights. *r.
The ecclefiaftical court is chiefly Occupied with literary purfuits, the
Bairi •