A Fantasy of Far Japan; Or, Summer Dream Dialogues

Part 1

Chapter 13,737 wordsPublic domain

A FANTASY OF FAR JAPAN

Summer Dream Dialogues

BARON SUYEMATSU

Author of 'THE RISEN SUN'

London

ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE AND COMPANY, LTD.

1905

_LE SAMURAI_

_C'était un homme à deux sabres._

_D'un doigt distrait frôlant la sonore bîva,_ _A travers les bambous tressés en fine latte,_ _Elle a vu, par la plage éblouissante et plate,_ _S'avancer le vainqueur que son amour rêva._

_C'est lui. Sabres au flanc, l'éventail haut, il va._ _La cordelière rouge et le gland écarlate_ _Coupent l'armure sombre, et, sur l'épaule, éclate_ _Le blason de Hizen et de Tokugawa._

_Ce beau guerrier vêtu de lames et de plaques_ _Sous le bronze, la soie et les brillantes laques_ _Semble un crustacé noir, gigantesque et vermeil._

_Il l'a vue. Il sourit dans la barbe du masque,_ _Et son pas plus hâtif fait reluire au soleil_ _Les deux antennes d'or qui tremblent à son casque._

JOSÉ-MARIA DE HEREDIA.

PREFACE

In the following pages I have depicted certain Japanese ideals and notions, as well as some historical facts which seemed likely to interest those of the sympathetic Western public who may be inclined to study the mental side of Japan.

The dialogues are founded upon actual conversations, not indeed always in exactly the same phraseology, nor under exactly the same circumstances, but something very like. The questions put into the mouths of the characters in the book are the kind of questions which are being constantly put to me, and my answers are always on the same lines; so that my readers may regard the book as a serious treatise so far as the materials are concerned. This is the reason why I have written this book in a light, conversational style, and not in the form of an ordinary critical or expository treatise. Besides, I thought that more lucidity of exposition and more penetration into the inner views could be achieved by writing in the way I have done.

The period to which these conversations relate is chiefly the summer of the present year, 1905, and the greater part of this book was written before peace was concluded, and therefore there may be occasionally some dicta which sound somewhat polemic. On that point I can request my readers to show leniency.

I have appended to the dialogues a few papers on various subjects. They deal with subjects germane to those treated in the body of the work, and it is hoped that they will afford the reader first aid in acquiring information relative to the analysis of Japanese social life which has here, however imperfectly, been attempted.

I may add a few words. In publishing this volume, I am not in the least degree actuated by a desire to exalt my country unduly,--still less to boast about her achievements. My sole object has been to show Japan as she is, and to claim Occidental sympathy to such a degree as she may deserve.

K.S.

PARIS, _November 1905_.

CONTENTS

The issue of the war--Some Forecasts--English and French papers --Political situation in the summer of 1905--Beaconsfield--Japanese fictions and their plots--Some similarities between the customs of Greece, Rome, and Japan--Love stories--A Japanese love tale--Custom of adoption--_Jane Eyre_ and Japan--Japanese art--Japanese gardening--Full description of marriage ceremonies--Preliminary inquiries--Description of the rooms, and decorations--Butterflies --The banquet--Wedding presents--Position of the women in Japan --Japanese mothers and wives--A Samurai mother illustrated by a drama--Lays of Ancient Rome and Commandant Hirosé--Japanese notions of pardon and forgiving--Trip to Japan

Greek inspiration--Semitic sympathy--Religion--Difference between Japanese and European chivalry--What is the Bushi?--The weakest point of a hereditary military organisation--Introduction of the new system--New commoners and the history of their emancipation--Combination of democratic ideas and conservative traditions--Old bottles and new wine--The Great Change of 1867--Napoleon--Negligence of a proper estimation--Scenery of Japan---History of Tokio--European and Japanese method of dwelling--President Roosevelt and jiujitsu

III

Japanese art and the West--Night-fêtes--Sale of flowers and plants--Singing Insects--A discussion on the moon, flowers, snow, etc.--Music of snow and rain--Lines on hailstones--A particular evening for lunar perspective--A blind scholar and his wife--The deaf, dumb, and blind of Japan--The calendar and its radical change in Japan--Calumnies on Japan, and an anonymous letter--Japanese ways of counting ages--The question of women and a lady's opinion on Japanese women--Lafcadio Hearn--Japanese names--Difficulty of distinguishing between 'L' and 'R'--Discussion on pronunciation--London and Tokio patois--Japanese nobility and the method of addressing nobility--Books on Japan--Once more on Lafcadio Hearn--Discussion on women's education--_The Risen Sun_

A talk on brackens--Eating of fruits without peeling--A pet tortoise--Remarks on languages--Discourses on jiujitsu--Comparison of jiujitsu and wrestling--Japanese art and the Kokkwa--Pictures in the Gospel--Discourse on Bushido, its history and the origin of the term--Explanation of the terms Daimio, Samurai, and Bushi--Its literature--Japanese revenge and European duel--Japanese sword--Soul of Samurai--General Stoessel and a broken sword--Discussion on Japanese social morality--Japan far cleaner than any other nation--The condition at the time of the transition--General view of the westernised Japan--Occidental vulgarity

Some observations on peace prospects--Discussion on Anglo-French-Russo-Japanese _entente_--Russian views of the Japanese--Discussion on religion and Japan--Japan and the International Conventions--The meaning of religion--General Nogi--A high-priest on Japan and Russia--The Japanese conception of death--A quotation from an old book on Bushido--The notion of the name--Further remarks on the Russian views of the Japanese--England and America--The outbreak of the war--A wanton project of the Russian admiral restrained by the French admiral--Discussion on the Yellow Peril and Pan-Asiatic ambition--Japan not a small country--French poor in the caves--Paris by night--Sir Stamford Raffles and his appreciation of Japan ninety years ago --Patriotism and France--_La France, c'est le pays de mon cœur_--A romantic and tragical story--Discussion on Socialism and Japan--England and America--Discussion on the word 'Revolution'--The Great Change of Japan in 1867--Its political and social effects--A comparison with the French Revolution--Discussion on unity and continuity of authority--An anonymous pamphlet--Discussion on the relative position of the French Nationalists and Socialists with regard to Japan--French thrift

The age of the Japanese--Ito and Inouyé--Intermarriages--Commander Hirosé--Some abuse of the Japanese nationality--The climate of Japan--Chrysanthemums--Japanese rain--The two great currents--How Japan developed--Summer resorts of foreigners--Spring and autumn --Picnics--Sports--A letter by an American--Pastimes of the Japanese gentry--Description of the Japanese chess and the game of 'Go'--Description of Japanese cards--Poem cards--Flower cards--Pierre Loti--Public baths--An interview on common and military education in Japan--George Washington and Nelson--The cause of Russian defeats according to the wounded

VII

Some talk on superstition--A remark on earrings--Japanese troops after the war; no fear of Chauvinism--Generals and officers--How the system of the hereditary military service was abolished and the new system was introduced--Its history--Japan after the war--Views given to the American press--Mr. Seppings-Wright and his views on the Japanese character--The Japanese navy and its history--Origin of the shipbuilding yards--The difficulty of a thorough reform in China and Russia--How Japan managed to bring about the consummation of the great reform--The feudal system was a great help--Explanation of the Japanese feudal system and the clans--The re-shuffling of the feudatories under the Tokugawa régime--Difference of grandeur of the feudatories--Exceptional formation of the Satsuma clan--Financial system of the Shogunate --Finance of the Imperial Government at the beginning of the Great Change--How the affairs of the governments of the feudatories were wound up--The old system of taxation--Thorough reform--The old notion of land tenure

VIII

Commerce and industry--Old methods of communication--Roads and ships--How they have been improved--Railways, post, telegraphs, and telephones--Progress of the financial system--The Satsuma war--The Bank of Japan--The National banks--The monetary system one of the causes of Japan's success--Further remarks on the military reforms--Evolution of the mode of fighting--All reforms at much cost of blood and money--The cause of the Satsuma war--Saigo the Elder--Social condition of Japan to-day--Evolution of legislation--Chinese jurisprudence--The Japanese are not good correspondents--My future--An operatic singer--Japanese stages--Danjiuro and Irving--The old school and the new one--Kawakami and Sada Yakko--The opera _Maritana_--The end of the dream

APPENDICES

I. Political Organism of Japan

II. Japanese Education

III. Anglo-French Diplomacy in Japan Forty Years ago

IV. Sketches of some chief Figures of Actual Japan (Ito, Yamagata, Inouyé, Matsukata, Katsura, Okuma, Saionji)

V. An old Speech by Marquis Ito

VI. The Commercial Morality of the Japanese

VII. Japan and Foreign Capital

VIII. The Languages of China and Japan

IX. Once more on Japan and France

X. Japan and Europe

XI. The Indo-China Question

XII. The Australian Question

XIII. The Anglo-Japanese Alliance and America

Notes to Dialogues V. and VIII., and to the Paper on 'Commercial Morality'

A FANTASY OF FAR JAPAN:

SUMMER DREAM DIALOGUES

It was a cool summer afternoon in a quiet hotel in a quiet part of Paris. I threw myself lazily into an easy-chair on the balcony and began reading _Le Journal_. I was somewhat tired and soon felt myself drowsily wandering into dreamland as the breeze lulled me soothingly. I felt myself, as it were, wafted through the air. Soon I found myself in the company of a friend of mine and his wife, though I do not know how all that came about. We passed together through the Bois de Boulogne, now amidst tall, green forests, now along the turfy shores of mirror-like lakes. We arrived at last before the entrance of a large house. It was the residence of the Duke of Fairfield. His wife, the Duchess of Fairfield, is a star in Parisian society and a great hostess. Her salon is periodically filled with politicians, savants, great artists, and the most fashionable ladies and belles of the day. Her forte is politics, and indeed she is no mean politician in her way. It was in that lady's drawing-room that we in no time found ourselves.

--'I am so glad that you were able to come here to-day,' said the duchess. 'I was very anxious to make your acquaintance, and so asked your friend to bring you. I have known you long by "interviews" and articles. We all read them with delight. They are read on the Continent far more than you imagine.'

--'Don't mention it, madam,' said I. 'It is a great honour, I feel, to have access here. As to my articles, I am highly flattered to hear they have any interest for you.'

There were already many people in the salon. I was naturally introduced to some of the ladies and gentlemen present. In a few moments I found myself talking with the duchess on some questions of the day.

--She said, 'Some people foresaw, even before the war had began, what the issue would be. General Penetrator, for instance, I learned a good deal from him,--and also from my own observations.'

--'May I add,' said I, 'General Foresight also? I have heard some incidents about him quite lately. But I am glad to see you take so much interest in our affairs.'

--'No!' said the duchess, 'they are not exclusively your affairs. We are also much concerned in the matter, as you know. But let us stop a moment. Baron,--won't you have a cup of tea? Do take one.'

--'If you please.'

The duchess had already risen and was proceeding towards a table where the tea was laid out. I stood up also and followed her, saying, 'Allow me, madam, I will help myself, I'm troubling you too much'; but the duchess taking no notice of my words prepared a cup of tea and gave it to me where I stood; she was assisted by one of her daughters who offered me some cakes. I noticed that the tea was poured out of a pot made in the shape of a beautiful waterfowl, its beak forming the spout.

--'It is very artistic,' I said, pointing to the tea-pot.

--'It is Japanese ware,' said the duchess. 'This kind of ware is, I suppose, only made for the foreign markets, and not used in Japan, and so probably you have not seen it before. We think it rather nice. You see our taste has little depth.'

--'Well! madam, I must apologise to you for carelessly expressing approbation of an article coming from my own country. I would not have done so if I had carefully examined it and had made sure that it was Japanese, but it certainly looks charming.'

We sat down again and resumed our conversation.

--'Do you read our papers much?' said the duchess.

--'Not much, madam, only those parts which interest me particularly--the war, for instance.'

--'Then you speak French, of course,' said she.

--'Only a very, very little, madam, and unless spoken very slowly, I do not understand at all,' I replied. 'People in society generally do not care to take that trouble.'

--'Very true, indeed,' she said, 'one often forgets that one is speaking to a foreigner while actually doing so. But what do you think of our papers?'

--'They seem generally good,' I answered, 'though not perhaps as good as those of England, for there, far more money is spent in obtaining good items of news from all parts of the world. But this is too trite, I think, to speak to you about.'

--'I am sorry for it,' she said, 'but I must say that most of our journals appear not to have done sufficient justice to your country, in regard to the present war.'

--'To be frank, madam, I must say that they generally were not quite fair. I am afraid they have done more harm than good to the country which they meant to befriend, for if they had not given so much encouragement to that country, much misfortune which has overtaken it might have been evaded or at least lessened. It may have been only due to a pacing mistake. The press is much better now, and is beginning to represent more truthfully the sentiment of the people, I think.'

--'It is very true,' she said; 'at the same time, I must say that the aggressive attitude of that country could not have been created by our journals, however partial they may have been. In that respect, there may be another country which is more responsible.'

All the while other guests and members of the house were carrying on conversation in a very lively manner, in twos, threes, or fours.

--'But, baron, what do you think of the present political situation?' she said. 'What is the real sentiment of England?'

--'You must know such things better than I. To me, however, it seems England is perfectly sincere in her good wishes towards France. She has no _arrière pensée_.'

--'But some people say she wants war with our neighbour,' said she.

--'No! decidedly not,' I said. 'I know there are many people in England who have no confidence in German policy; but "want war," "provoke war," decidedly not!'

--'That's my opinion too,' said she quickly.

Hereupon a few gentlemen joined in our discussion. We went over the international situation of the day from many points, with many hypotheses and conjectures. We thought the discussion both interesting and beneficial; the trend of the conversation naturally turned upon the bearing of the international relationship in the Far East. A rumour recently circulated was mentioned by one of those present, to the effect that German policy was to draw France into some sort of 'combination' similar to that which took place after the Sino-Japanese war. A gentleman who is senator and an ex-minister said that it was, of course, necessary to watch what the Premier was going to do, but that he trusted the Premier would not be so imprudent. If ever, he added, he were to be drawn into such an unjust and imprudent action, he would at once revolt all statesmen, indeed all the French public, and, moreover, the rumour was more likely unfounded than true. To this opinion all present expressed an assent.

At this point some more visitors arrived, and the duchess left us to welcome them. I also rose, and slowly went into the next room, which was the study of the duke, but its sliding door was opened and formed with the drawing-room one long salon. The other daughter--the duchess has two daughters only, and no sons--was there, together with a few young folk. She observed me at once, and we were soon talking together. There was a book lying on a table beside us. Opening it at random, a picture of a warrior appeared before us.

--'It is Condé,' she said.

--'Yes, so I see,' I replied; 'he was a great general. I admire him very much. His splendid career, which I read many years ago in history, is still vividly impressed on my memory!'

--'And Jeanne d'Arc too, I suppose,' she said.

--'Of course, mademoiselle.'

--'Women sometimes do fine things, don't they! but Japan is a country of heroes and heroines.'

--'I dare say, but Jeanne d'Arc especially appeals to one's imagination.'

--'I admire your Bushido so much,' said she.

--'Do you? I am glad to hear you say so.'

Looking up, my eyes caught sight of many pictures hanging on the walls: for the most part they seemed family portraits, and most of them men in military uniform. I was tempted to make some observations, and unconsciously stood up to approach nearer to them. She followed my example and walked by my side. Pointing to them, one after another, she told me this was her grandfather, that her great-grandfather, these were this one's sons or daughters, those that one's, etc. Amongst them, no doubt, there were some who had done noble service for their country; that fact was evident from the pedigree of her family. But, unlike ordinary people, she had neither the necessity nor desire to glorify her ancestors, but for my part I wished she had explained a little more of their history. Finally, she pointed out a picture as that of her mother, saying she did not like it, and that it did not resemble her.

--'Why not? One cannot expect a portrait to be like the original at every stage of life,' I remarked.

--'No! I did not mean exactly in that way,' she answered.

We were now at the end of the room leading on to a balcony. We stepped on to it. I leaned on the railing; she stood not far off from me. The garden was not very large, but neat and clean. Now I looked down at the garden, now I turned towards Lady Modestina, which is her Christian name, exchanging some remarks about flowers and trees. Her sister now joined us coming forth from the drawing-room. Dulciana is her name. Our conversation somehow or other turned on works of fiction.

--'Do you read fiction much, baron?' asked Lady Dulciana.

--'No; not much. But I have read nearly all Beaconsfield.'

--'I understand,' said she, 'his books are always full of spirit and aspiration. _Incidents d'amour_ are only secondary, and that suits your taste, I suppose--I mean, your countrymen in general.'

--'Just so, the majority of our works of fiction are stories of heroic characters--stories of the _Alroy_ type, perhaps, with a little more definite morals, and something more of loyalty or patriotism.'

--'I can understand that, too, from what I have heard and seen of late,' said she.

--'But have you not in your country,' interposed Lady Modestina, 'any works of fiction solely based on romantic incidents? Western fictions are, I am afraid, too full of such.'

--'Well, we also have one kind of literature which may be called "love stories." They are mostly written in an easy style, more for the less educated portion of the public.'

--'Are they read much?' she asked.

--'Not very much,' I answered; 'with us those books do not hold a high position.'

--'And the plots. What are they like?' she asked.

--'Perhaps you know,' I answered, 'we have had certain customs which resembled those of Greece and Rome. Consequently the plots of such books, like the Greek and Roman comedies, are much influenced by those customs and do not suit the tastes of modern refinement.'

--'Am I too curious if I ask the nature of those customs and manners?'

--'Oh no! In Greece and Rome there was, perhaps you know, a certain class of females called Hetaira, also a class of males called parasites. They mixed pretty freely with men of good standing, and, of course, are not to be judged by the same standard as the disreputable of modern days. In Japan, also, there existed an almost identical class. I am referring to those females known to the occidental races by the name of Geishas, and the men we call Taiko-Mochi, _i.e._ 'tam-bour,' though the latter were comparatively few in number. The chief profession of the Geisha was music. Indeed, the books I have just referred to are peopled with this class. Novelists in those days were never recognised as legitimate _literati_, and were quite content to be associated with the so-called town people, and to write chiefly about their surroundings. The very condition of the higher classes supplied but few subjects for romance, and the altered social conditions of present-day Japan clearly shows the reason why their works do not suit the modern taste.'

--'I suppose that sort of people, I mean the class resembling those of Greece and Rome, exists no more.'

--'Yes, they still exist. The modern Geisha, as a rule, are the same in kind, but not in quality. In the days gone by, that is, during the feudal period, social discipline was very rigid, and the occasional adventures of those people were regarded as good subjects for Romancers, whilst the modern ones are far too degraded--they have either no romance, or too much, to be made the subject of romance. Excuse my telling you such things, I only do so from a sociological point of view.'

--'Science will cry out, if you make use of her name in such a place.'

--'Never mind, but listen! The fiction written in the new era differs, widely differs, in the selection of subjects, from that of the old. Only remember! Even those books, I mean the old love stories, portrayed a great deal of female chivalry and heroism. Indeed, a spirit of chivalry was the forte of the period. I can tell you, if you like, one plot which I recollect.'

--'Do, please.'