unbeaten tracks in japan- 第14部分

IRIMICHI；　Nikko；　June　23。

My　peacefully　monotonous　life　here　is　nearly　at　an　end。　　The　people
are　so　quiet　and　kindly；　though　almost　too　still；　and　I　have
learned　to　know　something　of　the　externals　of　village　life；　and
have　become　quite　fond　of　the　place。

The　village　of　Irimichi；　which　epitomises　for　me　at　present　the
village　life　of　Japan；　consists　of　about　three　hundred　houses　built
along　three　roads；　across　which　steps　in　fours　and　threes　are
placed　at　intervals。　　Down　the　middle　of　each　a　rapid　stream　runs
in　a　stone　channel；　and　this　gives　endless　amusement　to　the
children；　specially　to　the　boys；　who　devise　many　ingenious　models
and　mechanical　toys；　which　are　put　in　motion　by　water…wheels。　　But
at　7　a。m。　a　drum　beats　to　summon　the　children　to　a　school　whose
buildings　would　not　discredit　any　school…board　at　home。　　Too　much
Europeanised　I　thought　it；　and　the　children　looked　very
uncomfortable　sitting　on　high　benches　in　front　of　desks；　instead　of
squatting；　native　fashion。　　The　school　apparatus　is　very　good；　and
there　are　fine　maps　on　the　walls。　　The　teacher；　a　man　about　twenty…
five；　made　very　free　use　of　the　black…board；　and　questioned　his
pupils　with　much　rapidity。　　The　best　answer　moved　its　giver　to　the
head　of　the　class；　as　with　us。　　Obedience　is　the　foundation　of　the
Japanese　social　order；　and　with　children　accustomed　to
unquestioning　obedience　at　home　the　teacher　has　no　trouble　in
securing　quietness；　attention；　and　docility。　　There　was　almost　a
painful　earnestness　in　the　old…fashioned　faces　which　pored　over　the
school…books；　even　such　a　rare　event　as　the　entrance　of　a　foreigner
failed　to　distract　these　childish　students。　　The　younger　pupils
were　taught　chiefly　by　object　lessons；　and　the　older　were　exercised
in　reading　geographical　and　historical　books　aloud；　a　very　high　key
being　adopted；　and　a　most　disagreeable　tone；　both　with　the　Chinese
and　Japanese　pronunciation。　　Arithmetic　and　the　elements　of　some　of
the　branches　of　natural　philosophy　are　also　taught。　　The　children
recited　a　verse　of　poetry　which　I　understood　contained　the　whole　of
the　simple　syllabary。　　It　has　been　translated　thus：…


〃Colour　and　perfume　vanish　away。
What　can　be　lasting　in　this　world？
To…day　disappears　in　the　abyss　of　nothingness；
It　is　but　the　passing　image　of　a　dream；　and　causes　only　a　slight
trouble。〃


It　is　the　echo　of　the　wearied　sensualist's　cry；　〃Vanity　of
vanities；　all　is　vanity；〃　and　indicates　the　singular　Oriental
distaste　for　life；　but　is　a　dismal　ditty　for　young　children　to
learn。　　The　Chinese　classics；　formerly　the　basis　of　Japanese
education；　are　now　mainly　taught　as　a　vehicle　for　conveying　a
knowledge　of　the　Chinese　character；　in　acquiring　even　a　moderate
acquaintance　with　which　the　children　undergo　a　great　deal　of
useless　toil。

The　penalties　for　bad　conduct　used　to　be　a　few　blows　with　a　switch
on　the　front　of　the　leg；　or　a　slight　burn　with　the　moxa　on　the
forefingerstill　a　common　punishment　in　households；　but　I
understood　the　teacher　to　say　that　detention　in　the　school…house　is
the　only　punishment　now　resorted　to；　and　he　expressed　great
disapprobation　of　our　plan　of　imposing　an　added　task。　　When　twelve
o'clock　came　the　children　marched　in　orderly　fashion　out　of　the
school　grounds；　the　boys　in　one　division　and　the　girls　in　another；
after　which　they　quietly　dispersed。

On　going　home　the　children　dine；　and　in　the　evening　in　nearly　every
house　you　hear　the　monotonous　hum　of　the　preparation　of　lessons。
After　dinner　they　are　liberated　for　play；　but　the　girls　often　hang
about　the　house　with　babies　on　their　backs　the　whole　afternoon
nursing　dolls。　　One　evening　I　met　a　procession　of　sixty　boys　and
girls；　all　carrying　white　flags　with　black　balls；　except　the
leader；　who　carried　a　white　flag　with　a　gilded　ball；　and　they　sang；
or　rather　howled；　as　they　walked；　but　the　other　amusements　have
been　of　a　most　sedentary　kind。　　The　mechanical　toys；　worked　by
water…wheels　in　the　stream；　are　most　fascinating。

Formal　children's　parties　have　been　given　in　this　house；　for　which
formal　invitations；　in　the　name　of　the　house…child；　a　girl　of
twelve；　are　sent　out。　　About　3　p。m。　the　guests　arrive；　frequently
attended　by　servants；　and　this　child；　Haru；　receives　them　at　the
top　of　the　stone　steps；　and　conducts　each　into　the　reception　room；
where　they　are　arranged　according　to　some　well…understood　rules　of
precedence。　　Haru's　hair　is　drawn　back；　raised　in　front；　and
gathered　into　a　double　loop；　in　which　some　scarlet　crepe　is
twisted。　　Her　face　and　throat　are　much　whitened；　the　paint
terminating　in　three　points　at　the　back　of　the　neck；　from　which　all
the　short　hair　has　been　carefully　extracted　with　pincers。　　Her　lips
are　slightly　touched　with　red　paint；　and　her　face　looks　like　that
of　a　cheap　doll。　　She　wears　a　blue；　flowered　silk　kimono；　with
sleeves　touching　the　ground；　a　blue　girdle　lined　with　scarlet；　and
a　fold　of　scarlet　crepe　lies　between　her　painted　neck　and　her
kimono。　　On　her　little　feet　she　wears　white　tabi；　socks　of　cotton
cloth；　with　a　separate　place　for　the　great　toe；　so　as　to　allow　the
scarlet…covered　thongs　of　the　finely　lacquered　clogs；　which　she
puts　on　when　she　stands　on　the　stone　steps　to　receive　her　guests；
to　pass　between　it　and　the　smaller　toes。　　All　the　other　little
ladies　were　dressed　in　the　same　style；　and　all　looked　like　ill…
executed　dolls。　　She　met　them　with　very　formal　but　graceful　bows。

When　they　were　all　assembled；　she　and　her　very　graceful　mother；
squatting　before　each；　presented　tea　and　sweetmeats　on　lacquer
trays；　and　then　they　played　at　very　quiet　and　polite　games　till
dusk。　　They　addressed　each　other　by　their　names　with　the　honorific
prefix　O；　only　used　in　the　case　of　women；　and　the　respectful　affix
San；　thus　Haru　becomes　O…Haru…San；　which　is　equivalent　to　〃Miss。〃
A　mistress　of　a　house　is　addressed　as　O…Kami…San；　and　O…Kusuma
something　like　〃my　lady〃is　used　to　married　ladies。　　Women　have　no
surnames；　thus　you　do　not　speak　of　Mrs。　Saguchi；　but　of　the　wife　of
Saguchi　San；　and　you　would　address　her　as　O…Kusuma。　　Among　the
children's　names　were　Haru；　Spring；　Yuki；　Snow；　Hana；　Blossom；
Kiku；　Chrysanthemum；　Gin；　Silver。

One　of　their　games　was　most　amusing；　and　was　played　with　some
spirit　and　much　dignity。　　It　consisted　in　one　child　feigning
sickness　and　another　playing　the　doctor；　and　the　pompousness　and
gravity　of　the　latter；　and　the　distress　and　weakness　of　the　former；
were　most　successfully　imitated。　　Unfortunately　the　doctor　killed
his　patient；　who　counterfeited　the　death…sleep　very　effectively
with　her　whitened　face；　and　then　followed　the　funeral　and　the
mourning。　　They　dramatise　thus　weddings；　dinner…parties；　and　many
other　of　the　events　of　life。　　The　dignity　and　self…possession　of
these　children　are　wonderful。　　The　fact　is　that　their　initiation
into　all　that　is　required　by　the　rules　of　Japanese　etiquette　begins
as　soon　as　they　can　speak；　so　that　by　the　time　they　are　ten　years
old　they　know　exactly　what　to　do　and　avoid　under　all　possible
circumstances。　　Before　they　went　away　tea　and　sweetmeats　were　again
handed　round；　and；　as　it　is　neither　etiquette　to　refuse　them　or　to
leave　anything　behind　that　you　have　once　taken；　several　of　the
small　ladies　slipped　the　residue　into　their　capacious　sleeves。　　On
departing　the　same　formal　courtesies　were　used　as　on　arriving。

Yuki；　Haru's　mother；　speaks；　acts；　and　moves　with　a　charming
gracefulness。　　Except　at　night；　and　when　friends　drop　in　to
afternoon　tea；　as　they　often　do；　she　is　always　either　at　domestic
avocations；　such　as　cleaning；　sewing；　or　cooking；　or　planting
vegetables；　or　weeding　them。　　All　Japanese　girls　learn　to　sew　and
to　make　their　own　clothes；　but　there　are　none　of　the　mysteries　and
difficulties　which　make　the　sewing　lesson　a　thing　of　dread　with　us。
The　kimono；　haori；　and　girdle；　and　even　the　long　hanging　sleeves；
have　only　parallel　seams；　and　these　are　only　tacked　or　basted；　as
the　garments；　when　washed；　are　taken　to　pieces；　and　each　piece；
after　being　very　slightly　stiffened；　is　stretched　upon　a　board　to
dry。　　There　is　no　underclothing；　with　its　bands；　frills；　gussets；
and　button…holes；　the　poorer　women　wear　none；　and　those　above　them
wear；　like　Yuki；　an　under…dress　of　a　frothy…looking　silk　crepe；　as
simply　made　as　the　upper　one。　　There　are　circulating　libraries
here；　as　in　most　villages；　and　in　the　evening　both　Yuki　and　Haru
read　love　stories；　or　accounts　of　ancient　heroes　and　heroines；
dressed　up　to　suit　the　popular　taste；　written　in　the　easiest
possible　style。　　Ito　has　about　ten　volumes　of　novels　in　his　room；
and　spends　half　the　night　in　reading　them。

Yuki's　son；　a　lad　of　thirteen；　often　comes　to　my　room　to　display
his　skill　in　writing　the　Chinese　character。　　He　is　a　very　bright
boy；　and　shows　considerable　talent　for　drawing。　　Indeed；　it　is　only
a　short　step　from　writing　to　drawing。　　Giotto's　O　hardly　involved
more　breadth　and　vigour　of　touch　than　some　of　these　characters。
They　are　written　with　a　camel's…hair　brush　dipped　in　Indian　ink；
instead　of　a　pen；　and　this　boy；　with　two　or　three　vigorous　touches；
produces　characters　a　foot　long；　such　as　are　mounted　and　hung　as
tablets　outside　the　different　shops。　　Yuki　plays　the　samisen；　which
may　be　regarded　as　the　national　female　instrument；　and　Haru　goes　to
a　teacher　daily　for　lessons　on　the　same。

The　art　of　arranging　flowers　is　taught　in　manuals；　the　study　of
which　forms　part　of　a　girl's　education；　and　there　is　scarcely　a　day
in　which　my　room　is　not　newly　decorated。　　It　is　an　education　to　me；
I　am　beginning　to　appreciate　the　extreme　beauty　of　solitude　in
decoration。　　In　the　alcove　hangs　a　kakemono　of　exquisite　beauty；　a
single　blossoming　branch　of　the　cherry。　　On　one　panel　of　a　folding
screen　there　is　a　single　iris。　　The　vases　which　hang　so　gracefully
on　the　polished　posts　contain　each　a　single　peony；　a　single　iris；　a
single　azalea；　stalk；　leaves；　and　corollaall　displayed　in　their
full　beauty。　　Can　anything　be　more　grotesque　and　barbarous　than　our
〃florists'　bouquets；〃　a　series　of　concentric　rings　of　flowers　of
divers　colours；　bordered　by　maidenhair　and　a　piece　of　stiff　lace
paper；　in　which　stems；　leaves；　and　even　petals　are　brutally
crushed；　and　the　grace