filSTORY.
The Japanese begin their history with a year which corresponds to D.C. 600. when Jiminn Ten no fq.v.), the leader of a hand of invaders, set tled in Yanmto after having conquered several of the tribes who opposed him. Our only source of information in regard to the early history of the dynasty which was founded by him, and which exists to the present day, is found in the Kojiki, the oldest extant book of Japan. in which are found the myths and legends written down in Chi nese characters in the years 711-712 by one Yasumaro, from the lips of a person named Hiyeda-no-Are, who possessed a most wonderful memory! These myths and legends, under close analysis. show three streams of legends—the Tsukushi or Kinshin cycle; the Idzumo legendary cycle. which covers Central and Western Japan; and the Yamato cycle, which covers the central and eastern parts of the main island. The north ern and eastern part of the main island was in habited by the Emishi savages, or AiD08, who had retired thither before the advancing invaders, leaving their names on rivers. mountains, streams, and other natural landmarks. In the south dwelt aboriginal people, perhaps from the Malay regions. The invaders of the archipelago. whether coming from Tartary or Korea, were without letter, or writings, but possessed superior arms, valor. and discipline. They came as immigrants, at various times and to various places, finding people already on the soil. whom they proceeded to put tender their control.
There are thus early discerned with clearness, in the morning of the history of Japan. race struggles among various tribes of differing cus toms and languages, and two types of men, whom we now call Japanese and Ainos. the former liv ing south, the latter north of the thirty-eighth parallel. Gradually the Tsukushi and the Id zumo people became subordinate to the Yamato house or tribe. The conquerors intermarried with the subjugated. and the pacified chiefs were awarded rank and honor. while the power of the _Mikado or Yamato chief was consolidated by making the primitive cult, now called Shinto. or Kami-no-miehi. a political engine. The whole country was put under a. rude feudal system, the conquered or subordinated holding their lands in loyalty to the Yamato chieftain or Mikado. Civilization gradually drifted in from Korea, through teachers. artificers. and men of learning. There are indications that a cen tury or two before the great flood of civilizing influences was borne on the waves of Bud dhism, considerable knowledge of Chinese letters, writing, and ethical noticns had penetrated to the Yamato Court, and among some of the chiefs of the southwest. The Xihongi (another histori
cal work compiled in A.D. 720) states that in the year 405 a Korean scholar was appointed tutor in China to one of the Imperial princes, and that about the year 430 historiographers were appointed.' As yet. however, there was no such thing as a settled capital. the Mikado and hi: household moving from place to place in Cen tral Japan. After the death of the Mikado-chief. his successor, with a horror of the place of the dead, moved on and built a palace. There have been tints no fewer than sixty capitals. To day the provinces of Yamato, Yamashiro. Ka wachi. and ettsu "are dotted with places, now mere villages, sometime, indeed empty names, but once in the proud position of capitals of the Empire." The line between legend and true history is made clear upon the arrival in A.D. 552 of Bud dhist missionaries from Korea, who brought with them not only the sutras and images of their cult—the Mahayana northern form of Buddhism —but also letters, writing, calendars, and meth ods of keeping time. Buddhism took root. and be came so popular with both Court and people that in 621 it was proclaimed by edict to be the estab lished religion of the land. From this time forth we have something like a coherent account of things, and can trace with some clearness, through ninny rebellions and oppositions. the rise to paramountcy of the Yamato House. Nara, in Yamato, became the fixed capital. and re mained so for seven reigns between the years 709 and 7R4. One decade later Kioto was made the Imperial residence, and. with few interrup tions, continued to be so until 1868. At the open ing of the seventh century Chinese civilization had so far been accepted that in G03 the form of government was changed from feudalism to mon archy; eight boards or departments of State were established, in imitation of the Chinese system, and a order of nobility, in nine ranks, was created. A great council, called the Dai-jo-Kwan, which had also been established, superintended the eight boards, and ruled the Empire by means of local governors appointed and sent out from the capital.