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Notice of Japan in the Hải-koh Tú Chi
APRIL,
of their heads. They let the hair grow on their temples and around to the back of their heads, in a strip above an inch wide, tying up a handful of it behind, and trimming it as it grows. The women do not rouge themselves, but lay on a white cosmetic; neither do they wear fresh flowers, or flowers cut out of colored silk, hair-pins or ear-rings, but they put tortoise-shell in their hair, which is dark and-like the clouds for thickness. They burn the nán-muk and chin- hiúng as perfumes. The top-knots of the females are gathered up before and behind. They leave no rim to the finger nails, simply because they are afraid of its taking up the dirt. The eyebrows, eyes, and complexions of both sexes are such as no foreigner can form an idea of. All have a double surname; those with a single one being descended from the youths and maidens betrothed to each other by Sii-fuh. The place in which he dwelt is called the home of Sü, and his grave is at the foot of the mountain Hiung-chí.
The Japanese are of the Budhist persuasion, and esteem in partic ular the bonzes of China. They adore their ancestors, and keep the graves and chapels of the dead constantly clean. They hold life so cheap that when any one is detected in a breach of the law, he goes off to the wilds or the hills, and commits suicide by ripping up his belly; he implicates no one else. Their code is very severe. They do not wrangle or fight, and when they speak it is in a subdued tone. They clap their hands when they want to summon their attendants, and these reply by an ejaculation of assent. They do not buy or sell human beings, but when the hireling's term of service is completed, he returns to his home.
There are two dependencies under the government of Japan; to the north, the island of Tuima, bordering upon Corea, which sends tribute to Tuima as the latter does to Japan ; and to the south Sa-tung- ma, which is close to Lewchew, and pays tribute to Satungma, as that island does to Japan. The chiefs of both these islands are subject to the authority of Japan.
Its climate and seasons correspond with those of Shantung, Kiángsú, and Chehkiáng. The heights of Chángkí (Nagasakí?) in Japan and Puto in China, lie east and west of each other. The voyage by sea is forty watches (80 hours) long; from Amoy to Chángki, seventy-two. With a north wind you go in by the Wú-táu (Five Islands) Channel;
Su-fuh was sent by the first monarch of the Tsin dynasty (about 200 B.C.) in search of a plant growing, as a spirit told him, in the east, which gave immortality to those who ate it. He took 500 youths and maidens with him, and never returned.