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Notice of Japan in the Hickoo Tủ Chí.
APBIL,
state of Chungshán. Its natives use the written character of China. They are a weakly race, and their country is poor; its produce con- sists of copper utensils, paper, mother-of-pearl, and tortoise-shell, but they have no trade.
To the east of Japan and Lewchew, the current sets entirely in an easterly direction, and the sea is consequently called Wi-lü, the Back- door.*
Nún-kwái-jin's Geography of the Whole World.t
Japan is a large island, 3200 lí in length, and not above 600 broad. It comprises at present sixty-six departments, each of them under the rule of a chief, or prince. Its inhabitants give the preference to manly power: although there is a supreme sovereign, all authority remains with a powerful minister. The people are much addicted to war, and but little to letters. The country produces gold, iron, and fine lacquer- The monarch abdicates in favor of his son when the latter has passed his thirtieth year. The natives do not attach much value to precious stones, but chiefly prize gold, silver, and old porcelain.
ware.
Hưáng-tring Tung-káu Sz'-i-mun; or Book of the Four Barbarian Races, in the General Synopsis published under the reigning dynasty.
In ancient times Japan was known as the dependent state of Wo. In the period Hien-hang of the T'áng dynasty, its name was changed to Jih-pun. It is stated by some one that Jih-pun was a minor state, the name of which was assumed by that of Wo, when the latter in- cluded it in its integrity. It is situated in the Eastern ocean; its northern and eastern extremities are traversed by high mountains. The land rises to the east and falls to the west, in form like a dragon-fly; the Tsing-ting kwoh, or Dragon-fly country, was also an ancient name of the island. It comprises five principal divisions, seven circuits, and three islands, containing 115 departments, subdivided into 587 in- ferior districts, which are all mountainous and indented with bays;‡ the largest not exceeding in size a Chinese village.
A figure not remarkable for its delicacy, taken from the sewer of a house, or the like exit, where refuse is poured out without the possibility of returning. The Pei Wan Yun fú gives the following passage from Chwang-taz' (B.C. 250) "Of the waters of the world, the largest is the ocean; a myriad streams are poured into it incessantly, yet it never fills; the wi-la drains it in- cessantly, yet it is never empty." Wi-la, says the glossary, also quoted, is the name of a strean to the east of the ocean. The geographical position of China offers some explanation of the impression.
† Nan-hwái-jin wis a European; his work was compiled under this dynasty.
† Kiti i shwui yn Such is the rendering insisted on by
皆依水嶼
one teacher: others seem to think thất it merely means a mountainous coast line.