Introduction: V. Religious And Political Ideas of the Early Japanese, Beginnings of the Japanese Nation, and Credibility of the National Records

, by Sakata no Kaneyasu. Records of Ancient Matters Revised, , Anonymous. Records of Ancient Matters With Marginal Notes (usually quoted as "the Edition of 1687"), , by Deguchi NOBUYOSHI. Records of Ancient Matters With the Ancient Reading, , by Nagase no Masachi (published with Motowori's, sanction) Records of Ancient Matters with Marginal Readings, , by Murakami Tadayoshi. Ritual of the General Purification, , Authorship Uncertain. Shintō Discussed Afresh, , by Takahashi Gorō. Sources of the Ancient Histories, , by HIRATA Atsutane. Tale of a Bamboo-Cutter, Authorship Uncertain. Tama-Katsuma, , by MOTOWORI Norinaga. Tokihara-Gusa (the full title is Jin-Dai-Sei-Go Tokiha-Gusa), , ( ), Hosoda TOMINOBU. Topography of Yamashiro, , Authorship Uncertain. Tō-Ga (MS.), , by ARAI Kumbi HAKUSEKI. Wa-Kun Shiwori, , by TANIGAWA SHISEI. p. ci Yamato Tales, , Authorship Uncertain. Besides these two or three standard Chinese works are referred to such as the "Yi Chin" or "Book of Changes" ( ), and the "Shan Hai Ching" or "Mountain and Sea Classic" ( ); but they are very few, and so easily recognized that it were unnecessary to enumerate them. All Japanese words properly so called are transliterated according to Mr. Satow's "Orthographic System," which, while representing the native spelling, does not in their case differ very greatly from the modern pronunciation. In the case of Sinico-Japanese words, where the divergence between the "Orthographic" spelling and the pronunciation is often considerable, a phonetic spelling has been preferred. With but two or three exceptions, which have been specially noted, Sinico-Japanese words are found only in proper names mentioned in the Preface and in the translator's Introduction, Footnotes, and Sectional Headings. The few Chinese words that occur in the Introduction and Notes are transliterated according to the method introduced by Sir Thomas Wade, and now so widely used by students of Chinese.

lix:57 The Chinese characters used to write this word are , which signify the "Way of the Gods." The term was adopted in order to distinguish the old native beliefs from Buddhism and Confucianism. lxii:58 Conf. p. xvii, last paragraph for the modified sense in which alone the word "deification" can be used in speaking of the Early Japanese worship. lxv:59 In Sect. XXVII, where this deity is first mentioned, he is called Sukuna Biko-Na-no-Kami, the "Little Prince the Renowned Deity." lxvi:60 See Appendix II. lxviii:61 . lxx:62 As a specimen of the flexibility of his system, the reader to whom the Japanese language and Japanese legend are familiar is recommended to peruse pp. 13-24 of Vol. I of Arawi Hakuseki's "Ko Shi Tsū" ( ) where an elaborate rationalistic interpretation is applied to the story of the amours of Izanagi and Izanami. It is amusing in its very gravity, and one finds it difficult to believe that the writer can have been in earnest when he penned it. lxxii:63 Mr. Takahashi Gorō's book here alluded to is his "Shintō Discussed Afresh." lxxiii:64 I.e. the emperor Jim-mu,—ten-nō, written , being simply the Sinico-Japanese word for "emperor." lxxiii:65 15th day of 11th moon of 5th year of Meiji. lxxvi:66 For the use of this word to represent the Japanese Yomo or Yomi, see Sect. IX, Note 1. lxxvii:67 Podocarpus macrophylla. lxxvii:68 The least meagre account will be found in Sects. XVI and XXXII.

lxxvii:68 The least meagre account will be found in Sects. XVI and XXXII. lxxviii:69 To be found at the end of Sect. XXXII. lxxix:70 In the Jim-mu legend we have the more usual form of the superstition, that, viz., which makes it unlucky to go from West to East, which is the contrary of the course pursued by the sun. In Sect. CLIII, on the other hand, the Emperor Yū-riaku is found fault with for acting in precisely the reverse manner, viz., for going from East to West, p. lxxx i.e. with his back to the sun. The idea is the same, though its practical application may thus diametrically differ, the fundamental objection being to going against the sun, in whatever manner the word against, to or some kindred expression. may be interpreted. lxxx:71 See Sects. XXXIX to XLI. For the "Herb-Quelling Sabre" see Sects; XVIII and LXXXII, et. seq. lxxxii:72 General Le Gendre, quoted by Sir Edward Reed. lxxxvi:73 . lxxxix:74 I.e. the High August Producing Wondrous Deity. He is the second divine personage whose birth is mentioned in the "Records" (see Sect. I. Note 5). In the story of the creation given in the "Chronicles" he does not appear except in "One account." lxxxix:75 Sect. XXXVII is a good instance of the third of these categories. For an elaborate myth founded on the name of a place see Sect. LXV. Lesser instances occur in Sects. XLIV, LXV, and LXXIII. xci:76 See Sects. LXXIX-XCI. xcii:77 See this legend as first given in Sects. XL and XLI and afterwards in quite another context in Sect. CXVI. The way in which "One account" of the "Chronicles of Japan" tells the story of the ravages committed on the fields of the Sun-Goddess by her brother, the "Impetuous Male Deity," might perhaps justify the opinion that that likewise is but the same tale in another form. The legend is evidently a very important one.

xcii:78 The translator's attention was drawn to the inconsistency of these dates by Mr. Ernest Satow. xciii:79 See Sect XXIX, Note 16. xcvii:80 Dr. Tylor in his "Anthropology," Chap. XV. xcviii:81 The names in small capitals are those by which the authors (or compilers) are best known, and are mostly either their surname or personal name. Japanese usage is however very fluctuating, and sanctions moreover the use of a variety of noms de plume. Thus Motowori is not only often mentioned by his personal name Norinaga, but also by the, designation of Suzunoya no Ushi, Mabuchi by the designation of Agatawi no Ushi, etc.