Chau Ju-Kua - University of Oregon Libraries

174 JAPAN. 1,45
9) This is the description of the dress of the Japanese in the first or second century of
our era; our author quotes hero from H6u Han-shu, 115,12''-1S*. Conf. San-kuo-chi (Wei-chI),
30,25^, Tsin-shu, 97,4 and T'ang-shu, 220,i&='.
10) This paragraph is talren from Tiau-jan's (Chonen's) statement in 984, mentioned
previously. «We have, he said, in our country the Five Classics, also the Buddhist Canonical •
works, and Pai Ku-yi's poetry (Q JS Mj ^M) in 17 books, all of which have been obtained
from China». Sung-shi, 491,4^ On Pai Lo-t'ien's works, see Pfizmaier, Der Chinesische Dichter
Pe Lo-t'ien, and Mayers, Chin. Read. Manual, 170.
11) The bonze Chonen said: «The soil produces the five kinds of cereals, but little wheat.
For purposes of barter (or exchange) we use copper cash bearing the inscription Kim-won {yuan) 10
ta-pau (^ A^ (TC) "JX. W)" ^® ^^'^^ water-buffalo, donkeys and sheep in abundance,
also rhinoceros and elephants. The native product is much silk, from which we weave a fine,
soft silk, most pleasant to wear». Sung-shl, loc. cit. The correct superscription of these coins is
Eien-yiian-ta-pau, in Japanese Ken-gen tai-ho. Both our author and Sung-shI write the second
character erroneously won. This coin, which was in use in the second year of Tentoku (A. D. 958), 15
was the last of the antique coins issued in Japan. No coins were made by Government during
the six hundred and odd years which separate the period of Tentoku from the fifteenth year of
Tensho (A. D. 1587). N. G. Munro, Coins of Japan, 75, 79. The earliest mention of coin in
Japan appears to be in the year 486 A. D. Copper coins were first made in Japan in A. D. 708.
Aston, Nihonji, I, 360, 391, II, 414. 20
The text of Chonen's statement concerning Japan contained in the Sung-shi was presum-
ably taken from an original in which there were a number of undoubted clerical errors, as for
example, in the superscription of the coins of Japan, and in the phrase ^§ HiJ -m lIj S ^Bj
which should unquestionably read ^ ^r J^ Hj Q ^^. We are justified, therefore, in
thinking that the text used by Chau Ju-kua and the author of Sung-shi, and which makes Chonen 25
say that there were rhinoceros and elephants in Japan, was corrupt also in this case, and that he
really told T'ai-tsung the simple truth, that there were neither rhinoceros nor elephants in Japan.
12) So far as we can learn there is no tree in Japan called lo. It is possible that lo is a
truncated form of so-To (^^ ^S Shorea robusta), though we do not believe that this tree grows in
Japan. It may, however, be the Chinese horse-chestnut (Aesculns chinensis, Bge.), which is also 30
called so-Io (as in text, though more commonly ^v|? T"u-shu-tsi-ch'6ng (XX,
t-^)- 314, p. 11),
quoting the Ko-ku-yau-lun (:^ "^ ^ |^, completed in A. D. 1387, see Hirth, Ancient
Chinese porcelain, 13), says that lo wood (>[^ ^) comes from the Hu-kuang provinces aadNan-
an-fu (^^ ^- rap Kiang-si), where a hill called Wan-yang-shan produces it. Its wood is white
with yellow streaks, and coarsely veined, though not unpleasant to the eye. This kind is called Wo-lo 35
(^< T^E ' ®'' J^P^i'^^^ ^)i "f which many trees are not veined. Another variety, rather tough,
with straight fine streaks is called ts'au-lo ( S. 1>^S) and is popularly known as t'u-mu
('f^ >tC)- S^^ ^Is" K'ang-hi-tzi-tien, s. v. Lo (i^^S)- Giles, Chin. Engl. Dictionary, 746,
identifies the ts'au-lo with the horse-chestnut (Aesculus chinensis). The lo mentioned by our
author was probably some kind of pine tree, but it seems impossible to identify it. This paragraph 40
of our text is practically the only original contribution of our author in the chapter on Japan.
1 3) The first phrase of this paragraph is taken from the bonze Chonen's statement, quoted
previously. The substance of the second phrase is taken from Tsin-shu, 97,4*. Conf also H6u
Han-shu, 115,is* and San-kuo-chi (Wei-chl), 30,25*. Chinese music, called iwre ^aitw, is said to
have been introduced into Japan from Korea in A. D. 612. Aston, Nihongi, II, 144—376. 45
14) Quotation from H6u Han-shu, 115,is*. See also Ban-kuo-chi (Wel-chi), 80,i5*, and
Tsin-shu, 97,4*.
^).
15) Quotation from H6u Han-shu, 115,is* except that for few-Zdw it has ^'en-iOM (^ff
Tsin-shu, 97,4" uses the word tsu-tim. Conf. San-kiio-chi (Wei-chi), 30,25" and Sui-shu, 81,15*.
16) Quotation from Tsin-shu, 97,4*. Conf. Sui-shu, 81,15*. wShinto never had a marriage 50
ceremonys. Aston, Shinto, 249.
17) Quotation from Tsin-shu, 97,4* or Liang-shn, 54,2a^ Conf. H6u Han-shu, 115,18* and
San-kuo-chi (Wei-chi) 30,25^ See Aston, Shinto, 252.
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