Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: Ill Japan In Past Times 1. Alleged Antiquity of the Imperial Dynasty— I. The present Emperor of Japan, Mutsuhito, claims to be the 1233 sovereign in direct succession. Remembering that Queen Victoria is only the thirtieth from William the Conqueror, we can form an idea of the alleged antiquity of Japanese annals. The Japanese boast that, in marked contrast to all other nations, they can point to one line of emperors that has been unbroken for more than 2,500 years. Many would consider it almost treasonable to doubt the assertion. The first Emperor is said to have been Jimmu Tenno, the date of whose accession corresponds with 660 B.c., and who WOQld thus be contemporary with Manasseh King of Judah and Assurbanipal King of Assyria. His parents were gods, descended from the great Sun-Goddess. The title Tenno signifies Heavenly King, and, like Tenshi, or Son of Heaven, is a common appellation for the Emperors. The word Mikado, formerly current, is now but seldom heard. 2. Whatever may be believed by Japanese, foreign scholars consider that authentic history does not begin till the seventh century, A.d. ; but from that time to the present the records are complete and trustworthy. Whatever reduction must be made from the alleged antiquity of the Imperial line, it occupies a unique place in the world. It should be remembered, however, that the family has been kept up by concubinage and by adoption from collateral lines. II. Ancient Literature.—1. Japan possesses a voluminous literature that contains the traditions and history of past ages. The oldest works extant are the Kojiki, or " Records of Ancient Matters," and the " Nihongi," or " Chronicles of Japan," the former completed in 712 A.a,and the latter in 720. The two books treat of the same things, but, as said by Professo...