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If Japanese ways look odd at first sight； they but look more odd on
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The Soul of the Far East
closer acquaintance。 In a land where； to allow one's understanding the
freer play of indoor life； one begins； not by taking off his hat； but by
removing his boots； he gets at the very threshold a hint that humanity is to
be approached the wrong end to。 When； after thus entering a house； he
tries next to gain admittance to the mind of its occupant； the suspicion
becomes a certainty。 He discovers that this people talk； so to speak；
backwards； that before he can hope to comprehend them； or make himself
understood in return； he must learn to present his thoughts arranged in
inverse order from the one in which they naturally suggest themselves to
his mind。 His sentences must all be turned inside out。 He finds himself
lost in a labyrinth of language。 The same seems to be true of the
thoughts it embodies。 The further he goes the more obscure the whole
process becomes； until； after long groping about for some means of
orienting himself； he lights at last upon the clue。 This clue consists in
〃the survival of the unfittest。〃
In the civilization of Japan we have presented to us a most interesting
case of partially arrested development； or； to speak esoterically； we find
ourselves placed face to face with a singular example of a completed race…
life。 For though from our standpoint the evolution of these people seems
suddenly to have come to an end in mid…career； looked at more intimately
it shows all the signs of having fully run its course。 Development ceased；
not because of outward obstruction； but from purely intrinsic inability to
go on。 The intellectual machine was not shattered； it simply ran down。 To
this fact the phenomenon owes its peculiar interest。 For we behold here
in the case of man the same spectacle that we see cosmically in the case of
the moon； the spectacle of a world that has died of old age。 No weak
spot in their social organism destroyed them from within； no epidemic； in
the shape of foreign hordes； fell upon them from without。 For in spite of
the fact that China offers the unique example of a country that has simply
lived to be conquered； mentally her masters have invariably become her
pupils。 Having ousted her from her throne as ruler； they proceeded to sit
at her feet as disciples。 Thus they have rather helped than hindered her
civilization。
Whatever portion of the Far East we examine we find its mental
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The Soul of the Far East
history to be the same story with variations。 However unlike China；
Korea； and Japan are in some respects； through the careers of all three we
can trace the same life…spirit。 It is the career of the river Jordan rising
like any other stream from the springs among the mountains only to fall
after a brief existence into the Dead Sea。 For their vital force had spent
itself more than a millennium ago。 Already； then； their civilization had in
its deeper developments attained its stature； and has simply been
perfecting itself since。 We may liken it to some stunted tree； that； finding
itself prevented from growth； bastes the more luxuriantly to put forth
flowers and fruit。 For not the final but the medial processes were skipped。
In those superficial amenities with which we more particularly link our
idea of civilization； these peoples continued to grow。 Their refinement； if
failing to reach our standard in certain respects； surpasses ours considering
the bare barbaric basis upon which it rests。 For it is as true of the Japanese
as of the proverbial Russian； though in a more scientific sense； that if you
scratch him you will find the ancestral Tartar。 But it is no less true that
the descendants of this rude forefather have now taken on a polish of
which their own exquisite lacquer gives but a faint reflection。 The
surface was perfected after the substance was formed。 Our word finish；
with its double meaning； expresses both the process and the result。
There entered； to heighten the bizarre effect； a spirit common in minds
that lack originalitythe spirit of imitation。 Though consequent enough
upon a want of initiative； the results of this trait appear anything but
natural to people of a more progressive past。 The proverbial collar and
pair of spurs look none the less odd to the stranger for being a mental
instead of a bodily habit。 Something akin to such a case of unnatural
selection has there taken place。 The orderly procedure of natural
evolution was disastrously supplemented by man。 For the fact that in the
growth of their tree of knowledge the branches developed out of all
proportion to the trunk is due to a practice of culture…grafting。
From before the time when they began to leave records of their actions
the Japanese have been a nation of importers； not of merchandise； but of
ideas。 They have invariably shown the most advanced free…trade spirit in
preferring to take somebody else's ready…made articles rather than to try to
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The Soul of the Far East
produce any brand…new conceptions themselves。 They continue to
follow the same line of life。 A hearty appreciation of the things of others is
still one of their most winning traits。 What they took they grafted bodily
upon their ancestral tree； which in consequence came to present a most
unnaturally diversified appearance。 For though not unlike other nations
in wishing to borrow； if their zeal in the matter was slightly excessive；
they were peculiar in that they never assimilated what they took。 They
simply inserted it upon the already existing growth。 There it remained；
and throve； and blossomed； nourished by that indigenous Japanese sap；
taste。 But like grafts generally； the foreign boughs were not much
modified by their new life…blood； nor was the tree in its turn at all affected
by them。 Connected with it only as separable parts of its structure； the
cuttings might have been lopped off again without influencing perceptibly
the condition of the foster…parent stem。 The grafts in time grew to be
great branches； but the trunk remained through it all the trunk of a sapling。
In other words； the nation grew up to man's estate； keeping the mind of its
childhood。
What is thus true of the Japanese is true likewise of the Koreans and of
the Chinese。 The three peoples； indeed； form so many links in one long
chain of borrowing。 China took from India； then Korea copied China；
and lastly Japan imitated Korea。 In this simple manner they successively
became possessed of a civilization which originally was not the property
of any one of them。 In the eagerness they all evinced in purloining what
was not theirs； and in the perfect content with which they then proceeded
to enjoy what they had taken； they remind us forcibly of that happy…go…
lucky class in the community which prefers to live on questionable loans
rather than work itself for a living。 Like those same individuals；
whatever interest the Far Eastern people may succeed in raising now；
Nature will in the end make them pay dearly for their lack of principal。
The Far Eastern civilization resembles； in fact； more a mechanical
mixture of social elements than a well differentiated chemical compound。
For in spite of the great variety of ingredients thrown into its caldron of
destiny； as no affinity existed between them； no combination