334 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY
of samurai were made familiar with death from a tender age by their parents, who taught the little boy how the sword should be directed against his bosom, and the little girl how the dagger must be held to pierce her throat. The bushido, or knightly code, of these choice souls rested on a tripod of chi, jin, yu respec- tively wisdom, benevolence, and courage. " Samurai must have a care of their words, and are not to speak of avarice, cowardice, or lust." And though the samurai as a caste have been abolished, the samurai spirit still pervades the Japanese army and navy, producing officers whose plain living and high thinking render them doubtless the most efficient in the world.
In contrast with this noble samurai, the farmer, the artisan, and especially the trader were contemned. Said Aochi to his son : " There is such a thing as trade. See that you know
nothing of it To be proud of buying high-priced articles
cheap is the good fortune of merchants, but should be unknown to samurai." In addressing the samurai the trader was required to touch the ground with his forehead, and while talking with a samurai to remain with his hands upon the ground. Is it any wonder that under such conditions the trader fell into lying and dishonesty; and that, during his transition from a feudal to an industrial system, he retains some of his vicious habits ?
The communalism of old Japan took the family as its social unit, and valued each member thereof for work done and not for intrinsic worth. Judged thus, woman had value only as a mother and a domestic, while man was left free to resort to con- cubinage or harlotry, as soon after marriage as the fading charms of his wife ceased to please him. The resultant licentiousness, together with the lying mentioned above, form the evil pair that some critics claim especially disgrace Japan; but, in any case, both are doomed under the new conditions. Professor Gubbins, translator of the new Japanese legal codes, is authority for the view that " in no respect has modern progress in Japan made greater strides than in the improvement in the position of woman." And in certain respects practice is even preceding theory, as in honor accorded the empress, and in the public wedding of the prince imperial with mutual pledges for bride-
