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there are many other traces of the ancient tradition in the neighbourhood. The motion imparted to the fluid mass of the earth by the stirring with the nuboko was the origin of its daily revolutions.[1] Onogorojima was thus originally at the north pole, but subsequently removed to its present position. In what manner this happened we are not told. Nevertheless, Japan continues to be on the summit of the terrestrial globe. It appears that someone having objected that if Japan were on the top of the world, and opposite to the sun, the sun world be in the zenith at the equinoxes, Hatori was puzzled and referred the point to Motoöri, who replied that as the sun and moon move round from East to West, and not from North to South, it is evident that the globe, in spite of its being round, may be said to have sides, that is, top, bottom, right, left, back and front. Just as the face of a man is hot on the top of his head, but on the front, so Japan, being in the middle of the top has the sun and moon on its south, which is therefore the front; the north is consequently behind, the east is the left side and the west the right side. From which it is perfectly clear that Japan is on the summit of the terrestrial globe. The objector replied that all countries which have the sun on their south would have an equal right to claim the same position. The answer to this that is the position of Japan is not determined by the fact of the sum and moon being in front of her, but the manner in which they appear to her is owing to her position at the top of the earth. Hirata strengthens the argument by pointing out that Japan altogether escaped the deluge which took place in China in the reign of Yaou, and also the Noachian flood which drowned occidental countries, solely through her elevated situation. China suffered less than the west, and Corea less again, on account of their proximity to Japan.
The only mention made of the stars in the ancient
- ↑ It is hardly necessary to note that this is not warranted by anything in the ancient records, as the earth was always supposed to be stationary until the Japanese learnt the opposite from Europeans.
