IC-NRLF SO =153 JAPAN6S6 BY ERNEST WXLEMENT r- o o RETURN CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT TO— •*> 202 Main Library LOAN PERIOD 1 HOME USE 2 3 4 5 6 ALL BOOKS MAY BE RECALLED AFTER 7 DAYS WFNf-WALS AND R?CHAPG«=S MAY BE MADE A DAYS PRIOR TO DUE DATE Lu- wO;, AKL i-MONTH, 3-MONTHS, AND 1-YEAR RENEWALS. CALL (4.6) 642-3405 DUE AS STAMPED BELOW UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY FORM NO. DD6, 60m, 1/83 BERKELEY, CA 94720 ®$ m HUGI-BUSHES (LESPEDEZA) AT HAGIDERA, TOKYO. The Japanese Floral Calendar By Ernest W. Clement, M. A, Profusely Illustrated Chicago The Open Court Publishing Company London Agents Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd. 1905 COPYRIGHT BY THE OPEN COURT PUBLISHING Co. 1904 Ct, CONTENTS. PAGE Introduction I The Pine 3 The Plum 9 The Peach. The Dolls' Festival 15 The Cherry 18 The Wistaria 24 The Iris 28 The Morning-Glory 31 The Lotus 35 The Nanakusa 38 The Maple 42 The Chrysanthemum 45 The Camellia 49 Conclusion 51 M311383 INTRODUCTION. THE JAPANESE are a nature-loving people and frequently give practical expression to their feelings by taking a holiday simply for "flower-viewing." At the proper season, the entire nation, so to speak, takes a day off and turns out on a big picnic, to see the plum blossoms, or the cherry blossoms, or the maples, or the chrysanthemums. No utilitarian views of the value of time or miserly conceptions of the expense of such outings prevail for a moment; for the Japanese are worshippers of beauty rather than of the "almighty dollar." A few pennies on such occasions bring many pleasures, and business interests are sacrificed at the shrine of beauty. And, as one or more flowers are blooming every month, there is almost a continuous round of such picnics during the year. Having lived in Japan for some time, it is my purpose, therefore, to tell my American countrymen something of the flower or flowers poular each month, with some folk-lore, poems, or other description thereof and have it illustrated by pictures. But first we must call attention to the fact, that the Japanese word hana includes, not only a "flower" or "blossom" according to our conceptions, but also twigs, leaves, grasses, etc., so that the pine, the maple, and even the snow may come into this category. We are confronted at the very outset with a chronological diffi- culty in presenting this subject to Western readers. For the pro- gramme of Japanese floral festivals was originally arranged on the basis of the old lunar calendar, so long in vogue in Japan. By that calendar the New Year came in about the 2ist of January to the 1 8th of February; so that it was from three to seven weeks behind the Occidental solar calendar. For instance, the following is a floral programme according to the "old style" : First month (about February) Pine. Second month ( " March) Plum. Third month ( " April) Cherry. THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. Fourth month Fifth month Sixth month Seventh month Eighth month Ninth month Tenth month Eleventh month Twelfth month (about May) June) July) August) Wistaria. Iris. Tree peony. Lespedeza. September) Eularia. October) Chrysanthemum, November) Maple. Willow. Paullownia. December) January) But when Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar, many of the floral festivals were transferred to the newT style without regard to the awful anachronism that followed. In the case of the pine, which is chosen for the first month on account of the prominent part that it plays in the New Year's decorations, it makes no special difference whether the New Year begins January I or February 18. But in many other cases the calendar suffers serious dislocation, because some of the "flowers" cannot conveniently be moved back a month or more. The autumn full moon, too, in whose festival certain blossoms figured, cannot be arbitrarily hurried up. Hence, it is rather difficult for the flowers of Old Japan to run on the new Occidental schedule. But, taking all these difficulties into consideration, and harmo- nising them so far as possible, we have been able to construct the following modern Japanese floral calendar : July August September October November December This calendar we shall follow in this book.: January February Pine. Plum. March Peach. April May June Cherry. Wistaria. Iris. Morning-glory. Lotus. "Seven Grasses." Maple. Chrysanthemum . Camellia. The following is an alternative January February March April May June j Pine and I Bamboo. Plum. Cherry. Wistaria. Iris. July August September October November December Morning-glory. Lotus. "Seven Grasses. Chrysanthemum. Maple. Camellia. I. THE PIXE. FOR the first month of the year, the pine is the only choice, whether taken separately or in connection with the bamboo and the plum. The decorations in front of every house at the Xew Year's season are known as Kado-matsu (gate pines), or Matsu- kazari (pine decorations) ; and the first seven days of the year are collectively called Matsu-no-iichi, which may be freely translated "pine week." The pine, like the bamboo, has no "blossom" in the Occidental meaning of that word, but is regarded as a "flower" by the Japanese; and these two are venerated because they keep green in winter and their color never fades. Therefore, they are emblems of constancy, endurance, health, and longevity. And, as one writer has informed me, the pine, the bamboo, and the plum are the "three friends in winter" ; and "they are used as the bearers of good wishes for the Xew Year : the pine for longevity, the bam- boo for uprightness, the plum for sweetness." The origin of Kado-matsu is very ancient, perhaps so far back as eight hundred and fifty years ago. The two following poems are said to be about eight hundred years old : "Kadomatsu no Itonami tatsuni Sono hodo ni Haru akegata no Yoya narijiiiran.'' ( "While busy decorating the pines at the gate, the dawn of the New Year speedily comes/') "Haru ni aeru Kono kado-matsu i;;^-trees, I must stand and pine." The following poem is from the translation of Tosa Nikki by Mrs. M. C. Harris: "Since I have viewed the pines that grow On Suminoye's shore, I've come my own estate to know, How I have e'en surpassed in years These pine-trees old and hoar." In the "Hundred Poems," which furnish the chief amusement for the New Year season, we find the following, translated by Prof. MacCauley: "SOLITUDE IN OLD AGE. "Whom then are there now, In my age so far advanced, I can hold as friends? Even Takasago's pines Are no friends of former days." All Japanese boys and girls, early in life, memorise the Hun- dred Poems by a Hundred Writers, and can glibly repeat them. Here is a song generally used on the occasion of a wedding, in the decorations of which the pine plays an important part : "The oceans four that gird our strand Are calm, and quiet is our land; No branches bend, no breezes blow, These new-set pines in bliss will grow." We close with a very famous poem, which we give in both Japanese and English, as follows : THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. "Kado-matsu wa Meido no tabi no Ichi ri dsuka: Medetaku mo ari Medetaku mo nashi." "At every door The pine-trees stand; One mile-post more To the spirit-land ; And as there's gladness, So there's sadness." II. THE PLUM. THE plum-blossom has already been mentioned in connection with the pine and the bamboo for New Year's decorations, but it deserves a month by itself. As it begins to blossom, in some parts of the country, in January, and often continues in bloom till March, it might represent any one of the first three months. But, as most of February generally comes in the first month of the old calendar, it is doubly appropriate for the plum. This blossom is emblematic of perseverance, because it sometimes forces its way out through the snow with which its branches are laden. This is illustrated in the following poems, the first from Huish's Japan and Its Art, and the second from Piggott's Garden of Japan : "Ice-flakes are failing fast Through the chilly air, and now Yonder trees with snow bloom laden Do assume the wild plum's guise. With their mass of snowy flowers Gladdening winter's dreary time." ''Amid the branches of sil'vry bowers The nightingale doth sing; perchance he knows That spring has come, and takes the later snows For the white petals of the plum's sweet flowers." (From Chamberlain's Classical Poetry of the Japanese.) "The flowers of the plum-trees All through the day make snow-light, Moonlight through the night. Like the icy spray which the breeze Scatters from the stream, Like the snow-flake's flight, Falling petals seem." Probably one element of the popularity of the plum is to be found in the fact that it is the first blossom to appear after kan, the period of severest cold, and is, therefore, a harbinger of spring. 10 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. THE PLUM. ii And, as the plum is the earliest of blossoms, it is called "the eldest brother of the hundred flowers," "the eldest flower of mother earth," and "the first of flowers." The plum is symbolic of womanly virtue and sweetness ; and "O Ume San" is a favorite name for girls. This blossom is "often drawn athwart the moon" ; and it is commonly associated with the nightingale (iiguisu), which "hides and sings among the flowers." This association, not merely in art but also in literature, is illus- trated both in the second poem quoted above and in the following (Piggott's): "Home friends change and change, Years pass quickly by Scent of our ancient plum-tree, Thou dost never die. "Home friends are forgotten; Plum-tree blossoms fair, Petals falling to the breeze, Leave their fragrance there. "Cettria's* fancy too Finds his cap of flowers, Seeks his peaceful hiding-place In the plum's sweet bowers. "Though the snow-flakes hide And thy blossoms kill, He will sing, and I shall find Fragrant incense still." The most famous places for plum-trees are Kameido, near Tokyo ; Sugita, near Yokohama ; and Tsukigase, about twenty-five miles from Nara. The Ume-Yashiki, or Plum Mansion, at Kameido, is famous for its Gwaryobai, literally "Recumbent Dragon Plums," over five hundred in all and very old ; the large original tree is said to have resembled a dragon lying upon the ground. Tsukigase is renowned for the plum-trees which line the bank of the Kidzu River for more than two miles. It is said that "no other place in Japan can boast of such a show of the pink and white flowers of this fra- grant tree." The Tokiwa Park of Mito is famous for its large grove of plum-trees, originally one thousand in number, planted in 1837 by the old Prince Rekko. There are said to be sixty different species of plum-trees in Japan. To go and see that blossom is a most delightful pastime *The ugitisii is known in science as cettria cantons. 12 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. and holiday. "Often one sees visionary old men sitting lost in rev- erie, and murmuring to themselves of ume-no-hana, the plum-blos- som. They sip tea, they rap out the ashes from tiny pipes, and slipping a writing-case from the girdle, unroll a scroll of paper, and indite an ode or sonnet. Then with radiant face and cheerful muttering, the ancient poet will slip his toes into his clogs, and tie the little slip to the branches of the most charming tree."* Ac- cording to a Japanese poem, "the sight of the plum-blossom causes the ink to flow in the writing-room." So prevalent is flower-viewing in Japan, that Prof. Chamber- lain tells of a party of "380 blind shampooers who went out to see A VIEW IN THE RECUMBENT DRAGON PLUM GARDEN. the plum-blossoms at Sugita," and were made safe by a long rope which held them together ! The following is a free translationf of another plum-poem : "In spring-time, on a cloudless night, When moonbeams throw their silver pall O'er wooded landscape, veiling all In one soft cloud of misty white, 'Twere in vain, almost, to hope to trace The plum-trees in their lovely bloom * Miss Scidmore's Jinrikisha Days in Japan. t Conder's Flowers of Japan. THE PLUM. 13 Of argent; 'tis their sweet perfume Alone which leads me to their place." There is also an interesting story* related by Mr. Conder in PLUM-TREE. explanation of the name "Nightingale-dwelling-plum-tree," applied even till the present day to a favorite species of delicious odor, * Conder s Flowers of Japan. 14 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. having pink double blossoms. Sometime in the tenth century, the imperial plum-tree withered, and, as it was necessary to replace it, search was made for a specimen worthy of so high an honor. Such a tree was found in the garden of the daughter of a talented poet, named Kino Tsurayuki, and was demanded by the officials of the Court. Not daring to resist the imperial command, but full of grief at parting with her favorite plum-tree, the young poetess attached to its trunk a strip of paper, upon which she \vrote the following verse* : "Claimed for our Sovereign's use, Blossoms I've loved so long, Can I in duty fail? But for the nightingale Seeking her home of song, How shall I find excuse?" This caught the eye of the Emperor, who, touched by the plaintive sentiment expressed, inquired from whose garden the tree was taken, and ordered it to be returned. Here is still another little plum-poem : "How shall I find my ume tree? The moon and the snow are white as she, By the fragrance blown on the evening air, Shalt thou find her there." * Brinkley's translation. III. THE PEACH. THE DOLLS' FESTIVAL. THIS blossom, coming between the plum, "of classical fame and predilection," and the cherry, "of patriotic boast," is rather overshadowed by those popular favorites. And yet, as Mr. Conder adds,* the peach "excells in size, richness, and coloring. These DOLLS FESTIVAL. blossoms are of numerous tints, — white, different shades of pink, and a deep crimson remarkably rich in tone. The peach-blossom in mass, as it appears in groves and orchards, contributes far more * The Floral Art of Japan. i6 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. to the beauty of the spring landscape than its more honored but severer brother, the plum-blossom." "The orchards of peach-trees in blossom are much frequented by the common people." Of the different colors, the pale pink is said to rank first. The peach-blossom, the Japanese name of which is mo mo, meaning "hun- dred," is considered "emblematic of longevity," and is a greater DOLLS FESTIVAL. favorite in China than in Japan. It is generally associated with oxen, as in the following Chinese saying, depicting a peaceful scene of prosperous country life: "Turn the horse on the flower-covered mountain and the ox into the peach-orchard." In the art of Japanese floral arrangement the peach and the THE PEACH. THE DOLLS' FESTIVAL. 17 cherry-blossoms make an "objectionable combination." The peach- blossom is, however, most felicitous by itself, or with other blos- soms, on the occasion of the Dolls' Festival, often called the "Peach Festival," on the third day of the third month. Indeed, the peach is especially connected with girls. The peach is commonly supposed to have the mysterious power of driving away evil spirits, or keeping them at a distance. In Chinese as well as in Japanese folklore, arrows made of peach-tree wood are frequently used for the purpose of piercing the otherwise invulnerable hearts of devils. Chinese doctors sometimes use the extract of the peach leaves or kernels for medicinal purposes. T IV. THE CHERRY. HIS is the prince of flowers in Japan. "Hana wa sakura; Hito wa bushi" "The flower [is] the cherry; The man [is] the knight." Just as the bushi,, or samurai (knight), was the beau ideal among Japanese men, i. e., the "gentleman'' of the nation ; so the cherry, with its spotless blossoms, "symbolising that delicacy of sentiment and blamelessness of life belonging to high courtesy and true knightliness," is the Chevalier Bayard of Japanese flowers. The wild cherry is said to have existed in Japan from time immemorial; and from this "have been developed countless varie- ties, culminating in that which bears the pink-tinged double [yae- zakura\ blossoms as large as a hundred-leaved rose, covering every branch and twig with thick rosettes. A faint fragrance arises from these sheets of bloom." (Scidmore's Jinrikisha Days in Japan.) The pale pink is the only one that takes first rank among cherry blossoms. "When, in spring, the trees flower, it is as though fleeciest masses of clouds faintly tinged by sunset had floated down from the highest sky to fold themselves about the branches .... The reader who has never seen a cherry-tree blossoming in Japan cannot pos- sibly imagine the delight of the spectacle. There are no green leaves ; these come later ; there is only one glorious burst of blos- soms, veiling every bow and twig in their delicate mist ; and the soil beneath each tree is covered deep out of sight by fallen petals as by a drift of pink snow." (Hearn's Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan.) It is also to Professor Hearn that we are indebted for the fol- lowing: "About this mountain cherry (yamazakura) there is a humorous saying that illustrates the Japanese love of puns. In order fully to appreciate it, the reader should know that Japanese nouns THE CHERRY. 19 have no distinction of singular or plural. The word ha, as pro- nounced, may signify either 'leaves' or 'teeth' ; and the word hana, either 'flowers' or 'nose.' The yamazakura puts forth its ha (leaves) before its hana (flowers). Wherefore, a man whose ha (teeth) project in advance of his hana (nose) is called a yamazakura. Prog- nathism is not uncommon in Japan, especially among the lower classes." The cherry blossom is symbolic of loyalty and patriotism, and is generally associated with the pheasant. f BLOOMING CHERRY-TREES AT ASUKAYAMA, TOKYO. No important locality in Japan is without its special park or grove with cherry-trees, to which the people resort in immense crowds at the proper season. The inhabitants of Tokyo, for in- stance, flock to Uyeno Park, or Mukojima, or Koganei. or Asuka- yama ; while the Kyoto people visit Arashi-yama. But a more than local reputation attaches to Yoshino in the Province of Yamato: there "a thousand trees line the path and cover the hillside." And some poet has said: "The cherry blossoms on Mount Yoshino de- ceive me into thinking they are snow." But Yoshino's fame is dis- puted by other places : Asukayama, near Tokyo, is called the "new Yoshino" ; and an imperial poet has said that "not second to Yo- 20 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. shino is Arashiyama, where the white spray of the torrent sprinkles the cherry blossoms." It is unfortunate that cherry-viewing is marred by dissipation, and that its "carnival rivals the Saturnalia of the ancients." It is almost dangerous, for instance, to visit Mukojima on account of the rude and boisterous conduct of those who have been freely im- bibing sake, beer or whiskey. The following story (Conder's Floral Art of Japan) tells the origin of the connection between sake and sakura. [The Emperor Richiu] was disporting himself with his courtiers in a pleasure-boat, on a lake of the Royal Park, when some THE CHERRY. 21 petals from the wild cherry-trees of the adjoining hills fluttered into the wine-cup from which he was drinking. This circumstance is said to have drawn His Majesty's notice to the beauty of this neg- lected blossom, and from this time arose the custom of wine-drink- ing at the time of cherry-viewing. To the present day there is a CHERRY BLOSSOMS AT MUKOJIMA, TOKYO. popular saying: "Without wine, who can properly enjoy the sight of the cherry blossom?" "No man so callous but he heaves a sigh When o'er his head the withered cherry-flowers Come fluttering down. Who knows ? The spring's soft showers . May be but tears shed by the sorrowing sky." — Chamberlain. 22 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. The Koganei cherry-trees, which, for two miles and a half, line both sides of the aqueduct conveying water into Tokyo, are said to have numbered originally ten thousand, but there are now only a few hundred. They were planted there with the idea that they had "the virtue of keeping off impurities from the water." Night cherry flowers (yozakura), "seen by the pale light of the moon," are a great attraction, one of the special sights of the year. It may readily be understood that so popular a blossom as this THE CHERRY. 23 would figure largely in Japanese literature. The famous ''Hundred Poems" contain five on that subject; and several are included in the Manyoshiu. But we have room for only two, of which the first is remarkable for its brevity, and the second is Motoori's famous one, dear to all Japanese : 1. "A cloud of flowers! Is the bell Uyeno Or Asakusa?" Or expanded : "The cherry flowers in Mukojima are blossoming in such profusion as to form a cloud which shuts out the prospect. Whether the bell which is sounding from a distance is that of the temple of Uyeno or of Asakusa, I am unable to determine." ( Aston' s History of Japanese Literature.) 2. "Shikishima no Yamato-gokoro -wo Hito toivaba Asahi ni niho Yamazakura kana." "Isles of blest Japan ! Should your Yamato spirit Strangers seek to scan, Say — scenting morn's sunlit air Blows the cherry wild and fair!" — Nitobe's Soul of Japan. (Or) "If one should ask you concerning the heart of a true Japanese, point to the wild cherry flower glowing in the sun/' V. THE WISTARIA. FOR this month we had a choice between the peony, the azalea and the wistaria, and selected the last on account of its unique- ness. It is generally "reared upon large trellises, arranged to cover long walks, bridges or arbors, in pleasure grounds and gardens." "The sprays of its flowers often exceed three feet in length, whilst AZALEA BLOSSOMS. a hundred persons may rest under its shadow, and its stem grows to the thickness of man's body; its branches are used as cables." The purple blossom is the commonest and also the most highly es- teemed. This flower, like the cherry, is associated with the pheas- ant. It typifies youth. THE WISTARIA. "A belief exists that this flower attains great size and beauty if its roots are nourished with sake; and there is, at Kameido, a tree producing specially fine blossoms, at the base of which visitors are accustomed to empty their cups." "At Kashukabe, north-east of Tokyo, is the most famous wis- taria in the empire. The vine is 500 years old, with pendent blos- soms over 50 inches long, and trellises covering a space of 4,000 feet." 'Though much honored and used for felicitous occasions, 26 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. the fuji must not be employed at weddings on account of its purple color." This blossom often gives its name to girls ; one of the heroines of the Genji Monogatari is the Princess Wistaria. Concerning PEONY. another heroine of that book, Prince Genji, the hero, sang as fol- lows: "When will be mine this lovely flower Of tender grace and purple hue? Like the wistaria of the bower. Its charms are lovely to my view." THE WISTARIA. 27 It has become famous in Japanese history through the Fuji- wara family. The following are other examples of wistaria* poems from Japanese literature: "I come weary, In search of an inn — Ah! these wistaria flowers." "O lovely wistaria, now in bloom, Twine thy twigs, even though broken, To those people who pass by thee, Without stopping to admire thy beauty. "Men dare not pass away without looking At the wistaria, in a wave of beauty, Though my small garden be humble, With nothing attractive for the eye." "In blossom the wistaria-trees to-day Break forth that sweep the wavelets of my lake : When will the mountain cuckoo come and make The garden vocal with his first sweet lay?" And Piggott quotes a prose version of another poem, as fol- lows : "What, though I be outside the ring-fence and can not sit beneath thy shade, thou sendest, gentle Wistaria, thy fragrance across it to me, treating me like a friend.'' * Often misspelled "wisteria" ; this is incorrect, because the flower was named for Caspar Wistar. VI. THE IRIS. OF the iris there are several Japanese varieties, known as ayame, hanashobu, kakitsubata, shaga, etc. In Tokyo the most fa- mous show of this flower is at Horikiri, "where in ponds and trenches grow acres of such fleur-de-lis as no Bourbon ever knew." In strong contrast to the riotous carnival of the cherry-viewing, "this festival is a quiet and decorous garden party, where summer- THE IRIS AT HORIKIRI, TOKYO. houses, hills, lakes, armies of royal flowers, and groups of visitors seem to be consciously arranging themselves for decorative effects." The iris laevigata, known in Japanese as kakitsubata, ranks high among flowers used for ceremonies and congratulatory occasions, except that, on account of its purple color, it is prohibited from wed- THE IRIS. 29 dings. In arranging hanashobu according to the complex theory of flower arrangement explained by Mr. Conder, "the three center-most leaves should be long and a special leaf, called the Kammuri-ba or "Cap-leaf," must be placed as a back-ground to the principal flowers." The iris is a favorite flower in art. Not only do "we find its 30 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. delicate-colored flowers on stuffs, lacquer, inlaid ivories, and in mother-of-pearl" ; but "the metal-worker, too, twists its graceful leaves into delightful patterns for his pierced sword-guards." From a pretty crepe booklet on The Japanese Months, we learn the following folk-lore item: "There used to be a custom of hanging beneath the eaves, on the 5th day of the 5th month (o. s.), bunches of sweet-flag (shobu) and mugwort, and of putting the former into the hot water of the public baths, so that bathers carry away with them its agreeable odor. The sweet-flag is also steeped in sake, which, flavored in this way, is drunk on the 5th day of the 5th month, — the plant in ques- tion being commonly believed to be efficacious in the prevention of disease." Piggott adds the following points: "Probably the same super- stition led to the common custom of planting beds of iris along the ridges of the thatched cottages in the country. In days gone by, boys wore wreaths of iris leaves, and made ropes of them to dance with and beat the ground to frighten away the demons from their festival." A famous Japanese poetess, by the name of Kaga no Chiyo, wrote the following pretty little poem : "Water was the painter, Water again was the eraser, Of the beautiful fleur-de-lis." To illustrate the brevity of Japanese poetry, the original is added here: Midzuga kaki Midzuga keshikeri Kakitsubata." We append two more poems concerning the iris, as translated by a young Japanese teacher of English: "The iris, grown between my house and the neigbor's, Is just burnishing in its deepest color and glory; I wish that some one would come to see it, Before it withers away and returns to the dust." "On my journey far away from home My heart flies to the beloved left at home, Who has been as indispensable to me As the soft cloth that I put on constantly." The last poem is, in the. original, an acrostic which spells out kakitsubata. It is for that reason only that it was selected. This style of poem is quite prevalent in Japanese literature. VII. THE MORNING-GLORY. WHAT is known in the Occident as the morning-glory goes in Japan by the name of asagao, or "morning- face." But the Japanese variety is far beyond comparison with any other variety, as A MORNING-GLORY SELLER. we learned when our Japanese vines were the wonder and admiration of our Chicago neighbors. And the Tokyo master of the asagao, Suzuki by name, said to Miss Scidmore: "Yes, I know the Korean and the American asagao are little wild things, like weeds, not beau- tiful or \vorth growing." And Miss Scidmore herself testifies as follows: "For size, beauty, range of color, and illimitable variety there attained, this sunrise flower precedes all others, until its cul- tivation has become a craze which is likely to spread to other coun- tries, and — who knows? — perhaps there introduce the current Jap- 32 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. anese custom of five-o'clock-in-the-morning teas and garden par- ties." The asagao is said to have been brought from China into Japan by scholars and priests who went over there to study Buddhism. CONVULVULUS. OR MORNING-GLORY. And a Chinese priest who came to Japan wrote a poem to the fol- lowing purport : ''The asagao blooms and fades so quickly, only to prepare for to-morrow's glory." It is quite likely this connection THE MORNING-GLORY. 33 with religion as well as the fact that it fades so quickly that makes the asagao unsuitable for use on felicitous occasions. Miss Scidmore states that "the late Empress-Dowager, a conser- vator of many old customs and aristocratic traditions, and a gentle' soul with a deep love of flowers, poetry, and art, kept up the culture of the asagao, and had always a fine display of flowers at her city and summer palaces during the lotus-time of the year." But in Tokyo the finest morning-glory gardens are at a place called Iriya, beyond Uyeno Park ; there wonderful varieties, too numerous to mention, are exhibited. Of the different colors, dark blue takes the first rank. Two well-known poems about the morning-glory run as fol- lows : "Every morn, when the dawn brightens into joy, The morning-glory renews its beautiful flowers, And continues blooming long in this way, To give us hope and peace that wither not."* "Oh, for the heart Of the morning-glory ! Which, though its bloom is lor a single hour, Is the same as that of the fir-tree, Which lives a thousand years." The Japanese also have what they call hirugao, or "noon-face," and yugao, or "evening-face." The latter, which Occidentals would presumably name "evening-glory," seems to be especially famous for the beauty of its white blossoms. In the Genji Monogatari, a lady-love of the hero sings as follows : "The crystal dew at evening's hour Sleeps on the Yugao' s beautiful flower ; Will this please him, whose glances bright, Gave to the flower a dearer light ?" The most famous verse about the morning-glory is, of course. that of the maiden, O Chiyo San, who having found a vine with its blossoms twining around her well-bucket, would not disturb it, but went elsewhere to beg some water. The poem, which is in the form of the hoku, runs as follows : "Asagao ni Tsurube tor arete Morai-midzu." See the Century Magazine for December, 1897. 34 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. This means, literally translated, "By asagao bucket being taken, begged water." But Sir Edwin Arnold's poetical version is also worth quoting: "The morning-glory Her leaves and bells has bound My bucket-handle round. I could not break the bands Of those soft hands, The bucket and the well to her I left ; 'Lend me some water, for I come bereft.' " With the recommendation to read Miss Scidmore's illustrated article, quoted above, for an insight into the occult features of morning-glory culture in Japan, we close with her final sentence: "The asagao is the flower of Japanese flowers, the miracle of their floriculture, and one may best ascribe it to pure necromancy, and cease to question and pursue." VIII. THE LOTUS. THE lotus is pre-eminently the flower of Buddhism. It is "said to be the king of flowers in India, and is consequently en- titled to precedence on the toko-no-ma. It is often called Hotoke no hana, or the 'Flower of the Buddhist Spirits/ and on account of its religious character is disliked for occasions of rejoicing." It is the emblem of purity, because "it grows unsullied out of the mud" : it "forms the resting-place of Buddha" ; and "the fortunate entrance to Paradise is seated" upon it. When two lovers used to commit suicide together their motto was as follows :* "Hasu no hana no ue ni oite matan" "On the lotus-blossoms of paradise they shall rest together." The popular conceptions of the lotus are further illustrated by the following quotations :* "Though growing in the foulest slime, the flower remains pure and undefiled. And the soul of him who remains ever pure in the midst of temptation is likened unto the lotus.f Therefore is the lotus carven or painted upon the furniture of temples, there- fore also does it appear in all the representations of our Lord Buddha. In Paradise the blessed shall sit upon the cups of golden lotus-flowers." In Tokyo the pond near Uyeno is famous for its lotus; but one of the largest and loveliest ponds in Japan is said to be at Hikone on Lake Biwa. This was visited by Mr. H. T. Finck, author of Lotus Time in Japan, in which, however, he attempts no de- scription of the lotus. He says : "But how can any one be expected to sketch this marvellous flower in words, when even a great painter can give but a vague idea of its beauty?" He then quotes Mr. Alfred Parsons in the following confession: "The lotus is one of * Hearn's Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan. t"Like a lotus-flower growing in the mud" is a common Japanese pro- verb. Other sayings refer to "a pure and beautiful woman in a haunt of vice" and "a man of stainless honor in a wicked world." THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. the most difficult plants which it has ever been my lot to try and paint; the flowers are at their best only in the early morning, and each blossom, after it has opened, closes again before noon the first day ; on the second day its petals drop. The leaves are so large and so full of modelling that it is impossible to generalise them as a mass ; each one has to be carefully studied, and every breath of wind disturbs their delicate balance and completely alters their forms. Besides this, their glaucous surface, like that of a cabbage THE LOTUS. 37 leaf, reflects every passing phase of the sky, and is constantly changing in color as clouds pass over." "Children use the big [lotus] leaves for sunshades, the seeds for marbles or to eat" ; and the people eat lotus roots without for- getting their native land! Mr. Finck also states that the conun- drum, "When is a pond not a pond?" is answered by saying, "When it has no lotus in it." The lotus is, of course, a favorite subject of Japanese art: "its leaves are usually gemmed with dew-drops, and this effect the artist seizes upon at once."* In this connection Mr. Huish also quotes the following poem : "Oh ! Lotus leaf, I dreamt that the whole earth Held nought more pure than thee; held nought more true: Why, then, when on thee rolls a drop of dew, Pretend that 'tis a gem of priceless worth?" Heuzen (A. D. 836-856). * Huish's Japan and Its Art. IX. THE NANAKUSA. THE word nanakusa is the name of three categories in Japan. It means literally "seven grasses" and is sometimes applied to seven kinds of grasses occasionally used together. It is also the name given to the seven vegetables or "greens" eaten on the sev- enth day of the New Year. And the same name is applied to seven kinds of "flowers" which are used for decorative purposes on the special occasion of "moon-viewing" on the fifteenth day of the eighth month (o. c.) or about the end of September. It will thus be seen that for the present number we have been unable to select any one "flower" as pre-eminently appropriate, although there are plenty of blossoms; and also that this time the "flowers" (which, in this case include "grasses") are a subordinate element in the great festival of viewing the harvest moon. The authorities differ as to the flowers included among the nanakusa ; but we have chosen the following list : Hagi (lespedeza or bush-clover) ; Obana (eulalia) ; Kuzu (pueraria) \Nadeshiko (pink) ; Ominaeshi(patrima.) ; Fuji-bakama (eupatorium) ; Asagao (wild morning-glory). This list has been put into verse* by an ancient poet, as follows : "Hagi ga hana Obana, Kuzu-hana, Nadeshiko no Hana, ominaeshi, Mata Fuji-bakama, Asagao no hana." This verse is meaningless except as a catalogue of the nana- kusa; it contains merely their names, with the repetition of the word hana (blossom) and the use of the necessary connections. f In spite of the fact that these flowers are used at the autumn *Chamberlain's Things Japanese. t Another list substitutes kikyo (platycodon) for fuji-bakama, and re- arranges the order. THE NANAKUSA. 39 moon festival, the hagi and the susuki (=obana) are, according to Mr. Conder, among1 ''flowers prohibited for auspicious occasions." Of the varieties of lespedeza the red ranks first. AUTUMN GRASSES. The hagi (bush-clover) is said to have attached to it several "fables, chief amongst them being that in which it is represented as a maid beloved by a stag."*It also figures, somewhat more per- 40 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. haps than the others of this category, in Japanese literature. The following poems are examples: "The bush-clover wavers tenderly in the morning breeze, But the pearls on the leaves enjoy safely their brief happiness," or, concisely : FLOWER VENDER. 'Ah ! the waving lespedeza, Which spills not a drop Of the clear dew." THE NANAKUSA. 41 "The rotten bush-clover is gathered together, In order to construct the fence of the Imperial palace."f "The deer lying on the bed made of bush-clover, Cries out full of pathos and tenderness. We can not see the form of the lovely creature, But the voice is clear and fascinating." "The sound of the wind is dull and drear Across Miyagi's dewy lea, And makes me mourn for the motherless deer That sleeps beneath the Hagi tree." * It is also associated with the sleeping wild boar. t A satire on the men of Hagi in Choshu, because they took a prominent part in the Restoration of 1867-8. X. THE MAPLE. AS we have already stated, the Japanese word hana is much more XX comprehensive in meaning than the English word "flower," and includes also grasses and leaves. It is for that reason, there- fore, that the maple, with its beautiful leaves, may be treated under our general heading. It is, however, an open question whether the maple should be treated this month or next. In Japanese calendars generally, the chrysanthemum is put down for the ninth month (o. c.), or Oc- tober, and the maple for the tenth month (o. c.), or November. But, as the Emperor's birthday comes on November 3, and the chrysanthemum is an imperial badge, we have reserved that flower for next month. Moreover, it is during the month of October, ac- cording to the Hand Book of Japan, that the famous maples of Nikko and Tatta should be visited. The maple is also given the name of "poison-dispelling plant," because "there is an idea that the maple absorbs all poison and in- fection from the air." Mr. Conder also informs us that "this is one of the most important flowerless trees, the branches of which are used as 'flowers' in Japanese compositions." It is appropriate to use it in combination with the chrysanthemum (white or yellow) ; and a painting of a stag requires maples in association with it. But if we may believe Miss Scidmore, the maple has also its more practical use ; for "the coquette sends her lover a leaf or branch of maple to signify that, like it, his love has changed."* And when a blush of modesty spreads over a maiden's cheek, the Japanese say that "she is scattering red leaves on her face." And a small delicate hand is called "a hand like a maple leaf." Not only the Japanese landscape, but also Japanese literature, is resplendent with momiji. The famous collection of One Hun- dred Poems contains six which celebrate the beauties of the autumn * Jinrikisha Days in J apan. THE MAPLE. 43 leaves, especially the maples. Narihira, was as follows: One of these, by the well-known "O Tatsuta ! when the autumnal flow I watch of thy deep, ruddy wave, E'en when the stern gods long ago Did rule, was ne'er beheld so brave, So fair a stream as thine, I vow."* "Beautiful is the Tatsuta With Autumn's brightest weaving; If I cross the stream, Alas! the brocade will be rudely rent." MAPLE LEAVES IN THE VILLA OF MR. SHIBUSAWA AT OJI. The comparison of the leaves to brocade (nikishi) seems to be quite common. Another of the Hundred Poems reads as fol- lows: "By the wind-storm's blast From Mimuro's mountain-slopes, Maple leaves are torn, And, as (rich) brocades are wrought On blue Tatta's quiet stream. * Translation by Mr. F. V. Dickins. 44 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. "My wandering feet So rudely tear The carpet red Of rich brocade O'er Mimuro spread. "In a mountain stream, Builded by the busy wind, Is a wattled barrier drawn, Yet it is but maple leaves, Powerless to flow away. "In the mountain depths, Treading through the crimson leaves, Cries the wandering stag. When I hear the lonely cry, Sad — how sad — the autumn is !"* * Translation by Prof. Clay MacCauley. XL THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. A S we stated previously, the chrysanthemum, in Japanese calen- -f~i- dars, generally belongs to the ninth month (o. c.), or October. This is probably due to the fact that the fifth great festival, the Kiku no Sekku (Festival of the Chrysanthemum) fell on the ninth day of the ninth month (o. c.), or toward the end of October. But we took the liberty to change that order, simply because the Emperor's birthday comes on November 3, and the sixteen-petalled chrysanthe- mum has been for a long time the imperial emblem. Moreover, the annual Chrysanthemum Garden Party, given at one of the imperial palaces, falls in November. The difficulty in harmonizing the two calendars (old and new) arises from the fact that the ninth month of the old calendar covers portions of both October and November. The chrysanthemum blossoms are of various shapes, sizes, and colors; but, according to Mr. Conder, "the yellow kind ranks first." It is, in fact, said that there are almost 300 different shades of color in about 800 varieties of chrysanthemum raised in Japan. One can find, moreover, "gigantic flowers, microscopic flowers, plants of single [huge] blossom, and single plants of 200 [600 to 700] blos- soms."* In November,. 1902, in the Imperial Gardens, Tokyo, there was one plant with 1272 blossoms, each 2.y2 inches in diameter! And one of the great curiosities of the chrysanthemum season is, of course, the view of living pictures" at such a place, for instance, as Dango-zaka in Tokyo. This is the Japanese esthetic variation of the Occidental prosaic wax-works. The chrysanthemum and the fox are commonly associated ideas in art and literature on account of an old tale to the following effect, as related by Dr. Griffis : "A fox, assuming the form of a lovely woman, bewitched a certain prince. One day, happening to fall asleep on a bed of chrysanthemums, she resumed her normal shape. The prince, seeing the animal, shot at him, hitting the fox in the * Miss Scidmore's Jinrikisha Days in Japan. 46 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. forehead. He afterward saw that his concubine had a wound in the corresponding part of the head, and thus discovered her true nature." CHRYSANTHEMUM. The chrysanthemum is also associated with the crane. On the occasion of the Chrysanthemum Festival, it was custom- ary to wear a special dress, called Kiku-gasane, purple outside and THE CHRYSANTHEMUM. 47 white inside ; to drink kiku zake, or sake with chysanthemum dipped in it, as a specific against malaria ; and to compose poems, for which, in court circles, the Emperor chose the subject. This festival has been practically merged into the Emperor's birthday.* In the "One Hundred Poems" there is only one reference to the chrysanthemum, as follows: THE FROST'S MAGIC. If it were my wish White Chrysanthemum to cull ; Puzzled by the frost Of the early autumn time, I perchance might pluck the fiower.f CHRYSANTHEMUM VENDER. Another old poem, of which we have not found the Japanese original has been translated as follows : J "Looking upward to the palace garden, long I gaze and wonder what they are, whether white and snowy petalled chysanthemum, or the twinkling lustre of the stars." The chrysanthemum has a great many very fanciful names like "star-like flower," "flower of a thousand generations," "younger * "Let the Emperor live forever. May he see the chrysanthemum cup go round autumn after autumn for a thousand years !" t Translation by Prof. Clay MacCanley. $ The Far East, Vol. II, No. n. 48 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. brother of the flowers," "old man's flower," "virgin flower," etc. The chrysanthemum is also one of the "Four Gentlemen," so called on account of their vigorous qualities, — the plum, the orchid, the bamboo, and the chrysanthemum. But in Japan there is one place where it is said to be unlucky to raise chrysanthemums, that is, in Himeji. The reason therefor will be evident from the following story, related by Lafcadio Hearn in his Glimpses of Unfamiliar Japan : "Himeji contains the ruins of a great castle of thirty turrets; and a daimyo used to dwell therein whose revenue was one hundred and fifty-six thousand koku of rice. Now, in the house of one of that daimyo's chief retainers was a maid servant of good family, whose name was O-Kiku ; and the name 'Kiku' signifies a chrysan- themum flower. Many precious thing were entrusted to her charge, and among other things ten costly dishes of gold. One of these was suddenly missed and could not be found ; and the girl, being responsible therefor, and knowing not how otherwise to prove her innocence, drowned heself in a well. But ever thereafter her ghost, returning nightly, could be heard counting the dishes slowly, with sobs : 'Ichi-mai, Ni-mai, San-mai, Yo-mai, Go-mai, Roku-mai, Shichi-mai, Hachi-mai, Ku-mai, . . . .' "Then there would be heard a despairing cry and a loud burst of weeping; and again the girl's voice counting the dishes plain- tively : ' One — two — three — four — five — six — seven — eight — nine — "Her spirit passed into the body of a strange little insect, whose head faintly resembles that of a ghost with long disheveled hair ; and it is called O-Kiku-mushi, or 'the fly of O-Kiku' ; and it is found, they say, nowhere save in Himeji. A famous play was writ- ten about O-Kiku, which is still acted in all the popular theatres, entitled Banshu-O-Kiku-no-Sara-Ya-shiki, or 'the Manor of the Dish of O-Kiku of Banshu.' " Some declare that Banshu is only a corruption of the name of an ancient quarter (Bancho) of Tokyo (Yedo), where the story should have been laid. But the people of Himeji say, that part of their city now called Go-Ken-Yashiki is identical with the site of the ancient manor. What is certainly true is that to cultivate chrys- anthemum flowers in the part of Himeji called Go-Ken-Yashiki is deemed unlucky, because the name of O-Kiku signifies "chrysanthe- mum." Therefore, nobody, I am told, ever cultivates chrysanthe- mums there. XII. THE CAMELLIA. WE have selected for this month a flower of which there are two principal varieties, called in Japanese sazankwa and tsnbaki. The Chinese ideograms used for the latter are the same as the first two ideograms of the former, and mean ''mountain-tea," so that sazankwa means etymologically "wild tea flower." The tea-plant is scientifically classed as camellia theifera. The tsnbaki does not generally bloom till January, but the sazankwa blossoms come in December. Mr. Conder states the following about this flower: "There is a prejudice against the camellia on account of the fragility of the flower, which falls to pieces at the slightest touch ; it is nevertheless much esteemed as being an evergreen." The famous Ogasawara mentions the following reasons for the high estimation in which the camellia should be held. It is recorded that, in the time of the gods, Sasano no Mikoto and his spouse Inada Hime built a palace and as a token of unchanging fidelity for eight thousand years planted a camellia tree. This tree is said still to exist in the province of Iclzumo and is called Yachi yo no tsnbaki, or "the camellia tree of eight thousand years." Another reason assigned for the high esti- mation in which the tree is held is that the pestle in which the rice for the wedding-cake is ground is made of its wood. From the seeds a fine hair oil is made. In the art of floral decoration, it is proper to combine the camellia with the narcissus ; and the red kind ranks first. The camellia, on account of its fragility, should not be used at weddings, but is appropriate for funerals. The camellia is not a favorite subject in art or literature : there- fore, we present this time no poem. 50 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. CAMELLIA BLOSSOMS. CONCLUSION. IT ought to be evident, by this time, that the Japanese take a most thorough delight in their floral kingdom. Fully as much as in hero-worship do they indulge in "flower-worship." They truly worship nature in all her varied forms and hold communion with all her aspects. The Japanese love a flower as a flower. "A primrose by the river's brim, A yellow primrose was to him, And it was nothing more." But, to a Japanese, simply as "nothing more" than a real flower, it would be full of beauty. The Japanese certainly find delight in even the simplest forms of natural beauty. The subject of Japanese floriculture is extensive and exhaust- ing. Japan is composed of gardens, "from the least to the greatest" in size ; it is, in fact, itself an immense garden, a huge park, and a miniature paradise. Gardens, not only public but also private, abound. Even the poorest and humblest house is not without its little oasis of natural beauty, if it be no more than a single plant and blossom, or even only a twig. For the Japanese word hana, as we have said, is quite comprehensive in its meaning, and includes not only blossoms, but also stems and branches, and even stumps of blossomless trees and shrubs. A Japanese garden, therefore, may not contain a single blossom or scarcely a sprig of green. Some have nothing green at all, and consist entirely of rocks, and pebbles, and sand. One such large garden had been designed with the distinct purpose of conveying the impression of "approaching the sea over a verge of dunes." The Japanese are the people who truly and keenly find "sermons in stones, books, in the running brooks, and good in everything." The principal purpose, in fact, for a garden in Japan is realistic, naturalistic; it aims to imitate, and does not improve, actual land- 52 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. scapes. "It is, therefore, at once a picture and a poem ; perhaps even more a poem than a picture." Sometimes, also, sermons may be attempted and abstract moral ideas, such as charity, faith, piety, content, calm, and connubial bliss, may be expressed in the beauties of nature. CAMELLIA JAPONICA. Japan is a land of flowers, "a veritable garden of flowers" ; but it maintains a nobilitv in floral as well as social institutions. There are about a dozen hana which are reckoned among' first-class ; and CONCLUSION. 53 even among these feudal lords there are gradations. Each has also its special meaning and use. The twelve majores dii of the Japanese floral kingdom are the cherry, chrysanthemum, cypress, bamboo, lotus, maple, rhodea, narcissus, peony, pine, plum, and wistaria.* CAMELLIA JAPOXICA (EIGHT-FOLD) The art of flower arrangement in Japan is a great accomplish- * Those who are especially interested in the subject of floral Japan should consult Piggott's Garden of Japan and Conder's Theory of Flower Arrange- ment and Art of Landscape Gardening in Japan, to which we have made frequent references. 54 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. ment, and the theory of it is quite complex. The basal idea is simple, for the Japanese do not believe in such a massing of various colors and of different flowers, branches, grasses, etc., as is needed to delight our artistic senses. One who has succeeded in developing within him the Japanese esthetic ideas cannot help feeling that what is called here a "bouquet" is generally "a vulgar murdering of NANTEN (NANDINA DOMESTICA). This plant is frequently used in winter for flower arrangement, when there are scarcely any hanas available. flowTers,. an outrage upon the color-sense, a brutality, an abomina- tion." The most artistic American could scarcely appreciate, as much as even the lowest Japanese, the beauty of a solitary spray CONCLUSION. 55 of blossoms or even of a solitary branch or twig without a single blossom. The whole theory of Japanese flower arrangement depends upon the "language of line" rather than upon mass or color. Upon this simple base a rigid and complex system has been established, which has been carefully and thoroughly studied and analysed by a foreign architect, an Englishman, in the employ of the Japanese Government. It will serve to give some idea of the magnitude and complexity of the subject to state that Mr. Conder's explanation 56 THE JAPANESE FLORAL CALENDAR. . thereof covers a hundred pages of the Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan.* He has discussed and illustrated by numerous drawings the proper and improper combinations, the language of flowers, and other interesting matters. This art of arranging flowers was considered by the Japanese as an "elegant accomplishment," and was an important item in the * He has also expanded this into an elegant book called The Floral Art of Japan. CONCLUSION. 57 education of women of rank. But it appertained also to men of rank and of culture who might have retired from active life to the leisure of literary and esthetic pursuits. It has been stated that those who engaged in this "fine art" would possess the following ten virtues: "The privilege of associating with superiors; ease and dignity before men of rank ; a serene disposition and forgetfulness of cares : amusement in solitude ; familiarity with the nature of plants and trees ; the respect of mankind ; constant gentleness of character : healthiness of mind and body ; a religious spirit ; self-abnegation and restraint." In this monthly calendar of Floral Japan, we have not at- tempted to include all the flowers as in a botanical catalogue ; we have merely made a selection of certain typical hana, to represent the floral year. But we must surely make at least mention of the fete-days (en-nichi), which are really flower-fairs, held once, twice, or thrice a month, according to circumstances, chiefly in the evening. The roadways are lined with flower- sellers and dealers in various other articles, which are displayed either on mats, or on carts, or in booths hastily constructed. On these occasions it is possible, after parleying with the seller,* to buy flowers for a very reasonable sum. And now we may be able to appreciate how much the floral kingdom of Japan means to the Japanese. Huish has well ex- pressed it as follows: "Flowers are associated with every act of a Japanese's life : they herald his birth, they are his daily companions, they accompany him to the grave ; and after that they serve as a link between him and those he has left, — for his relatives and friends do not rest satisfied with piling up his coffin with floral tributes, they show their remembrance by offerings for long years after- wards." j * The first price is exorbitant and proverbial : "Charge like a florist at a festival." t In the very interesting chapter on "Flora and Flower Festivals" in his book entitled Japan and its Art." GENERAL LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA— BERKELEY RETURN TO DESK FROM WHICH BORROWED This book is due on the last date stamped below, or on the date to which renewed. Renewed books are subject to immediate recall. \4W0* JAN 81966 38 REC.CI8. FEB 2 1 1979 LD 21-100m-l, '54(1887sl6)476 YC 40I7F U.C. BERKELEY LIBRARIES C0528717SD M311983