the soul of the far east(远东的灵魂)-第13章
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The Soul of the Far East
having had an illustrious grandfather。 On the contrary； it is the illustrious
grandson who reflects some of his own greatness back upon his
grandfather。 If a man therefore fail to attain eminence himself； he always
has another chance in his descendants； for he will of necessity be ennobled
through the merits of those who succeed him。 Such is the immemorial
law of the land。 Fame is retroactive。 This admirable system has only one
objection： it is posthumous in its effect。 An ambitious man who
unfortunately lacks ability himself has to wait too long for vicarious
recognition。 The objection is like that incident to the making of a
country seat out of a treeless plain by planting the same with saplings。
About the time the trees begin to be worth having the proprietary
landscape…gardener dies of old age。 However； as custom permits a Far
Oriental no ancestral growth of timber； he is obliged to lay the seeds of his
own family trees。 Natural offspring are on the whole easier to get； and
more satisfactory when got。 Hence the haste with which these peoples
rush into matrimony。 If in despite of his precipitation fate perversely
refuse to grant him children； he must endeavor to make good the omission
by artificial means。 He proceeds to adopt somebody。 True to instinct；
he chooses from preference a collateral relative。 In some far…eastern
lands he must so restrict himself by law。 In Korea； for instance； he can
only adopt an agnate and one of a lower generation than his own。 But in
Japan his choice is not so limited。 In so praiseworthy an act as the
perpetuation of his unimportant family line； it is deemed unwise in that
progressive land to hinder him from unconsciously bettering it by the way。
He is consequently permitted to adopt anybody。 As people are by no
means averse to being adopted； the power to adopt whom he will gives
him more voice in the matter of his unnatural offspring than he ever had in
the selection of a more natural one。
The adopted changes his name； of course； to take that of the family he
enters。 As he is very frequently grown up and extensively known at the
time the adoption takes place； his change of cognomen occasions at first
some slight confusion among his acquaintance。 This would be no worse；
however； than the change with us from the maid to the matron； and
intercourse would soon proceed smoothly again if people would only rest
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The Soul of the Far East
content with one such domestic migration。 But they do not。 The fatal
facility of the process tempts them to repeat it。 The result is bewildering：
a people as nomadic now in the property of their persons as their
forefathers were in their real estate。 A man adopts another to…day to
unadopt him to…morrow and replace him by somebody else the day after。
So profoundly unimportant to them is their social identity； that they bandy
it about with almost farcical freedom。 Perhaps it is fitting that there
should be some slight preparation in this world for a future transmigration
of souls。 Still one fails to conceive that the practice can be devoid of
disadvantages even to its beneficiaries。 To foreigners it proves disastrously
perplexing。 For if you chance upon a man whom you have not met for
some time； you can never be quite sure how to accost him。 If you begin；
〃Well met； Green； how goes it？〃 as likely as not he replies； 〃Finely。 But I
am no longer Green； I have become Brown。 I was adopted last month by
my maternal grandfather。〃 You of course apologize for your unfortunate
mistake； carefully note his change of hue for a future occasion； and behold；
on meeting him the next time you find he has turned Black。 Such a
chameleon…like cognomen is very unsettling to your idea of his identity；
and can hardly prove reassuring to his own。 The only persons who reap
any benefit from the doubt are those； with us unhappy； individuals who
possess the futile faculty of remembering faces without recalling their
accompanying names。
Girls； as a rule； are not adopted； being valueless genealogically。 A
niece or grandniece to whom one has taken a great fancy might of course
be adopted there as elsewhere； but it would be distinctly out of the every…
day run； as she could never be included in the household on strict business
principles。
The practice of adopting is not confined to childless couples。 Others
may find themselves in quite as unfortunate a predicament。 A man may be
the father of a large and thriving family and yet be as destitute
patriarchally as if he had not a child to his name。 His offspring may be of
the wrong sex； they may all be girls。 In this untoward event the father has
something more on his hands than merely a houseful of daughters to
dispose of。 In addition to securing sons…in…law； he must； unless he would
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The Soul of the Far East
have his ancestral line become extinct； provide himself with a son。 The
simplest procedure in such a case is to combine relationships in a single
individual； and the most self…evident person to select for the dual capacity
is the husband of the eldest daughter。 This is the course pursued。 Some
worthy young man is secured as spouse for the senior sister； he is at the
same time formally taken in as a son by the family whose cognomen he
assumes； and eventually becomes the head of the house。 Strange to say；
this vista of gradually unfolding honors does not seem to prove inviting。
Perhaps the new…comer objects to marrying the whole family； a prejudice
not without parallel elsewhere。 Certainly the opportunity is not
appreciated。 Indeed； to 〃go out as a son…in…law；〃 as the Japanese idiom
hath it； is considered demeaning to the matrimonial domestic。 Like other
household help he wears too patently the badge of servitude。 〃If you have
three koku of rice to your name； don't do it；〃 is the advice of the local
proverba proverb whose warning against marrying for money is the more
suggestive for being launched in a land where marrying for love is beyond
the pale of respectability。 To barter one's name in this mercenary manner
is looked upon as derogatory to one's self…respect； although； as we have
seen； to part with it for any less direct remuneration is not attended with
the slightest loss of personal prestige。 As practically the unfortunate had
none to lose in either event； it would seem to be a case of taking away
from a man that which he hath not。 So contumacious a thing is custom。
It is indeed lucky tha
