First surprises--The Japanese capital on a dreary winter morning--General aspect of the city--Artistic disappointments --Sights of Yeddo--The famous Shogun graves--"Tories" and pagodas--Natural beauties of the capital--Artistic qualities --The Katsura-no-Rikyu Palace--The school of the aesthetics --The world seen from the Tsuki-mi-dai--Actual characteristics --Numbers and activity--Railways--Shipping--Electric companies--Telegraphs and telephones--Modern institutions-- Schools--University--Public library--Printing offices-- Students and their work--Brain power and technical skill-- Commercial museum--The capital at work 275 XII THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS OF JAPAN AT THE YEDDO PALACE Tokio buried in snow--Black and white effects--The Imperial grounds--Avenues of cryptomerea--The Yeddo Palace--The home of the Mikado--Disappointments--Modern transformations-- Western comfort and Japanese art--Private apartments-- The Mikado--His Majesty's appearance--A long conversation-- The Empress--A sincere interest in European topics-- Education and charitable work--The Japanese woman--Her sense of duty--The virtue of self-abnegation--The great halls-- A Lilliputian garden--National taste and aesthetics 300 XIII JAPAN AND CHINA ON THE THRESHOLD OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY I: JAPAN. The Yellow Peril--Power of assimilation in discipline--Bushido--Dr. Nitobe's description of its origin: its great principles, justice, courage and honour-- Hara-kiri--Kataki-ushi--The conventional smile--Sanctity of the Mikado--Reverence for the sword--National influence of Bushido--The Soul of the Nation--Christianity and Shintoism --Western veneer. II: CHINA. Contrast to Japan--The Chinese Coolie-- Resourcefulness--Feeling against Chinese labour--Trustworthy traders--Guilds and clubs--Music--Culture--Art-- Chan-chi-tung--His work and writings--Chinese views of Western ideas--Government and public opinion--China and European politics--Dissimilarity of Chinese and Japanese-- Europe and the yellow races--Transformation in Japan-- Chinese national inclinations--The progressive party-- Yuan-chi-kai--Fashions and home-life--Chinese Christians-- Education--The Chinaman's ideal--Ignorance and prejudice 313 XIV CONCLUSION After the war--Peace negotiations of Portsmouth-- M. de Witte and Komura--National feelings--Japanese diplomatic triumph 381 INDEX 391 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS MONSIGNOR THE COUNT VAY DE VAYA AND LUSKOD _Frontispiece_ TO FACE PAGE LE PALAIS ANGLAIS 4 H.I.M. THE EMPRESS OF RUSSIA 6 H.I.M. NICHOLAS II, EMPEROR OF RUSSIA 12