fact, he may be said to have dictated laws to the empire, and moreover he was a declared patron of the Christians, though scarcely one of whom they could be proud, as his hands were stained with many crimes. It is related that when he had reared his famous castle, "he placed the Christian God [a crucifix?] on the top of the keep."[1] Significantly enough, the Japanese name for a "castle keep," tenshu, is identical in sound with the translation of the name of "God" adopted by Japanese Catholics. But whereas the latter is written with Chinese characters having a perfectly clear and appropriate meaning, namely 天主 literally "Lord of Heaven," a "castle keep" is written 天守 "heavenly protection," a transcription not particularly appropriate, which suggests the thought that it may have been hit on merely as an expedient to distinguish the later from the earlier acceptation of the term."[2] Once introduced, the new-fashioned castle architecture spread rapidly throughout the empire; for those were days of storm and stress. Christianity spread too, some of the southern Daimyos going so far in their zeal as to prohibit the exercise of any other religion, an act of
- ↑ According to another account, the first castle in the new style was that built by Matsunaga Hisahide, which Nobunaga improved upon. As Hisahide was a contemporary of Nobunaga's and likewise acquainted with some of the Jesuits, the result is much the same. At all events we may infer that then, as now, the imported European ideas were translated into practice with feverish haste.
- ↑ The etymology here given is that current among military men, and sanctioned by the authority of the principal native Japanese dictionaries. Some recent Japanese investigators have disputed its accuracy. They allege that, at that early stage of Japanese Christianity, the translation of "Ged" by the characters 天主 (Tenshu) had not yet been made, and they prefer to seek a Buddhist origin for the word 天守 (tenshu), "castle keep," suggesting that it may come by aphseresis from 梵天主 (Bontenshu), "Brahma's protection." To our mind, the coincidence of the two words at such a date is a circumstance to shake which would require weightier evidence than any yet adduced. In any case, the fact of Portuguese influence on Japanese castle architecture is disputed by none, though some attribute less importance to it than others. Details of plans, measurements, etc., were always kept secret as far as possible, making the subject peculiarly difficult of investigation at this distance of time, more especially in view of the strenuous endeavours of the government at Yedo to suppress all traditions of former foreign intercourse, and of the strong nationalist feeling which ran in the same direction for over two centuries.
