Robbobrob Posted June 6, 2007 Share Posted June 6, 2007 "...and bathe rarely." This made me laugh and laugh. His attention to detail is wonderful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jun Posted June 6, 2007 Author Share Posted June 6, 2007 "...and bathe rarely." This made me laugh and laugh. His attention to detail is wonderful. The fact is that the Portuguese, English and Spanish rarely bathed. They would in fact go for months without washing. This was seen as extremely unhealthy and barbaric by the Japanese who have a strong abhorrence for anything dirty, they are well known for their cleanliness and personal hygene. It was well known that the "southern barbarians" disliked baths and ate with their hands, often sharing from the same plate. To the Japanese these things were seen as barbaric, hence the term for foreigners - barbarians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garnet Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 These translations are awesome, Jun. It's rather startling to me to read these objections to Christianity written so long ago by a man from a completely different culture from mine yet they hold so true today. My I also have a copy when you are finished? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCRoyWatson Posted June 7, 2007 Share Posted June 7, 2007 "...and bathe rarely." This made me laugh and laugh. His attention to detail is wonderful. The fact is that the Portuguese, English and Spanish rarely bathed. They would in fact go for months without washing. [emphases mine] PHEW!! -- I spent some time in Japan a few years back, and while I didn't get to the northern regions, the southern parts can get pretty hot in the summer. To put it in a US analogy, Tokyo is at about the same latitude as Raleigh, North Carolina. Kyoto (the capital back in the 1600s, IIRC) is a few degrees warmer still, at about the same latitude at Chattanooga, Tennessee. Just walking around outside in July is a nice way to get a little sunburn and work up a sweat. Fortunately, modern Japan has very few true Christians. Jun -- If you don't mind adding one person person to the list, I'd like a copy too. Thanks. - Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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