ABSTRACT
BEAUTY IN JAPAN ever he observed was a part of the one world of life and motion. Not even did domestic animals enjoy a superior advantage. But it is not true that animals were observed for what they were, and never, as with us, as symbols. Indeed, many animals, like the majestic lotus flower among plants, have almost faded into symbolism. The stork and turtle woven into the child's garment are emblems of long life, the object of the parent's hopes for the child. The bent vertebra: of the lobster is a symbol of the bent back of old age. The tai, or bream, is a sign of congratulation, and is presented as a token on congratulatory occasions. The dragon is mythical, as is the phrenix and the turtle with a bushy tail.
