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法学0904班张鹤玲王颖Witheconomic,culturalandreligiousinfluencefromneighboringAsianstates,Japanhasproducedauniquecultureofitsown.Nowlet’senjoythecharm(魅力)ofJapanesecultureandlookatsomeofitspopularicons.InJapanese,thecherryiscalled”Sakura”,whichisgenerallybelievedtobeacorruptionoftheword“Sakura”(blooming)fromthenameofPrincessKono-Hana-Sakura-Hime.Thislongnamemeans“tree-flowers-boomingprincess”,forthecherrywassowell-knowninthoseearlydaysinJapanthattheflowermeantnothingbutcherry.Theprincesswassonamedbecause,itissaid,shefellfromheavenuponacherrytree.ThecherryblossomistheflowerofflowerstoJapanesepeople.Itsymbolizestheirnationalcharacter.Thisisbecausethelifeofasamurai(日本武士)offeudaltimeswasproverbially（众所周知）comparedtotheshort-livedcherryblossomsthatlast”nomorethanthreedays”,forasamuraiwasalwaysreadytosacrificehislifeforthesakeofhismaster.Anothermeaningis“whatthecherryisamongflowersisthesamuraiamongmen”.TheJapaneseareveryproudoftheirSakura.Ofallflowers,thecherryblossomsappealmosttotheaesthetictasteof（审美品位）theJapanesepeople.TheJapanesepeopleareneversojubilant(欢欣雀跃),cheerful,optimisticandyouthfulastheyareatthetimeof”Sakura”blossom.InmountainousJapan,mostofthemountainsarepartofmountainranges.Mt.Fuji,however,soarsintotheskyalone.Locatedalmostinthecenterofthecountry,thiswell-proportionedcone-shapedmountainhasbeenworshipedbytheJapanesepeoplesinceancienttimes,andisawell-knownsymbolofJapaninothercountries.ThehighestpeakinJapan(3,776meters),Mt.Fuji,isarelativelyyoungvolcano.Themountainissaidtohaveoccurredin1707.Foralmost300yearssincethen,Mt.Fujihasbeenquietandretaineditsrarelynoblefigure,butsomeexpertssaythatitwillsurelyawakeagain.Mt.Fujihasdifferentviews,changingwiththeseasonsandevenasthetimeflowsduringaday.Viewsfromdifferentviewpointsgivedifferentimpressions.Inwinter,itiscoveredwithpurewhitesnow.Insummer,itsbluishtorso(躯干）wearsadelicatecrownofsnowandstandsinthemist.ThisMt.Fujiisbeautifulandmagic,isn’tit?ThewordGeishaisderivedfrom“Gei”,whichinJapaneseperformanceorentertainer,and“sha”,whichmeans“person”,anddatesback400yearsagototheEdoperiod（江户时代）.DuringthisperiodtheGeishaentertainedatbanquetsandsocialgatheringsbyplayingShamise(日本三弦琴),singing,andgivingdanceperformances.Thereisoftenamisconception（误解）bysomethatGeishaareprostitutes（娼妓）,butnothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruthGeishaarerefinedandculturedgirlsandwomanwhoarehighlytrainedinavarietyoftraditionalskills.BesidesplayingShamisen（日本三弦琴）,singing,anddancing,theGeishaperformtheJapaneseteaceremony,andarewellversed(精通的)intheartofconversation.ManylearntospeakEnglishtoentertainWesternguests.ThetraininginvolvedinbecomingaGeishaisveryrigorous（严格的）,andbecauseofthisthenumbersofGeishaaredeclining.TodayinJapanesehotelsandrestaurantsGeishastillentertainatbanquetsandsocializewithguests,andtheroleoftheGeishainJapanesesocietyisalwaysasourceofcuriosityfortourists.TheManekiNekoisafigureofJapanesetraditionalthatwelcomesguests,customers,luck,andwealth.“ManekiNeko”means“beckoning（召唤）cat”intheJapaneselanguage.Hisimageusuallyfacesthedoornearthemainentrance.Withaleftpawraisedhewelcomesguestsandcustomers.Witharightpawraisedhewelcomeswealthorluck.Traditionsdifferonwhetherthecatisamaleorfemale,butManekiNekoisalwaysdepictedasafriendlyfigure.Thescrollhecarriesbearsthecongenial(和蔼的)message.“Pleasecomein.Youarewelcomes!”TherearemanystoriesaboutManekiNeko.Oneofthemostpopularisthatthecatinatempleoncesavedalord（领主）withraisingapawtotellhimthedanger.SoJapanesebelievewherethereisManekiNeko,thereiswealth,luck,andwelcomes.