The coming of the gaijin to Rosuto-Shima changed the island in even greater ways than the division of the Empire. Along with their strange and savage ways, the gaijin have introduced technological devices, manipulating our dragon powder to fire hand-held weaponry, taking honor from the arts of combat and debasing the humanity of our people by turning us into mere machines. Their harsh languages and lack of understanding of art and poetry have turned many away from the proper traditions long established. No longer do we have an Emperor to offer up prayers and worship to Heaven and to the ancestral shrines. It is clear that the people of Rosuto-Shima must continue to provide offerings to their own ancestors, in hopes that the spirits might never become displeased with our ways.
It is clear from the patterns in the sky that the spirits are displeased. Through casting of bones and reading of stars, many of our wisest sages have felt unrest in the spirit world, as though the spirits are being denied passage to their final rest. A trend that began with the creation of the Clockwork Ronin continues not through the work of dark wizards, but through the negligence of the people of Rosuto-Shima.
What powers might come to the aid of the ancestral lands of Han? Dare we of Rosuto-Shima look to wizards, whose dark powers once rose a mechanical army against us? Do we seek guidance from the priests and monks, whose temples flood Chengti with a thousand thoughts and paths? Might the powers of the Juunishi-p'o, who follow the path of the wild spirit, or even the shadow arts of the Kabukika, whose plays are so popular in Shangti, come to our aid against the spirit world? Is there any truth in the rumor that Nikobo, the rare demon hunters, once again walk the island, protecting the people of Rosuto-Shima in secrecy?
As but a humble scholar, the realm of the spirits and the skills of those who manipulate the elements are beyond my understanding, but one thing is clear: if we of Rosuto-Shima abandon our ancestors, they are certain to abandon us.
* Editor's Note: This appendix is often removed from printed volumes of The Last Emperor, as so many scholars now feel that Quan Hong's fear of technology was firmly misplaced. The Chengti Classics edition is pleased to offer the text in its original placement, so that readers may decide for themselves whether Quan Hong's concerns were the rants of a traditionalist or words of warning that should be heeded in a time where supernatural occurrences have become more and more prevalent.
