Kojiki
From SamuraiWiki
- Completed: 712 A.D.
- Japanese: 古事記
The Kojiki springs from an edict by Emperor Temmu to correct errors in provincial family records. Robert Ebersole, however, believs this was a way to mask the Imperial court's desire to gather provincial records that disagreed with the Tenno-centered ideology being created.
Temmu commanded a lowly court aristocrat, Hieda no Are, to memorize two texts, the Sumera mikoto no hitsugi (geneology; Philippi notes that this may be the same as the Senki and Teiki) and the Saki no yo no furugoto (stories; Philippi notes that this may be the same as the Kuji/Sendai Kuji and the Honji). It seems that the project to use these--and other texts, such as the Kuji, Honji, Senki, and Teiki, which could have been the same as the aforementioned texts--was left by the wayside when Temmu died in 686.
In 711, Empress Gemmei picked up where Temmu had left off. She ordered Ô no Yasumaro to work with Hieda no Are to complete the neglected work. It had been at least 25 years since Hieda no Are had began his memorization task--a remarkable period of time. The Kojiki was handed over to Empress Gemmei four months later in 712.
The Kojiki sports what is often called a linguistic hybrid. Man'yôgana is utilized to represent Japanese sounds with Chinese characters. Philippi notes that geneology is strictly Chinese, while stories and verbatim dialogue is in Japanese.
The Kojiki stretches from the mythological beginnings of the Japanese islands to the rule of Empress Suiko.
Contents |
Chapter Breakdown
As ancient Japanese names tended to be very long, the following standard is being created and used. For those names that are easily readable at their length without dashes, the dashes have been left out. For those that are too long to be readable without dashes, dashes have been put in where precedent has had them placed--usually after every syllable. Therefore, one can read each and every following name with or without the dashes. They have only been added for reader clarity.
Preface
The Preface uses a long series of Chinese-style quotes and sayings to recap the Imperial Line's glorious history, up until Emperor Temmu's rule. It makes numerous references to Japanese rulers being superior to Chinese Emperors. The preface is written, when discussing the history of the Kojiki's compilation, in first person, with Ô no Yasumaro as the narrator.
Emperor Temmu is shown as a wise ruler wishing for understanding and clarity. He takes upon himself the task of fixing the ancient texts that had been found with errors. Commanding Hieda no Are (who was very young--only 28 years old), a low courtier, to memorize the Sumera mikoto no hitsugi and the Saki no yo no furugoto.
The Kojiki then makes a jump to Empress Gemmei's rule (she was the daughter of Temmu, ruling after Empress Jitô and Emperor Mommu), stating that the work had fallen by the wayside. Luckily, however, Gemmei is supposed to be a righteous ruler who knows heaven's intent. She is disgusted at the textual errors and, in 711, commands Yasumaro to collaborate with Hieda no Are to finish the Kojiki.
Yasumaro then comments on the writing style of the Kojiki--on the combination of Chinese and Japanese that is described above as a hybrid. He says that it would be difficult to accurately represent the original meanings in Chinese, but if written purely in Japanese, the document would reach great lengths. Therefore, a linguistic compromise has been made.
The preface closes with a listing of what each of the three subsequent books within the Kojiki cover. Lastly, he dates the presentation of the text as the 28th day of the first month of 712 AD. He then signs the text as Asomi Ô no Yasumaro, an aristocrat bearing the "upper fifth rank and fifth order of merit" by Philippi's translation.
Book One
Chapter One
The Kojiki makes no mention as to how heaven and earth were created--only mentions them as having a beginning.
In Takamanohara (roughly, "heaven"; contrasted with "earth" and the "netherworld"), the following three deities were the first to exist: Ame no Minakanushi no Kami, Takamimusubi no Kami, and Kamimusubi no Kami.
Next, Umashi-ashi-kabi-hiko-ji no Kami and Ame no Tokotachi no Kami.
Chapter One closes by categorizing the above kami as "Separate Heavenly Deities" (Koto-ama-tsu-kami), by Philippi's translation.
Chapter Two
Chapter two is a listing of what Philippi translates as "The Seven Generations of the Age of the Gods" (Kami Yo Nana Yo). These kami are, in order:
- Kuni no Tokotachi no Kami
- Toyokumono no Kami
- Uhijini no Kami
- Suhijini no Kami
- Tsunogui no Kami
- Ikugui no Kami
- Ôtonoji no Kami
- Ôtonobe no Kami
- Omodaru no Kami
- Ayakashikone no Kami
- Izanagi no Kami
- Izanami no Kami.
Chapter Three
Chapter Three may be the most familiar to those concerning early Japanese mythology. The kami from Chapter One (Philippi doubts if this reference includes those from Chapter Two) order Izanagi and Izanami to descend and give form to the shifting, liquid face of the earth.
They were then given the Ame no Nuboko (Philippi translates this as the "Heavenly Jeweled Spear"), with which they stirred the earth's liquid form from their standing ground on the Ame no Ukihashi ("Heavenly Floating Bridge", by Philippi).
Dropping down from the spear, a collection of muck landed back down on the earth in the form of Onogoro Island. Philippi makes a note on p. 50n that this island is believed to be close to today's Ôsaka Bay. This is very possible, being that Awaji Island and other locations mentioned in chapters soon to be discussed are in the same vicinity.
Chapter Four
After coming down to Onogoro Island, the couple created an Ame no Mihashira ("Heavenly Pillar", by Philippi) and Yahirodono ("Spacious Palace", by Philippi).
Izanagi, the male, asks Izanami, the female, if they could join as one to bear children. Izanami agrees, and they walk around the Heavenly Pillar to meet on the other side. Izanagi takes the path to the left of the Pillar, Izanami the right.
Upon meeting, Izanami begins what can only be believed to be an ancient wedding ritual; she is chastised, however, by Izanagi for speaking before him, the male.
Izanagi quickly overlooks the error and joins with Izanami. Strangely, what is born first is translated by philippi as a "leech child". This strange "leech-child" is sent down a river in a makeshift boat. This leech child is identified later as the kami of Ebisu[1]. Next, Awa island. Both of these are discarded as illegitimate "children", however; the reason seems to be because of the error in the wedding ceremony, mentioned above.
Chapter Five
Distraught over their deformed child, they returned to Takamanohara and asked the kami that had previously seen them off what had happened. Philippi expounds on the simple mention of "divination" in the text, explaining that a style of divination in which the cracks in a deer's fired scapula were read, the kami realized that the error in the pillar-ceremony had caused the deformation.
Returning to earth, Izanagi and Izanami repeated the ritual, this time with Izanagi correctly speaking first.
Chapter Six
The islands conceived from the second attempt are listed as following:
- Awaji no Ho no Sa-wake no Shima
- Also called Awaji Island
- Iyo Island (four regions therein)--also called Iyo no Futana no Shima
- Iyo, a region within Iyo Island, is also called Ehime
- Sanuki, within Iyo, is also called Iiyori-hiko
- Awa, within Iyo, is also called Ôgetsu-hime
- Tosa, within Iyo, is also called Takeyoriwake
- Oki Island --also called Oki no Mitsugo no Shima
- Also called Ame no Oshikorowake
- Tsukushi Island (four regions therein) Tsukushi no Shima
- Tsukushi, a region within Tsukushi Island, is also called Shirahiwake
- Toyokuni is also called Toyohiwake
- Hi is also called Take-hi-mukai-toyo-kuji-hi-ne-wake
- Kumaso is also called Takehiwake
- Iki Island Iki no Shima
- Also called Amehitotsuhashira/Amehitotsubashira
- Tsushima Island
- Also called Ame no Sadeyori-hime
- Sado Island was birthed next (Sado no Shima)
- Ô-yamato-toyo-aki-tsushima/Ô-yamato-toyo-aki-zushima (Honshû)
- Also called Ama-tsu-mi-sora-toyo-aki-tsu-ne-wake
The above eight islands are referred to as Ôyashimaguni. Refer to Alternate historical names for Japan to see the kanji and more details concerning this term.
Continuing, Izanagi and Izanami birthed:
- Kibi no Kojima
- Also called Takehikatawake
- Azuki Island
- Also called Ônode-hime
- Ôshima
- Also called Ôtamaruwake
- Himejima
- Also called Amehitotsune
- Chika no Shima
- Also called Ame no Oshio
- Futago no Shima
- Also called Amefutaya
Chapter Seven
Izanagi and Izanami birth many various kami that dwell on earth, as compared to those that dwell in Takamanohara. The kami were as follows:
- Ôkoto-oshi-O no Kami
- Iwatsuchi-hiko no Kami
- Iwasuhime no Kami
- Ôtohiwake no Kami
- Ame no Fuki-O no Kami
- Ôyahiko no Kami
- Kazamotsuwake no Oshi-O no Kami
- Ôwatatsumi no Kami
- Haya-akitsuhiko no Kami
- Haya-akitsuhime no Kami (the above's wife)
Haya-akitsuhiko and Haya-akitsuhime no Kami had dominion over oceans, rivers, and similar sources of water.
These two created the following kami:
- Awanagi no Kami
- Awanami no Kami
- Tsuranagi no Kami
- Tsuranami no Kami
- Ame no Mikumari no Kami
- Kuni no Mikumari no Kami
- Ame no Kuhizamochi no Kami
- Kuni no Kuhizamochi no Kami
Back to Izanagi and Izanami, they created the following kami:
- Shinatsuhiko no Kami (wind kami)
- Kuku no Chi no Kami (tree kami)
- Ôyamatsumi no Kami (mountain kami)
- Kaya no Hime no Kami/Nozuchi no Kami (plains kami)
Ôyamatsumi no Kami and Kaya no Hime no Kami/Nozuchi no Kami created the following kami:
- Ame no Sazuchi no Kami
- Kuni no Sazuchi no Kami
- Ame no Sagiri no Kami
- Kuni no Sagiri no Kami
- Ame no Kurado no Kami
- Kuni no Kurado no Kami
- Ôtomatohiko no Kami
- Ôtomatohime no Kami
Back to Izanagi and Izanami, they created the following kami:
- Tori no Iwakusufune no Kami/Ame no Torifune no Kami
- Ôgetsuhime no Kami
- Hi no Yagihaya-O no Kami/Hi no Kagahiko no Kami/Hi no Kagutsuchi no Kami
Because this last kami (Hi no Yagihaya-O no Kami/Hi no Kagahiko no Kami/Hi no Kagutsuchi no Kami) was the fire kami, Izanami died.
However, in her dying throes, various kami were produced through her bodily fluids and discharges.
- Vomit
- Kanayamahiko no Kami
- Kanayamahime no Kami
- Feces
- Haniyasuhiko no Kami
- Haniyasuhime no Kami
- Urine
- Mitsuha no Me no Kami
- Wakumusubi no Kami
- Wakumusubi no Kami later gave birth to Toyoukehime no Kami
Grieving, another kami was born of Izanagi's tears:
- Nakisawame no Kami (who is described as living near Mount Kagu)
The chapter closes with Izanagi burying Izanami at Mount Hiba, located between the Izumo and Hôki regions[2].
Chapter Eight
Naming Conventions Within the Kojiki
The following is taken from Philippi's biographical dictionary in his translation of the Kojiki.
- Iratsume
- English: lady
- Hime
- English: princess
- Miko
- English: prince
- Ushi/Nushi
- English: master
- Hikone
- English: young prince
- ~o/~wo
- English: suggests male gender
- Example: Susa no O/Susa no wo: Younger brother of Amaterasu Omikami
- English: suggests male gender
- Tome/Tobe/Dome
- English: term given in names of aristocratic women or female chieftains
- Ône and Sukune
- English: these are given to names of legitimate heirs of rulers
- Matane and Tarine
- English: given to names of descedants not directly in the ruler's line, such as a nephew
- ~Aso
- English: lord
- Iri-bime/Iri-biko
- English: may mean princes/princess adopted into a family
- ~Mimi
- English: added to names to imply said person ruled a region
- Mori
- English: attached to names to signify rulership
Romaji Issues
| Ancient | Modern (B) | Modern (M) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ye | E | |||
| Si | Shi | |||
| Tu | Tsu | |||
| Ti | Chi | |||
| We | E | |||
| Wi | I | |||
| Wo | O | |||
| Zi | Ji | |||
| Du | Zu (づ) | |||
| Di | Ji (ぢ) | |||
| Pa | Ha | Wa | ||
| Pi | Hi | I | ||
| Pu | Fu | U | ||
| Pe | He | E | ||
| Po | Ho | O | ||
| This is most helpful to readers of Philippi's version, but Aston's Nihongi is also benefitted. Above, (B) stands for the beginning of a word, while (M) represents the sound in the middle of a word. They are distinctly different. This information has been adapted from charts and information provided in Philippi's introduction, pages 24-25. Caution: this system does not always hold true for all examples. | ||||
Notes
- ↑ Aoki, Michiko Y. "Ancient Myths and Early History of Japan." New York: Exposition Press. Page 120.
- ↑ Philippi, Donald (trans). "Kojiki". Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press. Page 559
Sources
- Donald Philippi, trans., Kojiki
- Cambridge History of Japan Volume One: Ancient Japan
- 大多元。もう一度学びたい古事記と日本書紀. 東京：西東社。
- Gen, Tada. Mou ichido manabitai Kojiki to Nihon Shoki. Tokyo: Saitousha.
- The original text (in modernized kanji) with a few notes can be found in html format here [1],[2], [3].
Purchase Links
ISBN 0860083209 (Philippi's translation)
ISBN 0804836752 (Chamberlain's translation)