User:Immanuelle/sandbox/The Sujin Religious Revolution

Note that this page was mostly not written by me so the page history is more important

After the reign of Emperor Jimmu, there is very little information about the next eight emperors

1. Emperor Suizei

2. Emperor Annei

3. Emperor Itoku

4. Emperor Kōshō

5. Emperor Kōan

6. Emperor Kōrei

7. Emperor Kōgen

8. Emperor Kaika

These Emperors are often called the Kesshi Hachidai ("欠史八代, "eight generations lacking history").

The Nihon Shoki elevates the "tenth" emperor Sujin, recording that he was called the Hatsu-Kuni-Shirasu ("御肇国: first nation-ruling) emperor.

Some researchers believe that these eight Emperors were completely invented, and that either Sujin was the immediate successor of Jimmu, or that Jimmu was a mythical figure and Sujin was the first real Emperor.

Sujin
The beginning of the Sujin myth establishes that both Amaterasu and Yamato Okunitama are both worshipped together in the great hall of the Imperial Palace.

The identity of Yamato Okunitama is rather unclear. He has been at times identified with Ōmononushi or Ōkuninushi, or considered a separate Kami.

The Nihon Shoki identifies Omononushi as the Mitama of Okuninushi.

This implies an arrangement of Amaterasu and Okuninushi sharing the top role in the pantheon, either as equals or as one second to the other. This will support the arguments made by Izumo Taisha centuries later.

Historical figure


Emperor Sujin (崇神天皇), also known as Mimakiirihikoinie no Mikoto (御眞木入日子印恵命) in the Kojiki, and Mimakiiribikoinie no Sumeramikoto (御間城入彦五十瓊殖天皇) or Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto (御肇國天皇) in the Nihon Shoki was the tenth Emperor of Japan. While Sujin is the first emperor whose existence historians widely accept, he is still referred to as a "legendary emperor" due to a lack of information available and because dates for his reign vary. Both the Kojiki, and the Nihon Shoki (collectively known as the Kiki) record events that took place during Sujin's alleged lifetime. This legendary narrative tells how he set up a new shrine outside of the Imperial palace to enshrine Amaterasu. He is also credited with initiating the worship of Ōmononushi (equated with the deity of Mount Miwa), and expanding his empire by sending generals to four regions of Japan in what became known as the legend of Shidō shogun.

This Emperor's reign is conventionally assigned the years of 97 BC – 30 BC. During his alleged lifetime, he fathered twelve children with a chief wife (empress) and two consorts. Sujin chose his future heir based on dreams two of his sons had; in this case, his younger son became Emperor Suinin upon Sujin's death in 30 BC. Like other emperors of this period, the location of Sujin's grave if it exists is unknown. He is traditionally venerated at the Andonyama kofun in Tenri, Nara.

While Emperor Sujin is the first emperor whom historians state might have actually existed, he is not confirmed as an actual historical figure. Like his predecessors, his reign is disputed due to insufficient material available for further verification and study. Sujin's possible lifespan has been suggested to be as early as the 1st century AD, to as late as the fourth century AD, this is well past his conventionally assigned reign of 97 BC – 30 BC. Like Emperor Kōshō, Emperor Kōrei, and Emperor Kaika, historian Louis Frédéric notes an idea in his book Japan Encyclopedia that Sujin could have lived in the 1st century (AD). This remains disputed though, especially among researchers who have been critical of his book. If Sujin did in fact exist, then he may have been the founder of the Yamato dynasty. Historian Richard Ponsonby-Fane suggests that Sujin may have been the first emperor to perform a census and establish and regularize a system of taxation.

In either case (fictional or not), the name Sujin-tennō was assigned to him posthumously by later generations. His name might have been regularized centuries after the lifetime ascribed to Sujin, possibly during the time in which legends about the origins of the Yamato dynasty were compiled as the chronicles known today as the Kojiki. Sujin's longevity was also written down by later compilers, who may have unrealistically extended his age to fill in time gaps. While the actual site of Sujin's grave is not known, the Emperor is traditionally venerated at the Andonyama kofun in Tenri, Nara. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as the kofun (tumulus), and its formal name is  Yamanobe no michi no Magari no oka no e no misasagi''. Sujin's kofun is one of six that are present in the area; the mounds are thought to have built sometime between 250 and 350 AD.

Outside of the Kojiki, the reign of Emperor Kinmei (Circa – 571 AD) is the first for which contemporary historiography is able to assign verifiable dates. The conventionally accepted names and dates of the early Emperors were not confirmed as "traditional" though, until the reign of Emperor Kanmu between 737 and 806 AD. The lineal ancestor of the current reigning emperor can be traced back to Emperor Kōkaku, who lived a thousand years later.

Consorts and children
Empress: Mimaki-hime (御間城姫), Prince Ōhiko's daughter Consort: Tootsuayumemaguwashi-hime (遠津年魚眼眼妙媛), Kii no Arakahatobe's daughter Consort: Owari-no-ōama-hime (尾張大海媛), Prince Tatehiroshinabi's daughter
 * Third Son: Prince Ikumeirihikoisachi (活目入彦五十狭茅尊), later Emperor Suinin
 * Prince Hikoisachi (彦五十狭茅命)
 * Princess Kunikata-hime (国方姫命)
 * Princess Chichitsukuyamato-hime (千千衝倭姫命)
 * Prince Yamatohiko (倭彦命)
 * Princess Ika-hime (伊賀比売命)
 * Prince Toyokiirihiko (豊城入彦命) ancestor of Keno Clan (毛野君)
 * Toyosukiiri-hime (豊鍬入姫命), first Saiō
 * Prince Ōiriki (大入杵命), ancestor of Noto no kuni no Miyatsuko (能登国造)
 * Prince Yasakairihiko (八坂入彦命)
 * Nunaki-iri-hime (渟名城入媛命)
 * Princess Toochiniirihime (十市瓊入媛命)

Enshrinement in Ise
An anecdote concerning Emperor Sujin relates that Amaterasu (via the Yata-no-Kagami and the Kusanagi sword) and Yamato-no-Okunitama, the tutelary deity of Yamato, were originally worshipped in the great hall of the imperial palace. When a series of plagues broke out during Sujin's reign, he "dreaded [...] the power of these Gods, and did not feel secure in their dwelling together." He thus entrusted the mirror and the sword to his daughter Toyosukiiri-hime (豊鍬入姫命), who brought them to the village of Kasanuhi, and she would become the first Saiō. and delegated the worship of Yamato-no-Okunitama to another daughter, Nunakiirihime. When the pestilence showed no sign of abating, he then performed divination, which revealed the plague to have been caused by Ōmononushi, the god of Mount Miwa. When the god was offered proper worship as per his demands, the epidemic ceased.

During the reign of Sujin's son and successor, Emperor Suinin, custody of the sacred treasures were transferred from Toyosukiirihime to Suinin's daughter Yamatohime, who took them first to "Sasahata in Uda" to the east of Miwa. Heading north to Ōmi, she then eastwards to Mino and proceeded south to Ise, where she received a revelation from Amaterasu:

"Now Ama-terasu no Oho-kami instructed Yamato-hime no Mikoto, saying:—"The province of Ise, of the divine wind, is the land whither repair the waves from the eternal world, the successive waves. It is a secluded and pleasant land. In this land I wish to dwell." In compliance, therefore, with the instruction of the Great Goddess, a shrine was erected to her in the province of Ise. Accordingly an Abstinence Palace was built at Kaha-kami in Isuzu. This was called the palace of Iso. It was there that Ama-terasu no Oho-kami first descended from Heaven."

This account serves as the origin myth of the Grand Shrine of Ise, Amaterasu's chief place of worship. Later, when Suinin's grandson Prince Ousu (also known as Yamato Takeru) went to Ise to visit his aunt Yamatohime before going to conquer and pacify the eastern regions on the command of his father, Emperor Keikō, he was given the divine sword to protect him in times of peril. It eventually came in handy when Yamato Takeru was lured onto an open grassland by a treacherous chieftain, who then set fire to the grass to entrap him. Desperate, Yamato Takeru used the sword to cut the grass around him (a variant in the Shoki has the sword miraculously mow the grass of its own accord) and lit a counter-fire to keep the fire away. This incident explains the sword's name ("Grass Cutter"). On his way home from the east, Yamato Takeru – apparently blinded by hubris – left the Kusanagi in the care of his second wife, Miyazuhime of Owari, and went to confront the god of Mount Ibuki on his own. Without the sword's protection, he fell prey to the god's enchantment and became ill and died afterwards. Thus the Kusanagi stayed in Owari, where it was enshrined in the shrine of Atsuta.

Legendary narrative
The Japanese have traditionally accepted this sovereign's historical existence, and a kofun (tumulus) for Sujin is currently maintained. There remains no conclusive evidence though that supports this historical figure actually reigning. The following information available is taken from the pseudo-historical Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, which are collectively known as Kiki (記紀) or Japanese chronicles. These chronicles include legends and myths, as well as potential historical facts that have since been exaggerated and/or distorted over time. The records state that Sujin was born sometime in 148 BC, and was the second son of Emperor Kaika. Sujin's mother was Ikagashikome no Mikoto, who was also a concubine of Sujin's grandfather Emperor Kōgen. Before he was enthroned sometime in 97 BC, his pre-ascension name was either Prince Mimakiirihikoinie no Mikoto, Mimakiiribikoinie no Sumeramikoto, or Hatsukunishirasu Sumeramikoto. The former name is used in the Kojiki, while the latter two are found in the Nihon Shoki. Sujin was enthroned sometime in 97 BC, and during the 3rd year of his reign it is the recorded that he moved the capital to Shiki (磯城), naming it the Palace of Mizu-gaki or Mizugaki-no-miya (瑞籬宮).

Enshrining Ōmononushi (Miwa Myōjin)
The Kiki records that pestilence struck during the 5th year of Sujin's rule, killing half the Japanese population. The following year peasants abandoned their fields and rebellion became rampant. To help relieve the suffering of his people, the Emperor turned his attention towards the gods. At the time, both the sun goddess Amaterasu and the god Yamato Okunitama (倭大国魂神) were enshrined at the Imperial Residence. Sujin became overwhelmed with having to cohabit with these two powerful deities and set up separate enshrinements to house them. Amaterasu was moved to Kasanui village (笠縫邑) in Yamato Province (Nara), where a Himorogi altar was built out of solid stone. Sujin placed his daughter Toyosukiiri-hime (豊鍬入姫命) in charge of the new shrine, and she would become the first Saiō. Yamato-no-Okunitama (the other god) was entrusted to another daughter named Nunaki-iri-hime (渟名城入姫命), but her health began to fail shortly afterward. It is recorded that Nunakiiri-hime became emaciated after losing all of her hair, which rendered her unable to perform her duties. These events still did not alleviate the ongoing plague sweeping the empire, so Sujin decreed a divination to be performed sometime during the 7th year of his reign. The divination involved him making a trip to the plain of Kami-asaji or Kamu-asaji-ga-hara (神浅茅原), and invoking the eighty myriad deities.

Sujin's aunt Yamatototohimomoso-hime (倭迹迹日百襲媛命) (daughter of 7th Emperor Emperor Kōrei) acted as a miko, and was possessed by a god who identified himself as Ōmononushi. This god claimed responsibility for the plague, announcing that it would not stop until he was venerated. Although the Emperor propitiated to the god, the effects were not immediate. Sujin was later given guidance in the form of a dream to seek out a man named Ōtataneko (太田田根子) and appoint him as head priest. When he was found and installed, the pestilence eventually subsided, allowing five cereal crops to ripen. Out of an abundance of caution, the Emperor also appointed Ikagashikoo (伊香色雄) as kami-no-mono-akatsu-hito (神班物者), or one who sorts the offerings to the gods. To this day the Miwa sect of the Kamo clan claim to be descents from Ōtataneko, while Ikagashikoo was a claimed ancestor of the now extinct Mononobe clan.

Four Cardinal Quarters (Shidō shogun)
In his 10th year of rule, Sujin instituted four of his Generals to the Four Cardinal Quarters in what would be known as the Shidō shogun. These areas (west, north/northwest, northeast, and east) were all centered around the capital in Yamato Province. Sujin instructed his generals (shogun) to quell those who would not submit to their rule. One of the four shoguns who had been sent to the northern region was named Ōhiko (大彦), who was also Emperor Kōgen's first son. One day a certain maiden approached Ōhiko and sang him a cryptic song, only to disappear afterwards. Sujin's aunt Yamatototohimomoso-hime (倭迹迹日百襲媛命), who was skilled at clairvoyance, interpreted this to mean that Take-hani-yasu-hiko (Ōhiko's half brother) was plotting an insurrection. Yamatototohimomoso-hime pieced it together from overhearing news that Take-hani-yasu-hiko's wife (Ata-bime) came to Mount Amanokaguya (天香久山), and took a clump of earth in the corner of her neckerchief. Emperor Sujin gathered his generals in a meeting upon hearing the news, but the couple had already mustered troops to the west who were ready to attack the capital. The Emperor responded by sending an army under the command of general Isaseri-hiko no Mikoto to fight a battle that ended with a decisive Imperial victory. Ata-bime was killed in combat, and her husband fled back north. Sujin then sent general Hiko-kuni-fuku (彦国葺命) north to Yamashiro Province to punish the rebel prince. There was ultimately an exchange of bowshots that resulted in Take-hani-yasu-hiko's death by an arrow through the chest. Eventually the Emperor would appoint 137 governors for the provinces under his Imperial rule as the empire expanded. In his 12th year of rule, the Emperor decreed that a census be taken of the populace "with grades of seniority, and the order of forced labour". The tax system meanwhile was set up so taxes imposed were in the form of mandatory labor. These taxes were known as yuhazu no mitsugi (弭調) for men and tanasue no mitsugi (手末調) for women. During this period peace and prosperity ensued, and the Emperor received the title Hatsu kuni shirasu sumeramikoto (御肇国天皇).

Inariyama Sword
The Inariyama sword is believed to contain the name of Ōhiko (大彦) on it, indicating that he was in fact a real historical figure. He is considered the ancestor of the Abe clan.

This sword is considered to be the oldest existing piece of Japanese language writing. It uses the old Man'yōgana (万葉仮名) writing system that the Kojiki was written in.

In 1978, X-ray analysis revealed a gold-inlaid inscription consisting of at least 115 Chinese characters, and this text, written in Chinese, included Japanese personal names, which were written for names in a phonetic language. This sword is thought to have been made in the year 辛亥年 (471 AD in the commonly-accepted theory).

There is a strong possibility that the inscription of the Inariyama Sword may be written in a version of the Chinese language used in Baekje.

The inscription is in classical Chinese, but includes several Japanese proper names written using Chinese characters as syllabograms. The original inscription and translation (by Murayama Shichirō and Roy Andrew Miller) is as follows. Ohiko is rendfered as Öpö piko


 * Front
 * {| stype="border: 0"


 * 辛亥年七月中記 || Inscribed in the seventh lunar month of a xīn-hài year:
 * 乎獲居臣 || Wo wakë omi:
 * 上祖名意富比垝 || [his] remote ancestor's name, Öpö piko;
 * 其児多加利足尼 || his child's name, Takari tsukunie;
 * 其児名弖已加利獲居 || his child's name, Teyö kari wakë;
 * 其児名多加披次獲居 || his child's name, Takapatsï wakë;
 * 其児名多沙鬼獲居 || his child's name, Tasakï wakë;
 * 其児名半弖比 || his child's name, Pandepi;
 * }
 * 其児名弖已加利獲居 || his child's name, Teyö kari wakë;
 * 其児名多加披次獲居 || his child's name, Takapatsï wakë;
 * 其児名多沙鬼獲居 || his child's name, Tasakï wakë;
 * 其児名半弖比 || his child's name, Pandepi;
 * }
 * 其児名半弖比 || his child's name, Pandepi;
 * }
 * }


 * Reverse
 * {| stype="border: 0"


 * 其児名加差披余 || his child's name, Katsapaya;
 * 其児名乎獲居臣 || his child's name, Wo wakë omi.
 * 世々爲杖刀人首 || From generation unto generation, we have served as the sword-bearers' chiefs,
 * 奉事來至今 || down to the present time.
 * 獲加多支鹵大王寺在斯鬼宮時 || When the great king Waka Takiru's court was in the Sikï palace,
 * 吾左治天下 || I, assisting in the governance of the realm,
 * 令作此百練利刀 || caused to be fashioned this well-wrought efficacious sword,
 * 記吾奉事根原也 || recording my origins in service.
 * }
 * 獲加多支鹵大王寺在斯鬼宮時 || When the great king Waka Takiru's court was in the Sikï palace,
 * 吾左治天下 || I, assisting in the governance of the realm,
 * 令作此百練利刀 || caused to be fashioned this well-wrought efficacious sword,
 * 記吾奉事根原也 || recording my origins in service.
 * }
 * 記吾奉事根原也 || recording my origins in service.
 * }
 * }

Choosing an heir and Divine treasures
During the 48th year of Sujin's reign (50 BC), he summoned two of his sons saying that he loved them equally and could not make up his mind which to make his heir. He then asked his sons to describe the dreams they had recently, so he could divine their lot by interpreting them. The elder son's name was Toyoki (豊城命), and explained to his father that he dreamt of climbing Mt. Mimoro (Mount Miwa). While facing east, he said that he thrust his spear eight times and then waved his sword eight times skywards. The younger prince, whose name was Ikume (活目命) dreamt of climbing Mimoro and spanning ropes on four sides. He went on to say how he chased the sparrows that ate the millet. Sujin accordingly chose his younger son Ikume to become the next Crown prince, while his older son Toyoki was chosen to govern the east. Toyoki ultimately became the ancestor of the Kamitsuke and Shimotsuke clans.

In the 60th year of Sujin's reign (38 BC), Sujin told his ministers that he wanted to look at divine treasures brought from the heavens by Takehinateru (建比良鳥命) which were housed in the Izumo Shrine. Izumo Furune (出雲振根) was the keeper of the treasures, but at the time was away on business in Tsukushi Province. Furune's younger brother Izumo Iiirine (出雲飯入根), accommodated the Imperial Edict on his behalf by sending his two younger brothers as carriers of these treasures to show the Emperor. When Furune returned, he was furious at Iiirine for parting with the treasures. He invited his younger brother to wade in a pool (named Yamuya) with him, where he used a sword-swapping intrigue. Furune exchanged his own wooden sword with his brother's real sword and commenced a battle which ended with Iiirine's death. When the Imperial court received news of the event, they dispatched two generals to slay Izumo Furune.

Later reign and death
Towards the end of his reign in (36 BC), both the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki records indicate that Sujin started to encourage the building of artificial ponds and canals. During this time, Yosami pond (依網池) was built near Ōyosami Shrine (大依羅神社) in Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka. Sujin is also credited with building Sakaori pond (酒折池) which was said to be located in Karu (Kashihara, Nara). During his alleged lifetime, Sujin fathered twelve children with a chief wife (empress) and two consorts. When he died in 30 BC, his son Prince Ikumeirihikoisachi became the next emperor per Sujin's choice. Sujin's actual burial site is unknown, but is said to be at Mount Miwa.

Analysis
After the chaos of the reign of Emperor Sujin, the narrative of the Kiki establishes three independent sacredotal clans from the Imperial family


 * 1) Ichishi no Nagaochi ancestor of the Yamato clan and ruler of Oyamato Shrine
 * 2) He descends from the earlier Saonetsuhiko who helped Jimmu during his Eastern Expedition
 * 3) He founded Oyamato Shrine to worship Yamato Okunitama
 * 4) Otataneko ancestor of the Miwa clan and ruler of Omiwa Shrine
 * 5) His ancestry is unclear, but he is believed to descend from Okuninushi
 * 6) Omiwa Shrine is the oldest Shrine in Japan, it was built by Okuninushi when he was building Japan, and predates even Izumo Taisha which was built after Okuninushi finished and Ninigi arrived from heaven
 * 7) Ikagashikoo ancestor of the Mononobe clan and ruler of Isonokami Shrine
 * 8) His ancestry goes to Nigihayahi according to the Kujiki
 * 9) Isonokami Shrine existed beforehand and Futsu no Mitama was already its Shintai