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Part of the series on
Japanese mythology

Religions  · Divinities
Creatures & Spirits
Stories and Myths
Kojiki  · Kwaidan
Nihon Shoki  · Otogizōshi
Yotsuya Kaidan
Legendary Figures
Abe no Seimei  · Hidari Jingorō
Kintarō  · Kuzunoha  · Momotarō
Nezumi Kozō  · Tamamo-no-Mae
Tomoe Gozen  · Urashima Tarō
Sacred Objects
Amenonuhoko  · Kusanagi
Sesshō-seki  · Tonbogiri
Three Sacred Treasures
Mythical & Sacred Locations
Hōrai  · Mount Hiei
Mt. Fuji  · Rashōmon
Ryūgū-jō  · Suzakumon
Takamagahara  · Yomi
Japanese Mythology

The Nihon Shoki (日本書紀?), sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based Folk religion. The primary religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shintō (神道 " the way of the gods " This is a list of divinities native to Japanese beliefs and religious traditions The following is a list of Yōkai, Obake, Yūrei and other legendary creatures which are notable in Japanese folklore, Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based Folk religion. Kwaidan Stories and Studies of Strange Things (often abbreviated to Kwaidan) is a book by Lafcadio Hearn that features several Japanese refers to a group of approximately 350 Japanese prose narratives written primarily in the Muromachi period (1392-1573 Yotsuya Kaidan (四谷怪談 the story of Oiwa and Tamiya Iemon is a tale of betrayal murder and ghostly revenge. (921?-1005? was an onmyōji, a leading specialist of Onmyōdō during the middle of the Heian Period in Japan. was a Japanese artist sculptor and carpenter active from 1596-1644 is a Folk hero from Japanese folklore. A Child of superhuman strength he was raised by a mountain hag on Mount Ashigara. also written Kuzu-no-Ha, is the name of a popular Kitsune character in Japanese folklore. is a popular Hero from Japanese folklore. His name literally means Peach Tarō; as Tarō is a common Japanese boy's name it is often translated as Nezumi Kozō (鼠小僧 was the nickname of one Jirokichi (次郎吉 1797 - 1832 a Japanese thief who lived in Edo (present-day Tokyo) during Tamamo-no-Mae (玉藻の前 is a legendary figure in Japanese mythology. ( 1157 ?– 1247 ? was one of the few examples of a true female warrior samurai in all of Japanese history. The legend of is a Japanese Legend about a fisherman who rescues a Turtle and for this is rewarded with a visit to the Palace of the Dragon or The following is a list of sacred objects in Japanese mythology. is the name given to the naginata in Japanese mythology used to raise the primordial land-mass Onōgoro-shima, from the sea is a legendary Japanese Sword as important to Japan's history as Excalibur is to Britain's, and is one of three Imperial Regalia of Japan Tamamo-no-Mae (玉藻の前 is a legendary figure in Japanese mythology. The is one of three legendary Japanese spears created by the famed swordsmith Masazane said to be wielded by the Daimyo Honda Tadakatsu. The, also known as the Three Sacred Treasures, consist of the Sword, Kusanagi (草薙劍 the jewel or necklace of jewels is a mountain to the northeast of Kyoto city lying on the border between the Kyoto and Shiga prefectures Japan. is the highest Mountain in Japan at.An Active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08 it straddles the boundary of Shizuoka and was the gate built at the southern end of the monumental Suzaku Avenue in the ancient Japanese cities of Heijō-kyō ( Nara) and Heian-kyō In Japanese mythology, Ryūgū-jō (竜宮城/龍宮城 is the undersea palace of Ryūjin, the dragon god of the sea The was the main gate built in the center of south end of the imperial palaces in the Japanese ancient capitals of Fujiwara-kyō ( Kashihara) Heijō-kyō ( Takama-ga-hara (also Takaamahara Taka-no-amahara Takamanohara Takamagahara (高天原) literally "High Heaven's Plain" but often translated as the "High Plain of Heaven" Yomi (黄泉 the Japanese word for the underworld in which horrible creatures guard the exits according to Shinto mythology as related in Kojiki For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The written history of Japan begins with brief references in the 1st century AD Twenty-Four Histories, a collection of Chinese historical texts It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical record of ancient Japan. Archaeology, archeology, or archæology (from Greek grc ἀρχαιολογία archaiologia – grc ἀρχαῖος archaīos The Nihon Shoki was finished in 720 under the editorial supervision of Prince Toneri and with the assistance of Ōno Yasumaro. was a Japanese nobleman beaureaucrat and chronicler He may have been the son of Ō no Homuji (多品治 a participant in the Jinshin War of 672 The book is also called the Nihongi (日本紀).

Like the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki begins with a series of myths, but continues its account through to events of the 8th century. The word mythology (from the Greek grc μυθολογία mythología, meaning "a story-telling a legendary lore" The 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian / Common Era. It is believed to record accurately the latter reigns of Emperor Tenji, Emperor Temmu, and Empress Jitō. Emperor Tenji (天智天皇 Tenji-tennō) also known as Emperor Tenchi ( Tenchi-tennō) ( 626 - January 7, 672 (the 3rd Day of (c 631 - October 1 686) was the 40th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession (645 &ndash December 22 702 was the 41st imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession The Nihon Shoki focuses on the merits of the virtuous rulers as well as the errors of the bad rulers. The of Japan is the country's Monarch. He is the head of the Japanese Imperial Family. It describes episodes from mythological eras and diplomatic contacts with other countries. Japanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculture-based Folk religion. Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting Negotiations between representatives of groups or states The Nihon Shoki was written in classical Chinese, as was common for official documents at that time. Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of Written Chinese based on the Grammar and Vocabulary of ancient Chinese The Kojiki, on the other hand, is written in a combination of Chinese and phonetic transcription of Japanese (primarily for names and songs). The Nihon Shoki also contains numerous transliteration notes telling the reader how words were pronounced in Japanese.

Contents

Chapters

Process of compilation

Shoku Nihongi notes that "先是一品舎人親王奉勅修日本紀。至是功成奏上。紀三十巻系図一巻" in the part of May, 720. The is an imperially commissioned history of Japan written in the early Heian period Events By Place Asia The Nihon Shoki (日本書紀 one of the oldest history books in Japan, is completed It means "Up to that time, Prince Toneri had been compiling Nihongi on the orders of the emperor; he completed it, submitting 30 volumes of history and one volume of genealogy. " The volume of genealogy is no longer extant.

Contributors

The process of compilation is usually studied by stylistic analysis of each chapter. Although written in classical Chinese, some sections use styles characteristic of Japanese editors, while others seem to be written by native speakers of Chinese. According to recent studies, most of the chapters after #14 (Emperor Yūryaku chronicle) were contributed by native Chinese, except for Chapters 22 and 23 (the Suiko and Jomei chronicle). Also, as Chapter 13 ends with the phrase "see details of the incident in the chronicle of Ōhastuse(Yūryaku) Emperor" referring to the assassination of Emperor Ankō, it is assumed that this chapter was written after the compilation of subsequent chapters. Some believe Chapter 14 was the first to be completed.

References

The Nihon Shoki is said to be based on older documents, specifically on the records that had been continuously kept in the Yamato court since the sixth century. It also includes documents and folklore submitted by clans serving the court. Prior to Nihon Shoki, there were Tennōki and Kokki compiled by Prince Shōtoku and Soga no Umako, but as they were stored in Soga's residence, they were burned at the time of the Isshi Incident. alternatively known as Sumera Mikoto no Fumi, is a historical text purported to have been written in 620 by Shōtoku Taishi and Soga no Umako. alternatively known as Kuni tsu Fumi and literally meaning "National Record" is a historical text purported to have been written in 620 by Shōtoku Taishi also known as, was a Regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan. Soga no Umako (ja 蘇我馬子 551? - June 19, 626) the son of Soga no Iname and the strongest member of Soga clan of Japan, conducted The Isshi Incident ( Japanese: 乙巳の変 Isshi no hen) or the incident of 645, takes its name from the zodiological name of the year

The work's contributors refer to various sources which do not exist today. Among those sources, three Baekje documents(Kudara-ki,etc) are cited mainly for the purpose of recording diplomatic affairs. Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE or Paekche, was a kingdom located in southwest Korea [1]

Records possibly written in Baekje may have been the basis for the quotations in the Nihon Shoki. But textual criticism shows that scholars fleeing the destruction of the Baekje to Yamato wrote these histories and the authors of the Nihon Shoki heavily relied upon those sources. [2] This must be taken into account in relation to statements referring to old historic rivalries between the ancient Korean kingdoms of Silla, Goguryeo, and Baekje. Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. Silla (57 BC – 935 AD was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Goguryeo or Koguryo was an ancient Korean kingdom located in the northern and central parts of the Korean peninsula, southern Manchuria, and Baekje (18 BCE – 660 CE or Paekche, was a kingdom located in southwest Korea The use of Baekje's place names in Nihon Shoki is another piece of evidence that the history used Baekje documents.

Some other sources are cited anonymously as aru fumi (一書; other document), in order to keep alternative records for specific incidents.

Exaggeration of reign lengths

Most scholars agree that the purported founding date of Japan (660 BCE) and the earliest emperors of Japan are legendary or mythical. [3] This does not necessarily imply that the persons referred to did not exist, merely that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that they existed or can be assigned to a particular period of history. It is much more likely that they were chieftains, or local kings, and that the polities they ruled would not have encompassed all, or even most, of Japan.

For those monarchs, and also for the Emperors Ōjin and Nintoku, the lengths of reign are likely to have been exaggerated in order to make the origins of the imperial family sufficiently ancient to satisfy numerological expectations. or rather Ōjin ōkimi was the 15th imperial ruler of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession was the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession It is widely believed that the epoch of 660 BCE was chosen because it is a "xīn-yǒu" year in the sexagenary cycle, which according to Taoist beliefs was an appropriate year for a revolution to take place. The Chinese sexagenary cycle ( is a cyclic numeral system of 60 combinations of the two basic cycles the ten Heavenly Stems (天干 tiāngān Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions As Taoist theory also groups together 21 sexagenary cycles into one unit of time, it is assumed that the compilers of Nihon Shoki assigned the year 601 (a "xīn-yǒu" year in which Prince Shotoku's reformation took place) as a "modern revolution" year, and consequently recorded 660 BCE, 1260 years prior to that year, as the founding epoch.

Kesshi Hachidai (Eight undocumented monarchs)

For the eight emperors of Chapter 4, only the years of birth and reign, year of naming as Crown Prince, names of consorts, and locations of tomb are recorded. They are called the Kesshi Hachidai (欠史八代) because no legends are associated with them. Recent studies support the view that these emperors were invented to push Jimmu's reign further back to the year 660 BCE. Nihon Shoki itself somewhat elevates the "tenth" emperor Sujin, recording that he was called the Hatsu-Kuni-Shirasu (御肇国: first nation-ruling) emperor. was the tenth imperial ruler of Japan to appear on the traditional list of emperors.

References

Notes

  1. ^ Sakamoto, Tarō. (1991). The Six National Histories of Japan: Rikkokushi, John S. Brownlee, tr. pp. 40-41; Inoue Mitsusada. (1999). "The Century of Reform" in The Cambridge History of Japan, Delmer Brown, ed. Vol. I, p. 170.
  2. ^ Sakamoto, pp. 40-41.
  3. ^ Rimmer, Thomas et al. (2005). The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature, p. 555 n1.

Further reading

See also

External links

is a 17th century chronicle of the serial reigns of Japanese emperors with brief notes about some of the noteworthy events or other happenings during each period The is an Edo period historical analysis of Japanese history written in 1712 by Arai Hakuseki (1657-1725 The is a Research institution affiliated with the University of Tokyo that is devoted to the analysis compilation and publication of historical source materials concerning Japan The, or Nichibunken (日文研 is an inter-university research institute in Kyoto. Philosophy of history or historiosophy is an area of Philosophy concerning the eventual significance if any of human History. William George Aston ( April 9 1841 -1911 was a British consular official in Japan and Korea.
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