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Nihon Shoki

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File:Nihonshoki tanaka version.jpg
lang}}, early Heian period (c. 9th century)

Template:Shintoism The Template:Nihongo or Template:Nihongo, sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second-oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, 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. The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} was finished in 720 under the editorial supervision of Prince Toneri with the assistance of Ō no Yasumaro and presented to Empress Genshō.<ref>Template:Citation, from the original Chinese and Japanese.</ref> The book is also a reflection of Chinese influence on Japanese civilization.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Japan, the Sinicized court wanted written history that could be compared with the annals of the Chinese.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} begins with the Japanese creation myth, explaining the origin of the world and the first seven generations of divine beings (starting with Kuninotokotachi), and goes on with a number of myths as does the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, but continues its account through to events of the 8th century. It is believed to record accurately the latter reigns of Emperor Tenji, Emperor Tenmu and Empress Jitō. The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} focuses on the merits of the virtuous rulers as well as the errors of the bad rulers. It describes episodes from mythological eras and diplomatic contacts with other countries. The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} was written in classical Chinese, as was common for official documents at that time. The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, on the other hand, is written in a combination of Chinese and phonetic transcription of Japanese (primarily for names and songs). The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} also contains numerous transliteration notes telling the reader how words were pronounced in Japanese. Collectively, the stories in this book and the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} are referred to as the Kiki stories.<ref>Template:Citation.</ref>

The tale of Urashima Tarō is developed from the brief mention in {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Emperor Yūryaku Year 22) that a certain child of Urashima visited Horaisan and saw wonders. The later tale has plainly incorporated elements from the famous anecdote of "Luck of the Sea and Luck of the Mountains" (Hoderi and Hoori) found in {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. The later developed Urashima tale contains the Rip Van Winkle motif, so some may consider it an early example of fictional time travel.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

The first translation was completed by William George Aston in 1896 (English).<ref>Yasumaro no O.Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697.William George Aston.London.Transactions and proceedings of the Japan Society.2006</ref>

ChaptersEdit

File:Nihon Shoki 15 April 683.jpg
The Nihon Shoki entry of 15 April 683 CE (Tenmu 12th year), when an edict was issued mandating the use of copper coins rather than silver coins, an early mention of Japanese currency. Excerpt of the 11th century edition.

Process of compilationEdit

BackgroundEdit

The background of the compilation of the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is that Emperor Tenmu ordered 12 people, including Prince Kawashima, to edit the old history of the empire.<ref>日本の歴史4 天平の時代 p.39, Shueisha, Towao Sakehara</ref>

Shoku Nihongi notes that "{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" in the part of May 720. 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".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

SourcesEdit

The {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} is a synthesis of 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 {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, 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 in July 645.

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.<ref>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.</ref> Textual criticism shows that scholars fleeing the destruction of the Baekje to Yamato wrote these histories and the authors of the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} heavily relied upon those sources.<ref>Sakamoto, pp. 40–41.</ref> 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.

Some other sources are cited anonymously as aru fumi ({{#invoke:Lang|lang}}; "some document"), in order to keep alternative records for specific incidents.

Exaggeration of reign lengthsEdit

Most scholars agree that the purported founding date of Japan (660 BCE) and the earliest emperors of Japan are mythical.<ref>Rimmer, Thomas et al. (2005). The Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature, p. 555 n1.</ref>Template:Failed verification This does not necessarily imply that the persons referred to did not exist, merely that there is insufficient material available for further verification and study.<ref name="kelly">Kelly, Charles F. "Kofun Culture," Japanese Archaeology. April 27, 2009.</ref> Dates in the {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} before the late 7th century were likely recorded using the Genka calendar system.<ref>Barnes, Gina Lee. (2007). State Formation in Japan: Emergence of a 4th-Century Ruling Elite, p. 226 n.5.</ref>

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. 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. As Taoist theory also groups together 21 sexagenary cycles into one unit of time, it is assumed that the compilers of {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} 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 HachidaiEdit

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 ("{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, "eight generations lacking history") because no legends (or a few, as quoted in Nihon Ōdai IchiranTemplate:Citation needed) are associated with them. SomeTemplate:Which studies support the view that these emperors were invented to push Jimmu's reign further back to the year 660 BCE. {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} itself somewhat elevates the "tenth" emperor Sujin, recording that he was called the Hatsu-Kuni-Shirasu ("{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}: first nation-ruling) emperor.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

InfluencesEdit

The tale of Urashima Tarō is developed from the brief mention in {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} (Emperor Yūryaku Year 22) that a certain child of Urashima visited Horaisan and saw wonders. The later tale has plainly incorporated elements from the famous anecdote of "Luck of the Sea and Luck of the Mountains" (Hoderi and Hoori) found in {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}. The later developed Urashima tale contains the Rip Van Winkle motif, so some may consider it an early example of fictional time travel.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

EditionsEdit

English translationsEdit

ManuscriptsEdit

PrintsEdit

Typed printsEdit

Modern Japanese translationsEdit

See alsoEdit

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

Further readingEdit

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project Template:Wikisourcelang Template:Commonscat

Nihongi / Nihon Shoki textsEdit

  • Based on Aston's translation:

|CitationClass=web }}: kanbun text vs. English translation (Aston's 1896 edition) in blocks. Search mode and browse mode. Images are from a 1785 printed edition.

|CitationClass=web }}

OthersEdit

Template:Rikkokushi Template:Jmyth navbox long

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