removed for interment at Ashigita. Later the coast people reported that the Eun-sol’s ship had met with a storm and foundered, and that the Associate’s ship had not been able to return until it had first drifted to Tsushima.
13th year, Spring, 2nd month, 8th day. Kitahiko, Naniha no Kishi, was sent to Silla.. He at length arrived at Imna.
Autumn, gth month. Kafuka no Omi [the personal name is wanting], who had come from Pékché, had a stone image of Miroku,’ and Saheki no Muraji [the personal name is wanting] an image of Buddha. This year Soga no Mitmako no Sukune, having asked for. these two Buddhist images, sent Shiba Tatts,” Kurabe no Sukuri, and Hida, Ikenobe no Atahe, in all directions to search out persons who practised. (Buddhism). Upon this _- he only found in the province of Harima a man named..Hyé- phyon of Koryé,* who from a Buddhist priest had become a layman again. So the Oho-omi made him teacher, and caused him to receive Shima, the daughter of Shiba Tatté, into religion. She took.the name of Nun Zen-shin [twelve years of age]. Moreover he received into religion two pupils of the Nun Zen-shin. One was Toyome, the daughter of Ayabito‘.no Yaho. She took the name of Nun Sen-zd. The other was Ishime, daughter of Nishikori Tsubu. She took the name of Nun Kei- zen. Miumako no Sukune, still in accordance with the Law of Buddha, reverenced the three nuns, and gave them to Hida no Atahe and Tatt6, with orders to provide them with food and clothing.. He erected a Buddhist Temple on the east side of his dwelling, in which he enshrined the stone image of Miroku. He insisted on the three nuns holding a general meeting to partake of maigre fare.® At this time Tatto found a Buddhist 1 In Sanskrit Maitréya, the expected Messiah of the Buddhists. Vid Eitel, p. 92.; 2 A Chinese or Corean name. ~3 In Japanese Koma no Keibin.
4 Ayabito is written J\, ie. a man of Han (China), Here it isa proper name, though no doubt indicating a Chinese ancestry. Eee 5 The Chinese character for “ maigre fare” is #, This the Interlinear Kana renders here and below in many places by Ogami, i.e. prayer. That the meetings here referred to were practically for religious services is unquestionable, and we have seen above, Vol. I. p. 41, that this character when used in connection with Shinto, is equivalent to “worship,” although primarily meaning “religious abstinence.” Here the proper meaning is, I submit, “the vegetable diet of Buddhist priests.” A few lines further down DONS It 102 NIHONGI.
relic on the food of abstinence, and presented it to Mtimako no Sukune. Mutmako no Sukune, by way of experiment, took the relic, and placing it on the middle of a block of iron, beat it with an iron sledge-hammer, which he flourished aloft. The block and the sledge-hammer were shattered to atoms, but the relic could not be crushed. Then the relic was cast into water, when it floated on the water or sank as one desired. In con- sequence of this, Mumako no Sukune, Ikenobe no Hida, and Shiba Tatto held faith in Buddhism and practised it unremit- tingly. Mutmako no Sukune built another Buddhist Temple at his house in Ishikaha. From this arose the beginning of Buddhism.
14th year, Spring, 2nd month, 15th day. Soga no Oho-omi, Mimako no Sukune, erected a pagoda north of the Hill of Ohono, and having held a general meeting to partake of maigre food, deposited the relic obtained by Tatt6 on the top of the pillar.’
24th day. Soga no Oho-omi took ill. Having made inquiry of a diviner,’ the diviner answered and said:—‘“‘It is a curse sent by will of the Buddha ’* worshipped in thy father’s time.’ Soga no Oho-omi accordingly sent a young man of his family to report to the Emperor the nature of the divination. The Emperor gave orders, saying:—‘‘ In accordance with the words of the diviner, let thy father’s Gods be worshipped.”” The Oho-omi, in obedience to the Emperor’s commands, worshipped the stone image, and prayed that his life might be prolonged. At this time there was a pestilence rife in the land, and many of the people died.
3rd month, 1st day. Mononobe no Yugehi no Moriya no Ohomuraji and Nakatomi no Katsumi no Daibu addressed the Emperor, saying:—‘‘ Why hast thou not consented to follow thy servants’ counsel? Is not the prevalence of pestilence from the reign of the late Emperor thy father down to thine, so that we have RS =, “abstinence food,” Lenten fare, as we should say, and Giles (p. 18) renders HE fF “to give meals to priests.” This is a well- known duty of pious Buddhists. In the history of Corea there is frequent mention of Jarge numbers of priests being entertained by the kings from time to time.
1 i.e. the central pillar round which a pagoda is built.
2 Urabe, or native augurs.
’ The word for Buddha is {i} ji}, Buddha-Kami.
BIDATSU. 103 the nation is in danger of extinction, owing absolutely to the establishment of the exercise of the Buddhist religion by Soga noOmi?” The Emperor gave command, saying:—‘‘ Manifestly so: let Buddhism be discontinued.”
30th day. Mononobe no Yugehi no Moriya no Ohomuraji went himself to the Temple, and sitting on a chair,’ cut down XX. 16. the pagoda,’ which he then set fire to and burnt. He likewise burnt the image of Buddha and the Temple of Buddha. Having done so, he took the remains of the image of Buddha which were left from the burning and had them flung into the Naniha canal. On this day there was wind and rain without any clouds, and _ the Ohomuraji had on his rain-coat. He upbraided Mumako no Sukune and those who followed him in the exercise of religion, and made them feel shame and contrition of heart. Moreover he sent Mimoro [also called Oruke}, Saheki no Miyakko, to summon Zen-shin and the other nuns provided for by Miimako no Sukune. So Mimako no Sukune did not dare to disobey this command, but with grief and lamentation called forth the nuns and delivered them to Mimoro. The officials accordingly took away from the nuns their three garments,’ imprisoned them and flogged them at the road-station of Tsubaki no ichi.
The Emperor, with the view of establishing Imna, appointed as his Envoy Prince Mimiko of Sakata. Just at this 1 Chair here and elsewhere is in the original represented by two Chinese characters which mean “ Tartar couch.” The Japanese word which the writer had in mind was no doubt agura, “leg-seat,” which is the rendering of the Interlinear Kana, ? The meaning may be that he sat on a chair to superintend the workmen who were employed for this purpose.
* The three priestly garments, viz. the Samghati, reaching from the shoulders to the knees, the Uttara Samghati, a sort of overcoat, and the Kachaya (esa in Japanese), a coloured mantle. V7de Eitel, sub voczbus.
eal, 104 NIHONGI.
time the Emperor and the Ohomuraji were suddenly afflicted with sores, and he was therefore after all not sent. The Emperor gave command to the Imperial Prince Tachibana no Toyohi, saying:—‘‘ The injunctions of the late Emperor my father must not be See es the Government of Imna must be diligently put in order.”
Again the Land was filled with those who were attacked with sores and died thereof.. The persons thus afflicted with sores said:—‘‘ Our bodies are as if they were burnt, as if they were beaten, as if they were broken,” and so lamenting, they died. Old and young said privately to one another, “Is this a punishment for the burning of the Image of Buddha?”
Summer, 6th month. Mimako no Sukune addressed the Emperor, saying:—‘‘ Thy servant’s disease has not yet been healed; nor isit possible for succour to be afforded me unless by the power of the three precious things.’ Hereupon the Emperor commanded Miimako no Sukune, saying:—‘‘ Thou mayest practise the Buddhist religion alone, but discontinue it in so far as others are concerned.” So the three nuns were given back. to Mttmako no Sukune, who received them with rejoicing, lamenting their unexampled misfortunes, and bowing down his head in their honour. He built them a Temple anew, into which he welcomed them, and provided them with sustenance.
One book says:—‘‘ Mononobe no Yugehi no Moriya no Ohomuraji, Oho-miwa no Sakahe no Kimi and Nakatomi no Ihare no Muraji conspired together to destroy the Buddhist religion. They wanted to burn the Temple and pagoda, and also to throw. away the Buddhist images. Mumako no Sukune opposed this project, and would not agree to it.”
Autumn, 8th month, 15th day. The Emperor’s disease having become more and more inveterate, he died in the Great Hall. At this time a Palace of temporary interment was erected at Hirose. Mitmako no Sukune delivered a funeral oration with his sword girded on. Mononobe no Yugehi no Moriya no Ohomuraji burst out laughing, and said:—‘ He is -! The Triratna, i.e. Buddha, the Law and the Priesthood. Vide Eitel, sué voce.
BIDATSU. 105 BIDATSU. 105 like a sparrow pierced by a hunting-shaft.”” Next Yugehi no Moriya no Ohomuraji, with trembling hands and _ legs, delivered his funeral oration. The Oho-omi, Mimako no Sukune, laughed and said:—‘‘ He ought to have bells hung upon him.” From this small beginning the two Ministers conceived a hatred of each other. Sakahe, Miwa no Kimi sent Hayato for the protection of the Courtyard of the temporary tomb. The Imperial Prince Anahobe,' who wished to possess himself of the empire, flew into a rage, and declared, saying:—‘‘ Why do ye serye the Court ofa dead King, and do no service where the living King is?”
1 Younger brother of the Emperor by a different mother.
BOOK XXII. THE EMPEROR TACHIBANA NO TOYOHI.' (YOMEI? TENNO.)
Tue Emperor Tachibana no Toyohi was the fourth child of -the Emperor Ame-kuni oshi-hiraki hiro-niha.* His mother’s name was Kitashi hime. The Emperor believed in the Law of Buddha and reverenced the Way of the Gods.* In the four- teenth year of his reign, Autumn, the 8th month, the Emperor Nunakura futo-tama-shiki died. gth month, 5th day. The Emperor assumed the Imperial dignity, and made his capital at Ihare, calling it the Palace of Namitsukiin Ikenobe.? Soga no Mtmako no Sukune was made Oho-omi, and Mononobe no Yugehi no Moriya no Ohomuraji was made Ohomuraji, both as before. tgth day. The Emperor made command, saying:—etc., etc.°--appointing the Imperial Princess Nukade hime to the charge of the Shrine of Ise and to attend to the worship of the Sun-goddess. This Imperial Princess, from the time of this Emperor until the reign of the Empress Kashikiya hime,’ attended to the divine service of the Sun-goddess. She then retired 1 This name means orange abundance-sun. Tachibana is, however, here the name of a village in Yamato.
2 YO means to use, employ; mei, brightness. 3 Kimmei Tenno.
4 Shinto. #f x4. The first time this phrase is found. The “ Yih- king” has, “ The sage frames his doctrine by the Way of the Gods, and the Empire accepts it.”
5 Province of Yamato.
6 The author omits the words of the edict, and only gives its general purport.
7 Suiko Tenno.
— ee YOMEI. 107 of her own accord to Katsuraki, and there died. See the reign of the Empress Kashikiya hime. One book says:— ‘“‘ Having attended to the worship of the Sun-goddess for the space of thirty-seven years, she then retired of her own accord and died.”
st year, Spring, rst month, 1st day. The Imperial Princess Anahobe no Hashibito was appointed Empress Consort.’ She bore four sons. The first was called the Imperial Prince Miimayado? [also called Mimito* Shotoku,* or as some have it Toyoto-mimi, Great King of the Law, or again Master King of the Law]. This Imperial Prince at first lived at Kamitsu miya.® Afterwards he removed to Ikaruga in the reign of the Empress Toyomike Kashikiya hime, where he occupied the Eastern Palace,’ and discharged the duties of Emperor, being associated with her in the management of all matters of administration, as is stated in the history of the Empress Toyo- mike Kashikiya hime. The second was called the Imperial Prince Kume; the third was called the Imperial Prince Yeguri; the fourth was called the Imperial Prince Mamuta.’ Ishikina, daughter of Soga no Oho-omi, Iname no Sukune, was appointed a Consort. She bore the Imperial Prince Tame [also called the Imperial Prince Toyora]. Hiroko, daughter of [hamura, Katsuraki no Atahe, bore one son and one daughter. The son was called the Imperial Prince Maroko; he was the ancestor of the Kimi of Tahema. The daughter was called the Imperial Princess Nukade hime. She was during three generations in the service of the Sun-goddess.
Summer, 5th month. The Imperial Prince Anahobe tried to force his way into the Palace of temporary interment in order to ravish the Empress Consort Kashikiya hime.* But the favourite Minister, Sakahe, Miwa no Kimi, called out the 1 She was also a daughter of Kimmei Tenné, by a different mother.
2 See below, 1st year of Suiko’s reign, for the reason of this name.
3- Quick-ear.
4 Sagely-virtue. This is the renowned Shdtoku Daishi, the real founder of Buddhism in Japan.
° The Upper Palace. 6 i.e. the Heir Apparent’s quarters.
7 Or Mata. > 8 The Empress Dowager. The motive was probably not lust, but ambition. Compare the similar case of Jimmu Tenn0’s widow.
NO. Oi OIG Cy Kg.
108 NIHONGI.
guards, who firmly fastened the Palace Gate, and resisting his entrance, would not let him in. The Imperial Prince Anahobe demanded of them, saying:—‘‘ Who is it that is here?”? The guards answered and said:—‘“‘ Sakahe, Miwa no Kimi, is here.” Seven times he shouted at them to open the gate, but they steadily refused to admit him. Hereupon the Imperial Prince Anahobe addressed the Oho-omi and the Ohomuraji, saying: —‘ Sakahe is incessantly insulting me. Inthe funeral eulogy delivered by him at the Court of temporary interment he said:—‘ Thy Court shall not be left desolate, but shall be kept pure as the surface of a mirror, and thy servant will preserve peace in dutiful service to thee.’ This is an insult. At this moment there are many young men of the Emperor’s family, and there are two Chief Ministers present. Who has any right wantonly to monopolize talk of dutiful service? Moreover when I wished to see the interior of the place of temporary interment, I was prevented, and not allowed to enter. Seven times I myself called out, ‘Open the gate,’ but there was no answer. I request that I may be allowed to put him to death.” The two Chief Ministers! said:—‘‘ Be it as thou hast com- manded.” Upon this, the Imperial Prince Anahobe,: while secretly planning to make himself ruler of the Empire, falsely gave out that his object was to kill Sakahe no Kimi.. At length, along with Mononobe no Moriya no Ohomuraji, he led troops with which they surrounded Ikenobe in Ihare. This having come to the knowledge of Sakahe no Kimi, he concealed him- selfon Mount Mimoro. That day, at midnight, he came away stealthily from the mountain and hid in the hinder’ palace, [meaning the Empress Kashikiya hime’s country-house. It_ was called the Palace of Tsubaki ichi]. Relatives of Sakahe named Shiratsutsumi and Yokoyama told where Sakahe no Kimi was, and the Imperial Prince Anahobe straightway sent to Moriyano Ohomuraji [one book says:—‘‘ The Imperial Princes Anahobe and Hatsusebe having consulted together, sent to Moriya no Ohomuraji”’], saying to him:—‘‘ Thou must go and slay Sakahe no Kimi, and likewise his two children.” The Oho- muraji at length went off in command of an armed force. Soga 1 Jeg Ef is here evidently not Oho-omi, for one of them was not an Oho- omi, but an Ohomuraji. ‘It has the more general sense of Chief Minister. 2 i.e. the Empress’s palace.
YOMEI. 109 | no Mtmako no Sukune, having heard from an outside source of this conspiracy, went to the place where the Imperial Prince was. He accordingly arrived before the gate (the gate of the Imperial Prince’s house is meant], and finding him on the point of going to the place where the Ohomuraji was, remon- strated with him, saying:—‘‘A ruler does not approach a criminal. Thou shouldst not go thyself.’ The Imperial Prince would not listen to him, but went. Mumako no Sukune forthwith departed in his train, and arrived at Ihare. There he urgently remonstrated with him, and the Prince yielded to his remonstrances and stopped. In this place, accordingly, he remained seated on a chair and waited for the Ohomuraji. A good while later the latter arrived with his troops and reported the result of his commission, saying:—“‘ I have executed Sakahe and the others.” [One books says:—‘‘ The Imperial Prince went in person and shot them dead.” | Hereupon Mtmako no Sukune broke into bitter lamentations, saying:—‘ Civil dis- order in the Empire is not far off.” The Ohomuraji hearing this, answered and said:—‘‘ Thy position is that of a small minister;' thou dost not know.”
This Sakahe, Miwa no Kimi, was a favourite of the Emperor Wosada,’ and he was charged with all matters both internal and external. In consequence of this the Empress-consort Kashikiya hime and Mumako no Sukune both conceived enmity against the Imperial Prince | Anahobe.
This year was the year Hinoye Mima (43rd) of the Cycle.
2nd year, Spring, 4th month, 2nd day. The Emperor per- formed the ceremony of tasting the new rice * on the river-bank of Ihare. On this day the Emperor took ill and returned to the Palace. All the Ministers were in attendance. The Emperor addressed them, saying:—‘‘ It is Our desire to give our adherence to the three precious things. Do ye Our Ministers advise upon this.” All the Ministers entered the Court and consulted together. Mononobe no Moriya no Oho- muraji and Nakatomi no Katsumi. no Muraji opposed the 1 Alluding to his title of Oho-omi or Great Minister. 2 Bidatsu Tenno.: oes re ' 3 Nihi-name. See above, Vol. I: p. 86." It was unusual to celebrate this festival in spring. (ft Bo. en ote lise XXL. 5.
XXI. 6.
1IO NIHONGI.
Imperial proposal, and advised, saying:—‘‘ Why should we reverence strange deities, and turn our backs upon the gods of our country? Of course we know naught of any such thing.” The Oho-omi Soga no Mtimako no Sukune said:—‘‘ Let us render assistance in compliance with the Imperial command. Who shall offer advice to the contrary?’’ Hereupon the Imperial Prince the Emperor’s younger brother [the Imperial Prince Anahobe is meant." He was the Emperor’s younger brother, born of a concubine], introduced into the interior (of the Palace) a priest of the Land of Toyo” [the personal name is wanting]. Mononobe no Moriya no Ohomuraji glared at them in great wrath. Then Kekuso, Oshi-sakabe no Fubito, came hastily and spoke secretly to the Ohomuraji, saying:— ‘“* All the Ministers are now plotting against thee, and moreover are about to waylay thee.” When the Ohomuraji heard this, he retired to Ato [Ato is the name of a place where the Oho- muraji had a country house] and assembled a body of men. Nakatomi no Katsumi no Muraji assembled troops at his house and went with them to the assistance of the Ohomuraji. At length he prepared figures of the Imperial Prince Hikobito, the Heir Apparent, and of the Imperial Prince Takeda, and loathed them.* But presently finding that success was impossible, he repaired to the Palace of the Imperial Prince Hikobito at Mimata. One of the attendants * (of the Prince) named Ichihi, Tomi no Obito [Tomi is the family name, and Ichihi the personal name], watched till Katsumi no Muraji was withdraw- ing from the place where the Imperial Prince Hikobito was, and drawing his sword, slew him, The Ohomuraji from his house at Ato sent a message to Mumako no Oho-omi by Wosaka, Mono- nobe no Yasaka no Oho-ichi no Miyakko, and Ani, Urushibe * 1 The “ Shukai” editor thinks we should understand here the Emperor's younger brother avd the Imperial Prince.
2 Or perhaps Toyokuni was his name.
3 i.e. practised witchcraft on them.
4 Tonerl. ' 5 This name may be read either Urushibe no Miyakko or Nuribe no Miyakko, Urushi is “varnish,” and nuri means “to smear,” so that the difference is not very material. This is the first mention of lacquer in Japanese literature, and although it indicates that the art was already known, we may safely set aside as later inventions the statements referring it to a much earlier period which are quoted, with a reserve amply justified by the YOmMEI. Lag no Miyakko, saying:—‘‘ Hearing that the Ministers have designs against me, I am keeping out of the way.” Mtmako no Oho-omi accordingly sent Hashi no Yajima no Muraji to the place where Ohotomo no Hirafu no Muraji was, and told him all that the Ohomuraji had said. Huirafu no Muraji, therefore, took in his hand his bow and arrows and his leathern shield and went to the house at Tsukikuma [the Oho-omi’s house], where he remained guarding the Oho-omi, and did not leave him by night or by day.
The Emperor’s sores became worse and worse, and when the end was approaching, Tasuna of the Kuratsukuri’ Be [son of Shiba Tatto] came forward and addressed him, saying:— “Thy servant, on behalf of the Emperor, will renounce the world and exercise religion. Moreover, he will make an image of Buddha sixteen feet high, and a Temple.” The Emperor was deeply moved. This is the 16-foot wooden image of Buddha which with its attendant Bosatsu? now stands in the Temple of Sakata at Minabuchi.
gth day. The Emperor died in the Great Hall.
Autumn, 7th month, 21st day. He was buried in the Misasagi above the pond of Ihare.* facts, in an essay on Lacquer in the “ Catalogue of Japanese Lacquer and Metal Work in the Burlington Fine Arts Club, 1894.”
The Urushibe (or Nuribe) no Muraji (a higher rank than Miyakko) were promoted to be Urushibe no Sukune in 685.
An ancient note to the “ Kiujiki,” III. 16, traces the descent of the Urushibe no Muraji from a deity.
1 Saddle-makers.
2 i.e. Boddhisattwa. The two Bosatsu here alluded to are probably Ji-zO Bosatsu (Kshidi-garbha) and Monju Bosatsu, the Sanskrit Mafidjus’'ri. Vide Eitel, sub voce. Also vide “Satow’s Handbook,” 2nd ed.
introduction, p. 87. 3 Afterwards re-interred at Shinaga in Kahachi.
XXI. 7.
112 NIHONGI.
THE EMPEROR HATSUSEBE.' (SUJUN? TENNO.)
The Emperor Hatsusebe was the twelfth child of the Emperor Ame-kuni Oshi-hiraki hiro-niha.”* His mother’s name was Wo-ane‘ no Kimi [daughter of Iname no Sukune, as already stated]. | The Emperor Tachibana no Toyohi died in the second year of his reign, Summer, the 4th month. In the 5th month the army of the Mononobe na Ohomuraji made a disturbance thrice. The Ohomuraji from the first wished to set aside the other Imperial Princes and to establish the Imperial Prince Anahobe as Emperor. He now hoped to make use.of a hunting party to devise a plan for raising him to the throne instead. So he secretly sent a messenger to the Imperial Prince Anahobe, to say:—‘‘I should like to hunt with the Imperial Prince in Ahaji.” The plot leaked out.
6th month, 7th day. Soga no Mitmako no Sukune and other Ministers, on behalf of Kashikiya hime no Mikoto, commissioned ® Nifute, Saheki no Muraji, Ihamura, Hashi no Muraji, and Makuhi, Ikuba no Omi, saying:—‘‘ Do ye with rigorous discipline of arms proceed at once to execute the Imperial Prince Anahobe and the Imperial Prince Yakabe.” On this day, at midnight, Nifute, Saheki no Muraji, and his colleagues surrounded the Palace of the Imperial Prince Anahobe. Upon this the guardsmen, having first climbed up into the upper story, smote the Imperial Prince Anahobe on the shoulder. The Imperial Prince fell down from the upper story, and ran away into an outhouse. Then the guardsmen, holding up lights, executed him.
8th day. The Imperial Prince Yakabe was executed.
The Imperial Prince Yakabe was the son of the Emperor 1 The “ Kojiki” calls him Hatsusebe no Waka-sazaki.
2 Venerable-lofty. Kimmei Tenno.
» The character used is ff, generally applied to an edict or order of the Emperor.
SUJUN. 113 Hinokuma! and father of Princess Kamutsu hime. This is not clear. ~He was put to death because he approved the Imperial ‘Prince Anahobe. gth day. The nun Zen-shin and the others addressed the Oho-omi, saying:—‘‘ Discipline is the basis of the method of XXI. 8.
those who renounce the world; we pray thee to let us go to Pékché to receive instruction in the Law of Discipline.” This month tribute Envoys from Pckché arrived at Court. The Oho-omi addressed the Envoys, saying:—‘‘ Take these nuns with you, and when you are about to cross over to your country, make them learn the Law of Discipline. When they have done, send them off.” The Envoys answered and said:— ““When we return to our frontier State, we shall first of all inform the King of our country, and it ‘will afterwards be not too late to send them off.” ® Autumn, 7th month. The Oho-omi, Soga no Mtimako no Sukune, incited the Imperial Princes and the Ministers to plot the destruction of the Ohomuraji, Mononobe no Moriya. The Imperial Prince Hatsusebe, the Imperial Prince Takeda, the Imperial Prince Mtimayado, the Imperial Prince Nanikha, the Imperial Prince Kasuga, the Oho-omi, Soga no Mtmako no Sukune, Womaro no Sukune, Ki no Omi, Hirafu, Kose no Omi, Katafu, Kashihade no Omi, and Wonara, Katsuraki no Omi, together led an army, and advanced to attack the Ohomuraji. Kurafu, Ohotomo no Muraji, Hito, Abe no Omi, Ite, Heguri no Omi, Nukade, Sakamoto no Omi, and Kasuga no Omi [the personal name is not given], together led a force from the district of Shiki* as far as the house of Shibukaha.‘ The Ohomuraji, in personal command of the young men of his family and ofa slave-army, built a rice-fort and gave battle. Then the Ohomuraji climbed up into the fork of an elm® at Kisuri, from which he shot down arrows like rain. His troops were full of might. They filled the house and overflowed into the plain. The army of the Imperial Princes and the troops of the Ministers were timid and afraid, and fell back three times. At this time the Imperial Prince Mtimayado, his hair 1 Senkwa Tenno. 2 See below, XXI. 13. 3 In Kahachi. 44.e. the Ohomuraji’s house at Shibukaha.
® The yenoki or Celtis sinensis.
VOL. Il. I SOGE ib: 114 NIHONGI.
being tied up on the temples’ [the ancient custom was for boys of the age of fifteen or sixteen to tie up their hair on the temples; at the age of seventeen or eighteen it was divided, and made into tufts, as is the case even now], followed in the rear of the army. He pondered in his own mind, saying to himself:—‘‘ Are we not going to be beaten? Without prayer we cannot succeed.” So he cut down a nuride tree,” and swiftly fashioned images of the four Heavenly Kings.’ Placing them on his top-knot, he uttered a vow:—‘“‘ If we are now made to gain the victory over the enemy, I promise faithfully to honour the four Heavenly Kings, guardians of the world, by erecting to them a temple with a pagoda.” The Oho-omi Soga no Miimako also uttered a vow:—“‘ Oh! all ye Heavenly Kings and great Spirit King,* aid and protect us, and make us to gain the advantage. If this prayer is granted, I will erect a temple with a pagoda in honour of the Heavenly Kings and the great Spirit ne and will propagate everywhere the three precious things.” When they had made this vow, they urged their troops of all arms sternly forward to the attack. Now there was 2 man named Ichihi, Tomi no Obito, who shot down XXI. 10. the Ohomuraji from his branch and killed him and his children.
The Ohomuraji’s troops accordingly gave way suddenly. Join- ing their forces, they every one put on black clothes, and going hunting on the plain of Magari in Hirose, so dispersed.” In this war some of the children and relatives of the Oho- muraji made their escape, and concealing themselves on the plain of Ashihara, changed their personal names and altered their titles,° while others fled away nobody knew where.
1 The interlinear version calls this style hisago-hana, i.e. gourd-flower Le manly style is called age-maki, or rolling up.
2 It is doubtful what kind of tree is intended. Nuride is the interlinear gloss. The nuride or nurude resembles the lacquer tree (nuri means lacquer). Hepburn calls it Rhus semialata.
3 Shi-ten-o or Chatur Maharadjas. Four demon kings who guard the world against Asuras. Vide Eitel, p. 174, 2nd ed.; also “ Satow’s Hand- 4 Daijinnd or Mahakala. Vide Eitel, pp. 85 and 91. Identified with the modern Daikoku Sama. Vide “ Anderson’s B. M. Catalogue,” p. 33.
5 It is explained here that “ black” was the colour of underlings’ clothes, and that the chiefs put on this colour for disguise. The “hunting” was only a pretence.
* Or surnames.
The people of that time said of them to one another:—‘‘ The wife of Soga no Oho-omi is the younger sister of the Oho- muraji Mononobe no Moriya, and the Oho-omi, injudiciously acting on his wife’s advice, slew the Ohomuraji.”!
When the civil troubles had been quieted, a Temple of the Four Heavenly Kings”? was built in the province of Settsu. Half of the Ohomuraji’s slaves, together with his house, were constituted the slaves and farm-house ofthe Great Temple, and ten thousand shiro* of rice-land were given to Ichihi, Tomi no Obito. Moreover, Soga no Oho-omi, in fulfilment of his vow, erected the Temple of Hokoji* in Asuka. A dependant of the Ohomuraji Mononobe no Moriya named Yorodzu, {the personal name], of the Tottori-be, in command of one hundred men, guarded the house’ at Naniha, but hearing of the Ohomuraji’s downfall, he urged his horse into a gallop, and made his escape by night in the direction of the village of Arimaka in the district of Chinu, where, having passed his wife’s house, he at length concealed himself among the hills. The Court took counsel together, saying:—‘‘ Yorodzu cherishes traitorous feelings, and therefore has concealed himself among these hills. Let his kindred be extirpated promptly, and no remissness shown.” Yorodzu, in tattered and filthy raiment, and with a wretched countenance, came forth alone, of his own accord, bow in hand and girt with a sword. The officials sent several hundred guardsmen to surround him. Yorodzu, accordingly, was afraid, and hid himself in a bamboo thicket, where he tied cords to the bamboos and pulled them so as to shake the bamboos, and thus make the people to doubt where he had gone in. The guardsmen were deceived, and pointing to the quivering bamboos, ran forward, saying:—‘‘ Yorodzu is here!” Yorodzu forthwith shot his arrows, not one of which missed its mark, so that the guardsmen were afraid, and did not dare to approach. Yorodzu then unstrung his bow, and