Emperor Yuryaku
Encyclopedia
was the 21st emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Yūryaku is remembered as a patron of sericulture
.
No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 456–479.
According to the Kojiki
, this emperor is said to have ruled from the Thirteenth Day of the Eleventh Month of 456 (Heishin
) until his death on the Seventh Day of the Eight Month of 479 (Kibi
).
According to Kojiki
and Nihonshoki, Yūryaku was named Prince Ohatsuse Wakatake (大泊瀬 幼武) at birth. Swords unearthed from some kofun
s indicate his name was Waka Takeru (Ōkimi). Yuryaku is just a name posthumously assigned to him by a much later era. He was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Ingyō
. After his elder brother Emperor Ankō
was murdered, he won the struggle against his other brothers and became the new emperor. His title at his own lifetime was certainly not tennō, but presumably Ōkimi and/or Sumeramikoto (治天下大王 - amenoshita shiroshimesu ōkimi, or sumera no mikoto, Great King who rules all under heaven) and/or king of Yamato
(ヤマト大王/大君 - yamato ōkimi, Great King of Yamato). He had three wives (including his consort Kusahahatahi). His successor, Prince Shiraka (Emperor Seinei
), was his son by his wife Kazuraki no Karahime.
The actual site of Yūryaku's grave
is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto
shrine
(misasagi) at Osaka
.
The Imperial Household Agency
designates this location as Yūryaku's mausoleum
. It is formally named Tajii no Takawashi-hara no misasagi.
Or Emperor Richū
Lady: Katsuragi no Karahime (葛城韓媛), daughter of Katsuragi no Tsubura no Ōomi (葛城円大臣)
Lady: Kibi no Wakahime (吉備稚媛) (?–479), daughter of Kibi no Kamitsumichi no omi (吉備上道臣)
Lady: Wani no warawakimi (和珥童女君), daughter of Kasuga no Wani no omi Fukame (春日和珥臣深目)
, supposed to be Yūryaku, sent an envoy to the emperor of Liu Song, a minor Chinese dynasty, in 478. The ambassador explained that their ancestors were the conquerors of 115 barbarian countries. This claim was followed by the request of military support against Goguryeo
, an ancient kingdom on the Korean peninsula.
Yūryaku is believed to be referred to as Bu
(武, In Japanese, it is read as Take or Takeru) in contemporary Chinese records. These records state that Bu began his rule before 477, was recognized as the ruler of Japan by the Liu Song, Southern Qi
, and Liang
dynasties, and continued his rule through to 502. Bu sent messengers to the Song dynasty in 477 and 478 to ask for military support for protecting Baekje against the threat of Goguryeo. South Korean scholar So Jin Cheol claim that Bu is not Yūryaku but Sima; who became King Muryeong of Baekje.
, and a number of his verses are preserved in the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki.
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Yūryaku is remembered as a patron of sericulture
Sericulture
Sericulture, or silk farming, is the rearing of silkworms for the production of raw silk.Although there are several commercial species of silkworms, Bombyx mori is the most widely used and intensively studied. According to Confucian texts, the discovery of silk production by B...
.
No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 456–479.
Legendard narrative
Yūryaku is considered to have ruled the country during the mid-5th century, but there is a paucity of information about him. There is insufficient material available for further verification and study.According to the Kojiki
Kojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
, this emperor is said to have ruled from the Thirteenth Day of the Eleventh Month of 456 (Heishin
Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle , also known as the Stems-and-Branches , is a cycle of sixty terms used for recording days or years. It appears, as a means of recording days, in the first Chinese written texts, the Shang dynasty oracle bones from the late second millennium BC. Its use to record years...
) until his death on the Seventh Day of the Eight Month of 479 (Kibi
Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle , also known as the Stems-and-Branches , is a cycle of sixty terms used for recording days or years. It appears, as a means of recording days, in the first Chinese written texts, the Shang dynasty oracle bones from the late second millennium BC. Its use to record years...
).
According to Kojiki
Kojiki
is the oldest extant chronicle in Japan, dating from the early 8th century and composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Gemmei. The Kojiki is a collection of myths concerning the origin of the four home islands of Japan, and the Kami...
and Nihonshoki, Yūryaku was named Prince Ohatsuse Wakatake (大泊瀬 幼武) at birth. Swords unearthed from some kofun
Kofun
Kofun are megalithic tombs or tumuli in Japan, constructed between the early 3rd century and early 7th century. They gave their name to the Kofun period . Many of the Kofun have a distinctive keyhole-shaped mound , unique to ancient Japan...
s indicate his name was Waka Takeru (Ōkimi). Yuryaku is just a name posthumously assigned to him by a much later era. He was the fifth and youngest son of Emperor Ingyō
Emperor Ingyo
was the 19th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 411–453.-Legendary narrative:...
. After his elder brother Emperor Ankō
Emperor Anko
was the 20th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 453–456.-Legendary narrative:...
was murdered, he won the struggle against his other brothers and became the new emperor. His title at his own lifetime was certainly not tennō, but presumably Ōkimi and/or Sumeramikoto (治天下大王 - amenoshita shiroshimesu ōkimi, or sumera no mikoto, Great King who rules all under heaven) and/or king of Yamato
Yamato period
The is the period of Japanese history when the Japanese Imperial court ruled from modern-day Nara Prefecture, then known as Yamato Province.While conventionally assigned to the period 250–710 , the actual start of Yamato rule is disputed...
(ヤマト大王/大君 - yamato ōkimi, Great King of Yamato). He had three wives (including his consort Kusahahatahi). His successor, Prince Shiraka (Emperor Seinei
Emperor Seinei
was the 22nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 480–484.-Legendary narrative:...
), was his son by his wife Kazuraki no Karahime.
The actual site of Yūryaku's grave
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
is not known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
(misasagi) at Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
.
The Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
designates this location as Yūryaku's mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
. It is formally named Tajii no Takawashi-hara no misasagi.
Consorts and Children
Empress: Kusaka no hatabihime no Himemiko (草香幡梭姫皇女), daughter of Emperor NintokuEmperor Nintoku
was the 16th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 313–399.-Legendary narrative:...
Or Emperor Richū
Emperor Richu
was the 17th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 400–405.-Legendary narrative :...
Lady: Katsuragi no Karahime (葛城韓媛), daughter of Katsuragi no Tsubura no Ōomi (葛城円大臣)
- Prince Shiraka (白髪皇子) (Emperor SeineiEmperor Seineiwas the 22nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 480–484.-Legendary narrative:...
) (444?–484) - Princess Takuhatahime (栲幡姫皇女) (?–459) (SaikūSaiku, also known as "Itsukinomiya" , was a village located approximately 10 kilometers north-west of Ise Shrine, arguably the most significant Shinto shrine in Japan...
)
Lady: Kibi no Wakahime (吉備稚媛) (?–479), daughter of Kibi no Kamitsumichi no omi (吉備上道臣)
- Prince Iwaki (磐城皇子)
- Prince Hoshikawa no Wakamiya (星川稚宮皇子) (?–479)
Lady: Wani no warawakimi (和珥童女君), daughter of Kasuga no Wani no omi Fukame (春日和珥臣深目)
- Princess Kasuga no Ōiratsume (春日大娘皇女), married to Emperor NinkenEmperor Ninken, also known as Ninken-okimi, was the 24th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conventionally considered to have reigned from 488–498....
King Bu
King BuFive kings of Wa
The five kings of Wa are kings of ancient Japan who sent envoys to China during the 5th century to strengthen the legitimacy of their claims to power by gaining the recognition of the Chinese emperor. Details about them are unknown...
, supposed to be Yūryaku, sent an envoy to the emperor of Liu Song, a minor Chinese dynasty, in 478. The ambassador explained that their ancestors were the conquerors of 115 barbarian countries. This claim was followed by the request of military support against Goguryeo
Goguryeo
Goguryeo or Koguryŏ was an ancient Korean kingdom located in present day northern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula, southern Manchuria, and southern Russian Maritime province....
, an ancient kingdom on the Korean peninsula.
Yūryaku is believed to be referred to as Bu
BU
BU may stand for:* Backup* Bus Interface Unit, also called BIU* Brabender Units, used in flour anaylsis* Bethesda unit, a measure of inhibitor activity relating to a coagulation factor...
(武, In Japanese, it is read as Take or Takeru) in contemporary Chinese records. These records state that Bu began his rule before 477, was recognized as the ruler of Japan by the Liu Song, Southern Qi
Southern Qi
The Southern Qi Dynasty was the second of the Southern dynasties in China, followed by the Liang Dynasty. During its 23-year history, the dynasty was largely filled with instability, as after the death of the capable Emperor Gao and Emperor Wu, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Zhaoye was assassinated...
, and Liang
Liang Dynasty
The Liang Dynasty , also known as the Southern Liang Dynasty , was the third of the Southern dynasties in China and was followed by the Chen Dynasty...
dynasties, and continued his rule through to 502. Bu sent messengers to the Song dynasty in 477 and 478 to ask for military support for protecting Baekje against the threat of Goguryeo. South Korean scholar So Jin Cheol claim that Bu is not Yūryaku but Sima; who became King Muryeong of Baekje.
Poetry
This Japanese sovereign's interest in poetry is amongst the more well-documented aspects of his character and reign. Poems attributed to this 5th century monarch are included in the ManyōshūManyoshu
is the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry, compiled some time after 759 AD during the Nara period. The anthology is one of the most revered of Japan's poetic compilations. The compiler, or the last in a series of compilers, is believed to be Ōtomo no Yakamochi...
, and a number of his verses are preserved in the Kojiki and the Nihonshoki.
See also
- Emperor of JapanEmperor of JapanThe Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
- List of Emperors of Japan
- Imperial cultImperial cultAn imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor, or a dynasty of emperors , are worshipped as messiahs, demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense...
- Inariyama SwordInariyama SwordThe iron or was excavated at the Inariyama Kofun in 1968. Inariyama Kofun is located in Saitama Prefecture. In 1978, X-ray analysis revealed a gold-inlaid inscription that comprises more than 115 Chinese characters. This sword was described as the discovery of the century for the study of...
- Eta Funayama SwordEta Funayama Swordin Japan is a 5th century ancient iron sword excavated from the Eta Funayama kofun in Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan in 1873. The inscription on the blade shows the era of Emperor Yūryaku in the 5th century...
- Five kings of WaFive kings of WaThe five kings of Wa are kings of ancient Japan who sent envoys to China during the 5th century to strengthen the legitimacy of their claims to power by gaining the recognition of the Chinese emperor. Details about them are unknown...
External links
- Nihon Shoki Online English Translations.Scroll 14 - Emperor Yuryaku