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Five kings of Wa

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The five kings of Wa (倭の五王, Wa no go ō) [1] were kings of ancient Japan (Wa) 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. According to written records in China, their names were San (讃), Chin (珍), Sai (濟), Kō (興) and Bu (武).

Titles bestowed on the Kings of Wa

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In general, five kings of Wa were bestowed the titles 安東大将軍倭国王 (Antō Dai-Shōgun, Wa-kokuō, Grand General of Antō, King of Wa). In the Southern Dynasties of China in this period, there were three ranks of General titles which were bestowed to the chiefs of the subject state (located in the East of China) who sent envoy to the emperor of the Dynasty. The highest general title was 征東大将軍 (Seitō Dai-Shōgun, Grand General conquering the East). The next high title was 鎮東大将軍 (Chintō Dai-Shōgun, Grand General appeasing the East).　The third high title and the lowest among three was 安東大将軍 (Antō Dai-Shōgun, Grand General pacifying the East).

In the Song dynasty, the emperor bestowed 征東大将軍 (Grand General conquering the East) on the King of Goguryeo, and 鎮東大将軍 (Grand General appeasing the East) on the King of Baekje. However, the Song Emperor bestowed the third general title, 安東大将軍 (Grand General pacifying the East) on the King of Wa. There are interpretations on this fact that the King of Goguryeo stood in the highest rank, and the King of Wa stood in the lowest rank, while the King of Baekje stood between Goguryeo and Wa.[2] But there are also other opinions against this interpretation. The difference of general ranks among the three states (Goguryo, Baekje, and Wa) was due to the order which each state had first sent envoy to the dynasty, and it cannot be said that the ranks of Goguryeo and Baekje were substantially higher than that of Wa.[3] Sakamoto also points out the different view on these general titles.[4]

Chinese records and the bestowed titles on the kings of Wa

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Gregorian date (AD) Dynasty Chinese calendar Original Chinese source King of Wa Short summary[a]
413
Jin
Giki 9 (義熙九年)
Book of Jin, Taiping Yulan
Unknown[b]
 The king of Wa sent a tributary.[clarification needed]
421
Song
Eisho 2 (永初二年)
Book of Song
San
 King San sent a tributary[clarification needed] to Jin. Emperor Wu of Song bestowed the title, possibly 安東将軍倭国王 (General pacifying the East, King of Wa), on San.
425
Song
Genka 2 (元嘉二年)
Book of Song
San
 King San sent Shiba Sōtatsu (司馬曹達)[c] as an envoy and made Emperor Wen of Song a present.
430
Song
Genka 7 (元嘉七年)
Book of Song
Unknown[d]
 In January, the king of Wa sent a tribute.
438
Song
Genka 15 (元嘉十五年)
Book of Song
Chin
 King San died, his younger brother Chin succeeded to the throne. Chin sent a tribute and styled himself the title of 使持節都督倭百済新羅任那秦韓慕韓六国諸軍事安東大将軍倭国王.
In April, Emperor Wen appointed Chin to the title of 安東将軍倭国王 (General pacifying the East, King of Wa).
The emperor also appointed Wa Zui (倭隋) and other 13 subordinates of Chin to the titles of 平西征虜冠軍輔国将軍.
443
Song
Genka 20 (元嘉二十年)
Book of Song
Sai
 Sai sent a tribute and was appointed to the title of 安東将軍倭国王 (General pacifying the East, King of Wa).
451
Song
Genka 28 (元嘉二十八年)
Book of Song
Sai
 King Sai was appointed to the title of 使持節都督倭新羅任那加羅秦韓慕韓六国諸軍事. as well as 安東将軍 (General pacifying the East).
In July, Sai was promoted to the title of 安東大将軍倭国王 (Grand General pacifying the East, King of Wa). 23 subordinates were also promoted.
460
Song
Daimei 4 (大明四年)
Unknown[e]
 In December, the king of Wa sent a tribute.
462
Song
Daimei 6 (大明六年)
Book of Song
Kō
 In March, Emperor Xiaowu of Song appointed Kō, a crown prince of Sai, to the title of 安東将軍倭国王. (General pacifying the East, King of Wa)
477
Song
Shōmei 1 (昇明元年)
Book of Song
Bu
 In November, the king of Wa sent a tribute.
King Kō died, his younger brother Bu succeeded to the throne. Bu styled himself the title of 使持節都督倭百済新羅任那加羅秦韓慕韓七国諸軍事安東大将軍倭国王.
478
Song
Shōmei 2 (昇明二年)
Book of Song
Bu
 Bu styled himself the title of 開府儀同三司 and petitioned the official appointment. Emperor Shun of Song appointed Bu to the title of 使持節都督倭新羅任那加羅秦韓慕韓六国諸軍事安東大将軍倭王.
479
Qi
Kengen 1 (建元元年)
Book of Qi
Bu
 Emperor Gao of Qi promoted Bu to the title of 鎮東大将軍 (征東将軍) (Grand General appeasing the East, (General conquering the East)).[f]
502
Liang
Tenkan 1 (天監元年)
Book of Liang
Bu
 In April, Emperor Wu of Liang promoted Bu to the title of 征東大将軍 (Grand General conquering the East).[f]

Comparison with the Nihon Shoki

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Genealogy of the Five kings of Wa and Emperors
Book of Song Book of Liang
San of Wa
(421, 425 ce)		Chin of Wa
(438 ce)
Sai of Wa
(443, 451 ce)
Ko of Wa
(462 ce)		Bu of Wa
(478 ce)
San of WaChin of Wa
Sai of Wa
Ko of WaBu of Wa
Genealogy of Emperors in Nihon Shoki

(Numbers in parentheses are Japanese epithets)

15 Ojin
(誉田別)
16 Nintoku
(大鷦鷯)
17 Richū
(去来穂別)		18 Hanzei
(瑞歯別)		19 Ingyō
(雄朝津間稚子宿禰)
Ichinobe no OshiwaKinshari20 Ankō
(穴穂)		21 Yūryaku
(大泊瀬幼武)


As the name of kings recorded in Chinese history are very different from the names of Emperors in the Nihon Shoki, the specification of which emperor was the one recorded is the subject of numerous disputes which have endured for centuries. Most contemporary historians assign the five Japanese kings to the following emperors (two possibilities are identified for the Kings San and Chin), mostly based on the individual features of their genealogies reported in the Chinese sources.

On the other hand, archeological evidence, such as the inscriptions on the Inariyama and Eta Funayama Sword, also supports the idea that Bu is an equivalent of Emperor Yūryaku, who was called Wakatakeru Ōkimi by his contemporaries.

Since Bu is most likely to be Yūryaku, Kō, who is said to be Bu's older brother, is likely to be an equivalent of Ankō, who is also noted in the Nihonshoki as an elder brother to Yūryaku. However, the Book of Song records Kō as "Crown Prince Kō"; there is a possibility that he is not Ankō, but rather Prince Kinashi no Karu, who was a crown prince of Ingyō.

Meanings of titles bestowed on the kings of Wa

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In the age of the Song Dynasty and the Southern Dynasties, there were various titles for high officials and military lords of the empire. These titles were also bestowed on the Monarch of the subject States in the Sakuhō System.

King of Wa was generally bestowed the two titles, "(Grand) General Antō" (安東(大)将軍, Antō (Dai) Shōgun) and "King of Wa" (倭国王, Wa-Kokuō). Some Kings of Wa, such as King Chin or King Bu, asked the more strong and higher rank Titles. The Emperor of Chinese Dynasty bestowed some of them, but not approved every titles required.

King Chin asked the titles ”使持節都督倭百済新羅任那秦韓慕韓六国諸軍事安東大将軍倭国王" (Shijisetsu, Totoku, Wa, Baekje, Silla, Mimana, Shinkan, Bokan, Rokkoku-Shogunji, Antō-Shōgun, Wa-Kokuō). This contains the Five Titles.

  1. 使持節, Shijisetsu : Highest Rank Military Commander (General)[8][g]
  2. 都督, Totoku : Military Governor[9]
  3. 都督-Region-諸軍事, Totoku - Region - Shogunji : Governor/Commander ruling all the military matters of the said Region (Region, State, Province, etc.)
  4. 安東大将軍, Antō Dai-Shōgun : Grand General of Antō (Grand General pacifying the East)
  5. 倭国王, Wa-Kokuō : King of Wa State

Therefore, ”使持節都督倭百済新羅任那秦韓慕韓六国諸軍事安東大将軍倭国王" means 1) Highest Rank Military General, 2) Governor ruling all the military matters of the Six States - Wa, Baekje, Silla, Mimana, Shinkan and Bokan, 3) Grand General pacifying the East, 4) King of Wa. The Song dynasty did not approve the Title of 都督- 百済 -諸軍事 (Totoku - Baekje - Shogunji). The Song dynasty did not approve that King Chin would hold the power of militarily ruling the State area of Baekje. (King Bu also asked this power - militarily ruling the Baekje State -, but the Song did no approve as well.)[7]

King Bu asked the Title 開府儀同三司 (Kaifu Gidō-Sanshi), but the Emperor of Song dynasty did not approve, and instead bestowed the Titles "使持節都督倭新羅任那加羅秦韓慕韓六国諸軍事安東大将軍倭王" (Shijisetsu, Totoku, Wa, Silla, Mimana, Kara, Shinkan, Bokan, Rokkoku-Shogunji, Antō-Shōgun, Wa-Kokuō).[7] The Title Kaifu Gidō-Sanshi is very high Rank title.

  1. 開府儀同三司 Kaifu Gidō-Sanshi : Person whose Position is equivalent or corresponds to the "Three Lords" (Highest Ranking Officials in the old Imperial Chinese governments. That is, 丞相 (司徒) Jōshō (Shito), 太尉 Taii, 御史大夫 (司空) Gyoshi-Taifu (Shikū)[10][11]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ These titles for sovereignty over the states described had no bearing on reality. The appointments reflected the struggle for hegemony over the Korean Peninsula between Goguryeo and Wa, as depicted in the Gwanggaeto Stele.[5]
  2. ^ This is listed under "King San" in the Book of Liang
  3. ^ In this case, Shiba might be the title of Sōtatsu, rather than his surname.[6] Sōtatsu might be a member of toraijin group.[7]
  4. ^ Possibly King San
  5. ^ Possibly King Sai
  6. ^ a b The promotions in 479 and 502 were automatic given the establishment of new dynasties in China.
  7. ^ There were three ranks in Military high official (Generals). The highest rank was called 使持節 Shijisetsu, the next higher rank was 持節 Jisetsu, the lowest rank was 仮節 Kasetsu. 節 setsu is a small wand indicating that emperor gave the formal mission to one who holds it.[8]

References

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  1. ^ http://www.hongwontack.pe.kr/homepage4/data/450815.pdf
  2. ^ Ishii 2005, p.169
  3. ^ Ishii 2005, p.175
  4. ^ (ja) 坂元義種 『倭の五王』教育社、1981年9月、180頁。ISBN 4315401455.
  5. ^ 吉田晶, 倭王権の時代, 新日本出版社, 1998
  6. ^ (ja) Nipponica 日本大百科全書（ニッポニカ）, 倭の五王 坂元義種 (Retrieved 2023-0209)
  7. ^ a b c 坂元義種「巻頭史論 研究史 古代の日本と朝鮮--「七支刀」「好太王碑」「倭の五王」研究の成果と課題」『歴史読本』第51巻第3号、新人物往来社、2006年2月、 58-59頁
  8. ^ a b (ja) Kotobank Shijisetsu (Retrieved 2023-0209)
  9. ^ (ja) Kotobank Totoku (Retrieved 2023-0209)
  10. ^ (ja) Kotobank Kaifu Gidō-Sanshi (Retrieved 2023-0209)
  11. ^ (ja) Kotobank Sanshi (Retrieved 2023-0209)
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