Unsolved:Dynasty replacement theory

Short description: Alternate theory of Japan's royal lineage

Dynasty replacement theory indicates several theories that postulate, in general, that there was an interruption of the imperial lineage during the Kofun period in Japan and that there were multiple dynasties that succeeded each other.

Overview

These theories were born out of criticism and skepticism toward the concept of a single royal lineage for all generations, which was dominant before World War II. The first and most representative of these theories was the theory of the alternation of the three dynasties proposed by Yuū Mizuno in 1952. However, the "theory of the conquering dynasty of the equestrian tribe" published by Namio Egami in 1948, before Mizuno, can be considered as a theory of dynasty alternation in a broad sense, and some scholars have pointed out that the theory of Yū Mizuno was influenced by that of Namio Egami, that Mizuno focused on the imperial line starting with the Emperor Sujin like Egami. Mizuno himself later called his theory the "Neo hunter equestrian tribe theory". His theory that Emperor Nintoku, the king of Kyushu, conquered the Kinai region and established a dynasty is nothing but a development of the Kyushu theory of Yamataikoku.

Mizuno's theory of the alternation of the three dynasties has since been reinforced or criticized by various researchers, but today, not many scholars who deny the "single lineage for all generations" believe that there was a dramatic alternation of kingship with completely different lineages, as Mizuno advocates. They think that the bases of the "dynasties" referred to by Mizuno have shifted over time is also a popular example of a shift in political centers, and that is not necessarily associated with a dramatic alternation of power. In recent years, the mainstream view is that it was not until the Keitai and Kinmei dynasties that a "dynasty" was established in which a particular bloodline was the exclusive successor to the throne of a great king, and that prior to that, even if several generations of great kings were related by blood, their kingdoms could not be called as a "dynasty."

Yu Mizuno's "Three Dynasties Alternation Theory"

In the early Showa period (prewar), Sōkichi Tsuda was convicted of expressing the opinion that Kiki (Kojiki and Nihon Shoki) were compiled for highly political reasons to legitimize the Imperial Household's rule over Japan.

After the war, criticism of the chronicles of the Kiki became possible, and in 1954, Yū Mizuno published "Revised Introduction to the History of Ancient Japanese Dynasties". In this book, Mizuno analyzed the descriptions in the Kojiki (such as the zodiac of the year of the emperor's death and the Japanese posthumous name of the emperor), and concluded that the emperors from the period from the Sujin to the Suiko dynasties were of three different lineages, the Old, Middle and New dynasties, respectively. This was a subtle and bold hypothesis that had the potential to overturn the concept of a single lineage for all generations of the imperial lineage. Mizuno noted that of the 33 emperors from Emperor Jinmu to Emperor Suiko, 15 emperors, less than half, are listed in the Kojiki with the zodiac sign of the year of their death, and that the other 18 emperors were not real (fictional emperors created by He pointed out the possibility that the "new" (i.e., "old") He then developed a new genealogy of emperors centered on the 15 emperors. According to the hypothesis, in accordance with the notation of the number of generations of emperors in the Chronicles of Japan, there were three dynasties, with the 10th Emperor Sujin, the 16th Emperor Nintoku, and the 26th Emperor Keitai as their first emperors. The three dynasties were the Sujin Dynasty, the Nintoku Dynasty, and the Keitai Dynasty, and the current emperor is said to be a descendant of the Keitai Dynasty.

Although the academic circles of the time paid attention to Mizuno's theory, there were few supporters, and later, critically developed versions of Mizuno's theory were published in the academic circles of ancient history. Starting with Mitsusada Inoue's book "The Origin of the Japanese State" (1960, Iwanami Shinsho), Kōjirō Naoki, Seiji Okada, Masaaki Ueda, and others published their theories, and the theory of dynasty alternation came to be closely examined by the academic community. Yasutami Suzuki, who organized the theories of ancient history, also evaluated the theory of dynasty alternation in his book "History of the Study of Ancient State History" as "the greatest postwar theory in the study of ancient history. Ryōichi Maenosono, who has developed a comprehensive criticism of the theory of alternation of dynasties, also evaluated it in his book "Critique of the Theory of Alternation of Ancient Dynasties" for its significance in the denial of the "single lineage for all generations".

About the Three Dynasties

The possibility of the existence of three dynasties, the Sujin, Nintoku, and Successor Dynasty, has been noted above, and these will be discussed in detail.

Sujin Dynasty (Miwa Dynasty) (Iri Dynasty)

The Sujin Dynasty is assumed to have been based in the Miwa region of Yamato (at the foot of Mt. Miwa), and is also called the Miwa dynasty. Yū Mizuno called it the "Old Dynasty"". The dynasty is sometimes called the "Iri Dynasty" because many of the emperors and members of the imperial family belonging to this dynasty have names with "iri", such as "Irihiko" and "Irihime. This name is limited to this period and cannot be considered a Japanese-style epithet given to later generations. Emperor Sujin's name was Mimaki Irihikoinie, and Suinin's name was Ikume Irihikoisachi. Other children of Emperor Suijin include Toyoki Irihiko and Toyoki Irihime. However, many people question the reality of Emperors Sujin and Suinin and others.

Based on the year of the Kofun, it is highly likely that the large tombs were the tombs of the great kings of the period, and it can be inferred that the early Kofun era (mid 3rd century to early 4th century) was the period of the Kofun period, and that the Kofun period was the period of the Kofun era (mid 3rd century to 4th century). The Yamato-Yanagimoto tumulus cluster developed at the foot of Miwa in the southeastern part of the Nara Basin, and included the Shibuya Mukouyama tumulus (compared to the Keiko mausoleum), the Hashihaka Kofun (some researchers have speculated that it was Himiko's tomb), the Andonoyama tumulus (compared to the Sujin Mausoleum), the Mesuri The mounds are dotted with large burial mounds, each measuring 300 to 200 meters in length, such as the Mound of the Princess Tebiraka and the Mound of the Princess Nishidenzuka, indicating the existence of a royal authority in the region (present-day Sakurai City and Tenri City). Furthermore, according to the Chronicles, the palaces (capitals) of these kings overlapped with the areas where the large tombs mentioned above are located, and it can be inferred that the regime that began with Emperor Sujin was established mainly in this area, which can be called the Miwa regime.

From the perspective of the formation of the ancient Japanese state, the Miwa regime can be viewed as the early Yamato regime. The establishment of this regime is estimated to have been in the mid to late 3rd century or early 4th century. It was during the early Kofun period, when huge formalized kofun tumuli were constructed. The regime is considered to have been a more powerful one, retaining its religious character, rather than a magical one, with Himiko as its queen, who was known to "mislead the people with her devilish ways".

Ōjin Dynasty (Kawachi Dynasty) (Wake Dynasty)

The Ōjin dynasty is also called the Kawachi dynasty because many of its emperors' palaces and mausoleums were located in Kawachi (at that time, before the Ritsuryo system, which included Settsu and Izumi provinces other than Kawachi after the Ritsuryo system). The dynasty is sometimes called the Waku dynasty because many of the emperors and members of the imperial family belonging to this dynasty have names with "Waku" in them. The Kawachi dynasty occupies a major position in the above theory of dynastic alternation. The reason for this is that the Kawachi dynasty is located between the two dynasties that preceded and followed it. This dynasty, which Mizunosuke calls the Middle Kingdom, is generally referred to as the Early Yamato regime or the Second Yamato regime.

Some consider Emperor Ojin to be a fictitious emperor. Since Emperor Ojin's birth is legendary, it is believed that Emperor Ōjin and Emperor Nintoku were originally the same person, but were separated to create Emperor Ojin in order to unite the Miwa and Kawachi dynasties, in which case the dynasty is called the Nintoku dynasty. In this case, the dynasty is called the Nintoku Dynasty.

The Kawachi Dynasty (Ōjin Dynasty) is mentioned in the Song Book as having been sent by Wa ten times, and it is highly possible that the entire dynasty actually existed, since the five kings of Wa are assumed to be the great kings of the Kawachi Dynasty. However, there are various theories on the identification of the Five Kings of Wa.

In addition, there are huge existing forward-rear circular mounds in the Osaka Plain, such as the Honoda Gobyo-yama tumulus (Den Ojin-ryo) in the Kochi tumulus cluster in Kawachi and the Daisenryo tumulus (Den Nintoku-ryo) in the Mozu tumulus cluster in Izumi, as well as the Den Nintoku-ryo) and the Emperor Nintoku in the Kochi cluster in Izumi. There is no doubt that the Kawachi Dynasty had a powerful political power base in the Osaka Plain during the period of the Kawachi Dynasty, as the capital was established in Kawachi and Izumi in the Osaka Plain, respectively: Emperor Ojin in Osumi Palace in Namba, Emperor Nintoku in Takatsu Palace in Namba, and Emperor Antisho in Shibagaki, Tanbi (Matsubara City, Osaka Prefecture).

Teiji Kadowaki, a critic of the Kawachi dynasty theory, claims that the development of the Kawachi Plain was not the establishment of a new dynasty, but rather the expansion of the early Yamato regime into the Kawachi region. There are also other theories of the Kawachi dynasty, such as the theory by Kojiro Naoki and Seiji Okada that the Kawachi forces, which had grown powerful by seizing sea control of the Seto Inland Sea, confronted and overthrew the early Yamato government, and the theory by Masaaki Ueda that the Miwa dynasty (Sujin dynasty) fell and was replaced by the Kawachi dynasty (Kagawa dynasty). There is another theory that the Kawachi dynasty (Ojin dynasty) succeeded the Kawachi dynasty, and that the Kyushu forces of Mizuno and Inoue invaded Kinai as conquerors during the reigns of Emperors Ojin and Nintoku.

Keitai Dynasty (Echizen dynasty)

Emperor Keitai is said to be the descendant of Emperor Ojin's fifth generation, but it is unclear whether this is the case. Yū Mizuno said that Emperor Keitai was a powerful tribe of Ōmi or Echizen and seized the throne.

In addition, since he did not immediately move to Yamato after his accession to the throne, but moved from place to place in areas such as Kita Kawachi and Minami Yamashiro, and entered Yamato in the 20th year after his accession, there is a theory (Kōjiro Naoki's theory) that there were forces in Yamato that did not recognize Emperor Keitai's accession and that he was in a state of war, and another theory that Emperor Keitai was a female emperor, which was recognized at the time, namely, that he was a man of the female line. Kunio Hirano, a member of the Okinaga clan in Ōmi, had several queen consorts in the Daiō family, and Emperor Keitai was a qualified heir to the throne in the Ōkinaga lineage, so there was no usurpation of the throne.

Even if Emperor Keitai was in fact a descendant of the fifth generation of Emperor Ōjin, his lineage is so weak that many scholars consider that there was a change in the imperial lineage with Emperor Keitai, regardless of the theory of dynastic alternation.。However, there are some who question whether this new dynasty can be distinguished from the previous one, since Emperor Keitai inherited the entire ruling structure of the previous regime when he ascended to the throne, and also in terms of lineage, he succeeded to the throne as a son-in-law, taking as his wife an imperial princess (Princess Tebiraga) of the previous Daio family.

Hidehiro Okada's theory of Wakoku, dynasty change theory, and views on the founding of Japan

Oriental historian Hidehiro Okada, who advocates the interpretation of Chinese and Japanese historical documents from the standpoint of an Oriental historian, classified the steps of the Japanese archipelago prior to the "founding of Japan" as follows.

1. The period that constituted the local history of China (Qin/Han period). The Wajin "countries" scattered throughout the Japanese archipelago were trading centers inhabited by Overseas Chineses. The Okimi of Nakoku in Kitakyushu, the Yamatai were merely allies of the "Amphictyonia" of Japanese "nations" established at the convenience of the Chinese, and no actual state existed yet in the Japanese archipelago.
2. A period in which a government based in the Kinki region was established as part of the establishment of independent governments in various regions around China, taking advantage of the division of China (Sangoku period and Northern and Southern Dynasties). During this period, the Japanese state was established with the Kinki region as its sphere of influence, subjugating various regions of the Japanese archipelago and the southern Korean peninsula, and its rulers were given the title of "King of Japan" by the Chinese government (such as Wei of the Three Kingdoms and Song dynasty of the Northern and Southern Dynasties). He received the title of Wa, etc.).
3. Due to the drastic change in the international situation following the reunification of China, the Japanese state and other countries in the Japanese archipelago dissolved their respective organizations and established the unified state of "Japan". The unification of dynasties in China (Sui dynasty and Tang dynasty), and Chinese attacks and annexations of neighboring countries (Tsükrites, Koguryo, Baekje) proceed, and the Japanese archipelago is isolated from the rest of the world. Amidst this tension, from 668 to 670, the Japanese nation and other countries dissolved their existing organization and formed a unified nation led by a single monarch, and the country was named "Japan" and the monarch was named "Emperor".

Okada positions the Nihon Shoki, which was established in 720, as "a historical document that reflects the convenience of the current regime, which is descended from Temmu, who was compiled as part of Japan's founding project and took the throne from his elder brother Emperor Kobun in the Ijinshin no War.

The emperors in the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan), from Emperor Jinmu to Emperor Ojin, are assumed to be fictional entities created by the present government, and the founder of the Kawachi dynasty, Emperor Nintoku, was recognized as the "first Japanese king" by the Kinki region people at the time, followed by the Harima dynasty and the Echizen dynasty, which took over in succession.

Regarding the fact that the Nihon-shoki traces the present imperial lineage directly to the "founder of the Echizen dynasty" Emperor Keitai, the author points out, based on the description in the Sui,that the Nihon-shoki contains extremely large artifacts about the Japanese royal lineage immediately before the formation of the Nihon-shoki and that there may have been "dynasty changes" between Emperor Seimei and the earlier imperial lineages.

• Hidehiro Okada's theory of dynastic change

1. Kawachi dynasty
2. Harima dynasty
3. Echizen dynasty
4. The "founding dynasties of Japan" after Emperor Seimei

Kenzaburo Torigoe's theory

Katsura Dynasty

This theory, proposed by Kenzaburo Torigoe, holds that Emperor Jinmu and the so-called Eight Emperors of the Eight Lost Dynasties, whose existence is denied in the theory of the alternation of the Three Dynasties, were real emperors and were based in the Katsuragi region of Nara Prefecture that existed before the Sujin Dynasty, but were destroyed by the Sujin Dynasty. For details, see "The Katsuragi Dynasty Theory" in Kakushi Yashiro.

The Kawachi dynasty is thought to have been created by seizing maritime authority over the Seto Inland Sea and the cooperation of the powerful Katsuragi clan in the southeastern part of the Nara Basin. Emperor Nintoku made Iwanohime, daughter of Sotohiko Katsuragi, his empress, and she gave birth to the three future emperors: Rinchu, Anjo, and Yunkyo. Emperor Norichu also took Kurohime, a grandson of Sosohiko, as his wife and gave birth to Prince Ichibe Oshiban, who was the great-grandson of Sosohiko. The emperor had two future emperors, Haehime and Inhyon, as his concubines. Furthermore, there is a legend that Emperor Yusaku gave birth to Emperor Seinei with Princess Karahime, a daughter of Minister Katsuragi En'oji, as his wife. Whether or not this is a historical fact, the Katsuragi clan had a close relationship with the Kawachi dynasty, according to the descriptions in "Kiki.

See also

• Kofun period
• Yamato Kingship
• Kawachi dynasty
• Harima dynasty
• Echizen dynasty
• Islam in Japan
• Shinto

Bibliography

• 岡田英弘『倭国』（中央公論社、1977年）
• 岡田英弘『日本史の誕生』（筑摩書房、2008年）
• 長井瑠偉『県主朝』（筒森神社、2010年）