gentile names, he held sway at the Further Asuka.[1] Though each differed in caution and in ardour, though all were unlike in accomplishments and in intrinsic worth, yet was there none who did not by contemplating antiquity correct manners that had fallen to ruin, and by illumining modern times repair laws that were approaching dissolution.[2]
In the august reign of the Heavenly Sovereign who governed the Eight Great Islands from the Great Palace of Kiyomihara at Asuka,[3] the Hidden Dragon put on perfection, the Reiterated Thunder came at the
- ↑ “The Emperor In-giyō” must be supplied as the logical subject of this sentence. This Sovereign’s rectification of the names forms the subject of Sect. CXXXIX. For Further Asuka (Toho-tsu-Asuka) see Sect. CXXXIII, Notes 13 and 11.
- ↑ I.e., though unlike in character, some of the ancient emperors excelling in caution and others in ardour, some being remarkable for their attainments and others for their native worth, yet was there not one without a claim to greatness, not one who did not regard antiquity as the standard by which modern times should be judged, and repair the deviations from antique perfection that successively arose during the lapse of ages.—How marvellously inapplicable is this rodomontade to the early monarchs of Japan the student of Japanese history need scarcely be told, and Motowori himself allows that “it is not completely appropriate.” Here the first part of the Preface terminates.
- ↑ Viz., the Emperor Tem-mu, whose struggle for the crown in the latter part of the seventh century of our era against the contending claims of Prince Ohotomo is related at great length in the pages of the “Chronicles,” though naturally beyond the scope of these “Records,” which close in A. D. 628. The “Eight Great Islands” is one of the synonyms of Japan (see Sect. V, Note 27). The reason for the specially laudatory mention in this place of the Emperor Tem-mu is the fact that it was with him that the idea of compiling these Records originated, as is indeed stated a little further on. He is here alluded to by the expressions Hidden Dragon and Reiterated Thunder, metaphorical names borrowed from the “Yi Ching” and denoting the heir apparent, Tem-mu not having ascended the throne till some time after his predecessor’s death, as Prince Ohotomo disputed by force of arms his right to the succession. The phrases “put on perfection” and “came at the appointed moment” are attempts at representing the original 體元 and 應期. The meaning is that the Emperor Tem-mu was the man for the age, and that he took his proper and exalted place in it. In the following sentences we have a flowery résumé of the story of the successful war by which he obtained the crown. The reference to the “song in a dream” is indeed obscure; but the “water at night”
clause. His labours are briefly recapitulated in Sect. XCIV. For the province called Nearer Afumi (Chika-tsu-Afumi), see Sect. XXIX Note. 20 Its name is here rhythmically balanced against “Further Asuka” in the following clause.
