sovereign! On him who breaks this oath, Heaven will send a curse and earth a plague, demons will slay them, and men will smite them. This is as manifest as the sun and moon."[1]
The style 4th year of the Empress Ame-toyo-takara ikashi-hi tarashi-hime was altered to Daikwa, 1st year.[2]
A.D. 645. Daikwa, 1st year, Autumn, 7th month, 2nd day. The Imperial Princess Hashibito, daughter of the Emperor Okinaga tarashi-hi hiro-nuka,[3] was made Empress. Two consorts were appointed. The senior was Wo-tarashi-hime, daughter of the Oho-omi, Abe no Kurahashi no Maro. She was the mother of the Imperial Prince Arima. The junior consort was Chi-iratsume, daughter of the Oho-omi, Soga no Yamada no Ishikaha no Maro.
10th day. Koryö, Pèkché, and Silla all sent Envoys at the same time bearing tribute. The Pèkché tribute-envoys were also charged with the office of Envoys from Imna and with the Imna tribute. But the Pèkché Chief Envoy, the Cha-phyöng[4] Yön-pok, fell ill, and remained in the official residence of the Port,[5] so that he did not enter the capital. Kose no Tokuda no Omi addressed the Koryö Envoys on the Emperor's behalf, saying:—"This is the mandate of the Emperor of Japan, who rules the world as a God incarnate. 'The Envoys sent by the Emperor and the Envoys sent by the Koryö Sons of the Gods,[6] (XXV. 6.) have a brief past, but a long future. Let them, therefore, simply continue to pass backwards and forwards with friendly hearts.'" Next he addressed the Pèkché Envoys on the Emperor's behalf, saying:—"This is the mandate of the Emperor of Japan, who rules the world as a God incarnate. 'At first, in the reign of our remote Imperial ancestor, the Land of Pèkché was made an interior Miyake[7] which might be
- ↑ It may be noted that there is nothing Buddhist or Shintō in this vow. It is pure Chinese. It is not exactly an oath according to our ideas, but an imprecation on rebellion.
- ↑ This is the first introduction of the nengō, 年號, or year-period, a Chinese chronological device. Vide Introduction to "Satow's Chronological Tables." Daikwa means great civilization or development. As a matter of fact very revolutionary changes took place in this reign.
- ↑ Jomei Tennō.
- ↑ Minister of the Left.
- ↑ Doubtless Osaka.
- ↑ A polite term for kings.
- ↑ i.e. immediately dependent on the throne.
