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BOOK XXVII.

THE EMPREROR AME MIKOTO HIRAKASU WAKE.[1]

(TENCHI[2] TENNŌ.)

The Emperor Ame mikoto hirakasu wake was the eldest son of the Emperor Okinaga tarashi-hi hiro-nuka.[3] His mother was called the Empress Ame toyo-takara ikashi-hi tarashi-hime.[4] In the fourth year of her reign, the Empress Ame toyo-takara ikashi-hi tarashi-hime resigned the Dignity to the Emperor Ame-yorodzu toyo-hi,[5] and established the Emperor[6] as Prince Imperial. The Emperor Ame-yorodzu toyo-hi died in the tenth month of his later fifth year.[7] In the following year the Empress Dowager assumed the Imperial Dignity. She died in the seventh year of her reign, on the 24th day of the 7th month. The Prince Imperial, clad in white garments,[8] discharged the functions of government.[9]

In this month General Su, the Turkic Prince Ch‘ipichiali[10] and others proceeded by two routes—land and sea—as far as (XXVII. 2.) the Koryö walled city.[11]

The Prince Imperial removed his residence to the Palace of

  1. Ame, heaven; mikoto, behest; hirakasu, throw open. Wake is connected with wakaki, young. It is nearly equal to our word prince.
  2. Heavenly intelligence.
  3. Jomei Tennō.
  4. Kōgioku Tennō.
  5. Kōtoku Tennō.
  6. i.e. the present Emperor Tenchi.
  7. i.e. of the period Hakuchi, the second of the two year-periods into which his reign was divided.
  8. Mourning. Giles says "half-mourning;" but the phrase has here a more general application. Unbleached hempen cloth was probably the material.
  9. The phrase 稱制 is rendered in the interlinear gloss by matsurigoto kikoshimesu, i.e. "attended to the Government." Giles and Williams give another explanation, which does not suit the present passage. But are not the here the mourning regulations? and does not the phrase mean "announced the mourning for the Empress"?
  10. Chinese pronunciation.
  11. Now Phyöng-syang.