Land,[1] thou goest to the assistance of the Ruler who is threatened with destruction, there will surely be tranquillity to the State and peace to the people.' Prayer was therefore offered to the God, aid was rendered, and the peace of the country was consequently assured. Now the God who originally founded this country is the God who descended from Heaven and established this State in the period when Heaven and Earth became separated, and when trees and herbs had (XIX. 48.) speech.[2] I have recently been informed that your country has ceased to worship him.[3] But if you now repent your former errors, if you build a shrine to the God and perform sacrifice in honour of his divine spirit, your country will prosper. Thou must not forget this."
Autumn, 7th month, 4th day. Iname no Sukune Soga no Oho-omi and Hodzumi no Ihayumi no Omi were despatched to the five districts of Kibi to establish the Miyake of Shirawi.
8th month. Yö-chhyang of Pèkché addressed his Ministers, saying:—"I[4] now desire, for the sake of the King, my deceased father, to leave the world and practise religion." The Ministers and the people answered and said:—"We have now received the instructions intimating to us Your Majesty's wish to be allowed to retire from the world and to practise religion. Ah! whose fault was it that firm plans were not made in the first place, of which neglect so great evils have been the consequence? From the foundation of this kingdom until the
- ↑ Oho-na-mochi no Kami.
- ↑ See Vol. I. p. 64.
- ↑ The "Tsū-shō" commentator here quotes the following curious statement from a work called the "Sei-to-ki":—"In the reign of the Emperor Kwammu (782–806) we and Corea had writings of the same kind. The Emperor, disliking this, burnt them and said:—'These speak of the God who founded the country, and do not mention the Gods our ancestors.'" But possibly this only refers to the legend of 檀君, Tan-kun, which the "Tongkam" gives as follows:—"In the Eastern region (i.e. Corea) there was at first no chief. Then there was a divine man who descended under a sandal tree. The people of the Land established him as their Lord. He was called Tan-kun (Sandal-lord), while the country received the name of Chosön (morning freshness). This was in the reign of (the Chinese Emperor) T'ang-Yao (B.C. 2357–2258), the year Mon-shên. The capital was at first Phyöng-yang; it was afterwards removed to Pèk-ak (the white hill). In the 8th year (B.C. 1317) of the reign of Wu Ting, of the Shang Dynasty, he entered Mount Asătal (Asita) and became a God."
- ↑ Lit. "the small child."
