Why does Japan have an emperor?

Emperor

The official title of the monarch of Yamato (Japanese) was originally "Daoh" (the great king who rules the world). Therefore, in the official history of the Southern Dynasties of China, the five Japanese monarchs who sent envoys to pay tribute were called Japanese kings, and the history was called the Five Japanese Kings (Zan, Zhen, Ji, Xing, and Wu). During the reign of Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, Emperor Suiko of Yamato sent Ono Meizi as an envoy to the Sui Dynasty. In his credential, there was a sentence "The Emperor of the East respects the Emperor of the West", which was the first time the word "Emperor" was used in diplomatic situations. However, the Sui Dynasty's record of such credential is "from the emperor at sunrise to the emperor at sunset." (Actually, the certificate of credence recorded in the Sui Dynasty is the one brought by Ono Meizi. The certificate of credence recorded in the "Nihon Shoki" is the second copy. The general meaning of the greetings is repeated. Also, Ono Meizi Although he lost the credentials sent by China, he was not punished. Some scholars believe that according to the diplomatic situation at the time, both ambassadors had to modify the credentials and records to reach a compromise point between the two countries. Otherwise, Japan would use the term "emperor" and China would use the term "emperor". It is impossible to accept its credential. On the contrary, if China adopts a subordinate relationship with Japan, Japan will not accept it. According to the "Nihon Shoki", the credential written by the ambassador to Japan Pei Shiqing is written as "The Emperor Asks the Japanese Emperor." That is to say, the ambassador changed the official document to conform to the boundaries of the two countries. "The Biography of Prince Shotoku" said that "the emperor gave the princes a royal letter. However, the word "emperor" has its own ears. And the word "Japanese Emperor" has its own meaning. "Etiquette." This can be evidenced.) This should be due to the fact that the terms "King", "King" and "Emperor" were all changed to "Emperor" in accordance with the provisions of the Daiho Order. A wooden slip with the word "Emperor" written on it was found among the epitaphs of the relics of Emperor Tenchi's era, but it is also possible that a tomb was erected in later generations. It is certain that the time when the term emperor was widely used in Japan was during the period of Emperor Tenmu.

Edit the mystery of the origin of this paragraph

The Emperor

Did the bloodline of the Japanese Emperor originate in China? Or North Korea? Or some nomadic people in Asia? For a long time, because the Japanese royal family has been deified, the historical records about the royal family are full of gaps, and the Japanese imperial mausoleum is strictly forbidden to outsiders, the "life experience" of the emperor has always been a mystery with different opinions. Is the Emperor of Japan a Japanese or a foreigner? The recent opening of some imperial mausoleums for the first time may give people a chance to get closer to the truth, and the emperor's life experience may be unveiled. Qin Fan, a special writer for the International Herald Herald, is from Tokyo. Japan's "Yomiuri Shimbun" recently reported that Japan Parts of the Emperor's mausoleum will be opened to scholars for the first time to conduct research on the Emperor's ancestral origins. On January 10, our reporter called the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, which is responsible for releasing royal family news, to verify the relevant information. The person in charge of the Imperial Household Agency told the International Herald Herald that they have not yet approved the archaeological society to visit the Emperor's Mausoleum. It just said that investigation applications from the Archaeological Society will be accepted starting from January 1, but the Archaeological Society has not contacted the Imperial Household Agency so far. According to the "Yomiuri Shimbun" report, 11 imperial tombs were opened during this massacre, but the newspaper did not disclose specifically which 11 imperial tombs they were. There is only one explicitly mentioned by the Japanese media, which is the largest of the Japanese imperial mausoleums, the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku (the 16th Emperor of Japan). The person in charge of the Imperial Household Agency told the International Herald Herald that the 11 imperial tombs mentioned in the Yomiuri Shimbun were applied for two years ago, and now they need to re-apply before they can be opened.

The identity of the early imperial tombs is a mystery

The Emperor

Japanese history has very vague records about the ancestors of the emperors. It only says that the first emperor, Emperor Jimmu, was "the emperor of heaven". The identity of the 10th generation Emperor Sogami was not supported by actual cultural relics. So much so that historians in many countries, including Japan, believe that the ancestors of the Japanese Emperor were not locals at all, but Chinese or Koreans. In fact, not only scholars have doubts, but even the Emperor of Japan himself has doubts. When the current Emperor Akihito celebrated his 68th birthday (2001), he talked about his ancestors. He said: "As for me, I feel that I have some affinity with the Korean Peninsula. According to Japanese chronicles, Emperor Kanmu ( The mother of the 50th Emperor of Japan was a member of the family of a king of the ancient Korean Baekje Kingdom. Experts from the Japan Archaeological Association and other scholars have also been pleading with the authorities to open part of the imperial tomb to "verify the identity." However, the Imperial Household Agency, which is responsible for all affairs of the Japanese imperial family, including the imperial mausoleum, has always refused to open the emperor's mausoleum to the public for fear of disturbing the rest of the late emperor's soul. The British "Times" even believed that the Japanese government strictly prohibited scholars from investigating the emperor's mausoleum, perhaps because it was afraid of discovering evidence that the emperor came from China or the Korean Peninsula.

What’s more, what embarrasses the Japanese royal family and the Imperial Household Agency is that they were in a hurry when they designated a certain mausoleum (mainly referring to the early emperor’s mausoleum) as the emperor’s mausoleum. Many of the designations were wrong, and the construction year could not be determined, and some of the mausoleums could not be determined. The true identity of the person buried inside. In other words, it is very likely that the so-called soul of the emperor who is worshiped with great care actually belongs to a prince, noble or even an ordinary person. The Mausoleum of the Successor Emperor (the 26th Emperor of Japan) is a typical example. The Imperial Household Agency's summary of the tombs of Japanese emperors throughout the dynasties believes that the Tomb of Emperor Katsuki is an ancient tomb located at Chausuyama in Ota, while scholars generally believe that the Tomb of Emperor Katsuki is an ancient tomb located in Takatsuki City, Japan.

Strictly restrict the scope of the inspection

After a long wait, it is not easy for the Imperial Household Agency of Japan to agree to the opening. On the one hand, the change in his attitude is due to the pressure from public opinion to know the truth about the origin of the emperor, which is the result of long-term negotiations between private scholars and the Imperial Household Agency; on the other hand, because with the decline of the emperor's status, the Japanese royal family has also been in this situation. No longer adhere to traditional views on issues. However, although the Imperial Household Agency of Japan has "opened the door", according to the "Yomiuri Shimbun" report, the Imperial Household Agency of Japan has imposed almost harsh restrictions on scholars - the scope of entering the imperial tomb is the first to the tomb. Up to one step! And each academic group can only send one person to enter. However, don’t think that these scholars have no “use”. The architectural structure of Japanese imperial mausoleums is generally divided into several floors inside and outside. Although the place where visitors are allowed to visit should be far away from the coffin, you can see the walls inside the mausoleum. mural. Those murals are of great research value. It is said that some of the astronomical maps in the murals in ancient tombs depict the sky over the Korean Peninsula. There are also some patterns containing the ancient Chinese heavenly stems and earthly branches. According to reports, in addition to the historical society, the Imperial Household Agency will also open inspections of the imperial tombs to botanical experts. It is said that many plants that the emperor loved during his lifetime were planted in front of the imperial mausoleum.

Exploring the Emperor’s Tomb

How mysterious is the Emperor’s Tomb in Japan? Let’s see what happens. Qin Fan, a special writer for the International Herald Herald, wrote from Tokyo. On January 7, a storm broke out and it was extremely cold. Japanese people who are on a long vacation are reluctant to go out, and the streets are deserted. But there is one place that is an exception - the Showa Emperor Cemetery in Hachioji City, Tokyo. Because this day is the death day of Emperor Showa (the 124th Emperor of Japan). Every year, a commemorative ceremony is held in the cemetery, and the royal family is also present. What is the Emperor’s Cemetery like? Besides the royal family, what kind of people would visit the Emperor on this day? In order to find the answer, the author arrived at the cemetery early on the 7th.

The Royal Cemetery is heavily guarded

The cemetery does not charge admission. Everyone who comes to the cemetery lowers their head and bows before entering. The author saw the notice on the door saying "No entry for non-worshippers". Walking into the cemetery, I felt soft under my feet. It turns out that the roads in the park are paved with small stones. When you step on them lightly, they will rustle, echoing the whistling wind in the air, giving people a sense of desolation and loneliness. feeling. This "Omotesando" (Central Avenue) is 5 meters wide and 400 meters long. About 150 Kyoto Kitayama cedar trees were planted along the road. Each tree is towering and tall, like "soldiers" guarding the imperial mausoleum. According to reports, the cemetery covers an area of ??460,000 square meters and contains four imperial mausoleums: Emperor Taisho (the 123rd emperor of Japan) and his empress, and Emperor Showa and his empress. Walk straight ahead along the "Omotesando". At the end, the road naturally bifurcates into two branches, one leading to Emperor Taisho's Mausoleum and the other leading to Emperor Showa's Mausoleum. Because this day is the anniversary of the death of Emperor Showa, there are obviously more guards in front of Emperor Showa's mausoleum than elsewhere. Emperor Taisho was the father of Emperor Showa, and the two mausoleums are not far apart. The shape of the mausoleum is round with an upper part and a lower part, and is about 11 meters high. The emperor's coffin is stored in the Showa Emperor's Mausoleum, and ordinary people are not allowed to enter the mausoleum. In front of the Emperor's Mausoleum, there is an archway with three steps below. There is an iron fence between the archway and the steps. As soon as a worshiper stepped onto the steps under the fence, the guard next to him immediately stepped forward to stop him: "You can't go up!" The Japanese royal family released a new version of "Family Portrait". The mysterious place where the royal family can enter the cemetery. Many temporary tents were set up in front of the Showa Emperor's Mausoleum. . According to the guard, it was built for the royal family members who came to pay homage that day. Members of the royal family can enter the interior of the imperial mausoleum. They stay there for more than an hour. People can't help but be curious about what they can see inside. After the author visited the four mausoleums, when he walked not far from the door, he was scolded by the guard, "Hurry out, a car is coming in!" It turned out that the car of the crown prince's family was coming.

As soon as the author walked out, guards blocked both sides of the door. "The royal family members are inside and are not allowed in now," the guard said. The royal family is definitely the protagonist of this sacrificial event. An insider said that the large square at the entrance is usually a parking lot, but today because the royal family came, parking was not allowed. If the emperor comes, because he is taking a helicopter, this place will simply become a temporary "imperial airport".

The Emperor is no longer a god in the eyes of the people

Among the worshipers that day, there were almost no young people. "Except for some elderly people and right-wing people, the attitude of most citizens towards the emperor has changed a lot." Kamiyama told the International Herald Herald. Sure enough, except for a few ordinary people like Ms. Kamiyama, the vast majority of the crowd were members of right-wing groups. They have a typical "right-wing outfit": dressed in black from head to toe, some have tight bandages on their heads saying "Long Live the Emperor", wearing propaganda slogans "Worship the Emperor", and holding "Japanese people must unite around the Emperor". signboard. Insiders told the author that ordinary worshipers do not need this "all-black outfit" and only need to wear ordinary clothes to worship. Ms. Kamiyama has a very bad impression of the right wing. "Those people are too scary. I think they are here to cause trouble and ruin the atmosphere. They praise the emperor as a 'god', but I don't admire the emperor as much as they do. I just feel that the current royal family The members behave elegantly, have traditional Japanese beauty, and are more approachable than before."

"History" is worse than "myth"

"In the 19th century, the Meiji government based on legends and parts. Japanese historical materials identify some of the ancient tombs as tombs of ancient emperors," Wang Jinlin, an authority on ancient Japanese history in China and a professor at the Institute of Japanese Studies at the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences, said in an interview with the International Herald Herald. However, due to the extreme lack of historical materials about ancient Japan, it is actually difficult to determine whether these tombs belong to Emperor Nintoku or other emperors. "During the Yamato regime, Japanese emperors, nobles and wealthy families generally felt proud of building tall tombs." Wang Haiyan believes that the possibility that what is now called the "Emperor's Mausoleum" does not rule out the possibility that it is the tomb of a "rich family", because at that time The emperor's power was not centralized, and he needed to rely on the power of large clans to consolidate his power. Part of the existing books such as "Kojiki" and "Nihon Shoki" are not so much historical books, "but rather a collection of myths compiled by the Japanese royal family in order to add a moral foundation to themselves," Wang Haiyan explained, especially The relevant records of the dozen or so emperors before the 15th Emperor are difficult to view as history. At present, Japanese officials have identified tombs for most of the emperors before the 8th century. For example, an ancient tomb in Nara Prefecture has been identified as the tomb of Emperor Jimmu. After opening these "Emperor's Tombs", if the age of the remains does not match the existing claims, it will pose a great challenge to the legitimacy of the Japanese royal family.