Podcasts about uzume

With the end of the Jinshin War, Oama, posthumously known as Temmu Tenno, came to the throne.  And though they would need a new Great Council of State, they continued to build up and bolster the Ritsuryo state.  They were imagining a new Yamato based on continental models of what a state should look like, but also influenced by tradition.  This episode we take a look at that reimagining in broad strokes, asking a few questions--what was Oama's relationship with his brother, and touching on the relationship of Nakatomi no Kamatari and his brother, Nakatomi no Kane.  We also take a look at some of the literary propaganda that also helped to codify this new imaginary--the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki.  We also touch on other sourcesof information, like the Fudoki and Man'yoshu. For more information, check out our blog:  https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-133   Rough Transcript Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.  My name is Joshua, and this is episode 133: Reimagining Yamato As the bells of Houkouji tolled, Ohoama and his wife, Uno, surveyed the construction on going in the Asuka valley.  Hordes of workers had been called up, and now they were working furiously towards the deadline of the new year.  Where once stood the later Wokamoto palace of Takara Hime, aka Ohoama's mother, Saimei Tennou, now the land was being prepared for a palace on a much grander scale.  And just as the palace was being remade, Ohoama's thoughts went beyond the valley, to the entire archipelago.  His brother, Naka no Oe, had started something profound.  Now here he was, helming the Ship of State, and Ohoama had plans of his own, built upon his brother's ideas.  He would build a new state, ensuring that the reforms that started back in 645 would continue for generations. Greetings everyone and welcome back.  As we dive back in, let's recap where we are. The year is now 673, and the fighting from the previous year—the Jinshin war—is over.  Prince Ohoama and his Yoshino forces were victorious and he is now poised to ascend the throne in the recently built Palace of Kiyomihara, in Asuka.  He will be known to future generations by his posthumous name:  Temmu Tennou. Ohoama would go ahead and continue to centralize the government under the continental model.  That said, he also would pay a not insignificant amount of attention to local tradition as well.  His reign would lead to the establishment of the first permanent capital city: Fujiwara-kyo.  He is also credited with initiating the projects collecting various historical records, which culminated in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, the very chronicles on which this podcast is based – and both of which seem to have been designed specifically to promote the authority of the throne, specifically Ohoama and his descendants. Those descendants—the Temmu dynasty—would rule for almost a century, including four of the eight official female sovereigns (those eight become ten if you count the unofficial Himiko and Okinaga Tarashi-hime, aka Jingu Tennou).  This dynasty would reign from the end of the Asuka period up through to the Nara period, and it would see the evolution of the Yamato state into the kingdom of Nihon—which is to say the kingdom of Japan. The politics of this period were also quite something.  It is during this coming period that we see the rise of the famous Fujiwara family, who would come to dominate the political landscape.  We also see the continued contact with the mainland, with numerous trade goods coming over, many of which would be included in the famous Shousouin storehouse of Toudaiji temple, in Nara. Buddhism would also thrive, with Kokubunji, or provincial temples, being set up in a network around the archipelago.  There was also the building of the famous Daibutsu, or Giant Buddha statue, of Toudaiji. Art would also flourish.  The Man'yoshu would be published at this time—a collection of around 4,500 Japanese poems, or waka.  Meanwhile, the court would also focus on continental styles as well.  From this point on, not only do we have more evidence of what was happening through the written record, but the writing itself changed.  Different Sinitic characters were borrowed solely for their sound to help spell out Japanese words.  These would eventually be simplified, and known as “kana”.  The earliest use of these characters is known as “Man'yo-gana” because so many are traced back to the Man'yoshu itself.  They would eventually be standardized and simplified, becoming the hiragana and katakana we know and use today. But in 673, all of this is still on the horizon. So this is a great time to pause for a bit in our journey through the chronicles and set the stage for this next, incredibly transformative period in the archipelago by going over these larger patterns in some depth, so that, as we start to go through this period we get a better idea of just what was happening, and perhaps why.  That's what we'll do this episode. To start with, let's go back to the relationship between Naka no Oe and Ohoama.  As far as we can tell, these brothers were fairly close to one another.  Not only was Ohoama married to one of Naka no Oe's daughters, Princess Uno, he had actually taken as consort at least four of Naka no Oe's other daughters—all of which were Ohoama's nieces.  In turn, one of Ohoama's own daughters, Princess Touchi, had been married off to Ohotomo, aka the ill-fated Koubun Tennou.  On top of that, Naka no Oe and Ohoama both had taken as consorts daughters of Soga no Akaye, and both Ohotomo and Ohoama had consorts from Nakatomi—or Fujiwara—no Kamatari.  This demonstrates just how interrelated everyone was at court, presumably as a means of strengthening the ties between them.  Of course, as we've seen time and again, those ties were more symbolic than anything else, and certainly did not prevent the occasional use of violence, nor did it protect the fathers of those women from political repercussions when they found themselves on the wrong side. On the other hand, beyond the initial mention of their births, we don't see the two brothers together until Naka no Oe came to the throne.  Why?  Well, to be fair, we don't see much of anyone but the sovereign in the Chronicles unless there is a specific thing they are called out for—like an embassy, presenting something to the throne, etc.  Even Naka no Oe often isn't mentioned directly, even when he was the Crown Prince and supposedly helping run the government.  So that could be it. There are two apparent counter arguments to the idea that Naka no Oe and his brother, Ohoama, were tight.  First is a mention in the Toushi Kaden, the Family History of the Fujiwara Family, about Ohoama thrusting a spear into a board, which rattled Naka no Oe enough that he was apparently wondering if he needed to have his own brother taken out.  Then there is Ohoama's resignation at the time of Naka no Oe's death, presumably because he was warned that a plot was afoot, and that if he accepted Naka no Oe's offer to take the reins of the state in his own two hands then something—we aren't told what—would unfold. I can't rule out the idea that neither of those accounts is quite accurate either, however.  It is possible that the Toushi Kaden account is embellished to heighten Fujiwara no Kamatari's own role as peacemaker between the brothers.  I also have to wonder if the warning to Ohoama around Naka no Oe's death wasn't so much about Naka no Oe, but about his ministers.  After all, they seem to have had no problem supporting the much younger—and likely more malleable—Prince Ohotomo.  So it seems to me entirely possible that there were other threats that Ohoama was concerned with. That brings me to one of those ministers:  Nakatomi no Kane.  We talked about him before and during the war.  He first showed up participating in ritual and speaking on kami matters.  He would later rise to be one of the Great Ministers of State, and was one of the six ministers who had pledged themselves to Prince Ohotomo.  At the end of the Jinshin War, he was put to death and his family was banished.  That said, in period leading up to all of that,  we spent a good amount of time with another Nakatomi: Nakatomi no Kamatari. He was the head of the Nakatomi clan and the Naidaijin, the Interior Minister, a special position placing him on par, or even above, the Ministers of the Left and Right, but which did not have a well defined portfolio noted in the literature.  Interestingly, this position also doesn't seem to have survived Kamatari, at least in the short run.  From the time of Naka no Oe, aka Tenji Tennou, to the time of Ohoama, aka Temmu Tennou, it seems that the office of Naidaijin fell out of favor, possibly due, in part, to Prince Ohotomo being raised to a different post, that of Dajou Daijin, placing him in charge of the Great Council of State. The Naidaijin role wouldn't be revived until 717 for Kamatari's grandson, Fujiwara no Fusasaki (interestingly,  only three years before the completion of the Nihon Shoki). Nakatomi no Kane was, as far as we can tell, the brother to Kamatari.  When Kamatari passed away, Kane seems to have taken on the role as head of the Nakatomi family and he was also made Minister of the Right.  This mirrors, in its way, the relationship between Naka no Oe and Ohoama, and the common system of inheritance that would often go brother to brother.  And yet, while Kamatari was a hero of the Taika era, Nakatomi no Kane was executed for his role in the Jinshin War.  So in the context of the rise of the Fujiwaras to greater prominence later on in Ohoama's reign, it is significant that Kamatari's line would be set apart from the rest of the Nakatomi to the extent of giving it the new Fujiwara name.  Although the Chronicles claim that the “Fujiwara” name was actually granted by Naka no Oe, there is a thought that this was granted posthumously, and may have even been retconned by later members of the family, possibly to distance themselves from Nakatomi no Kane and his role on the losing side of the Jinshin War, and tie themselves clearly to Kamatari and his founding role in Naka no Oe's and Ohoama's new vision, instead.  This all brings me to my next point: the creation of the national histories.  The projects that culminated in what we know today as the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki are said to have been started under Ohoama's reign, though they wouldn't be finished until much later, well into the 8th century.  A lot of what went into them was work under Ohoama's wife Uno, who succeeded him as Jitou Tennou, as well as her successors.  Prince Toneri, one of Ohoama's sons, is said to have overseen the Nihon Shoki's compilation. Prince Toneri was son of Ohoama and princess Niitabe, one of Naka no Oe's daughters, and while he never sat the throne, himself, one of his sons would eventually do so.  As such, we can see a strong royal hand on the project, even though the actual composition was probably by several teams of Chroniclers—we touched on this briefly back in Episode 131. The Kojiki, on the other hand, is said to have been written by Oho no Yasumaro based on the oral history that had been maintained by Hieda no Are.  We don't know much about Hieda no Are—there are some that believe they may have been a woman, since a passage in a later work, the Seikyuuki, suggests that they were a member of the Sarume no Kimi family, descended from Ame no Uzume no Mikoto, who is said to have danced and helped lure Amaterasu out of the rock cave.  And so they were particularly known for their role as shrine maidens—a particularly female role.  That said, Are received the title of “toneri”, which is often assumed to be male, and there is nothing else that explicitly says they were not. Either way, Hieda no Are is said to have been commanded by the sovereign, Ohoama, to memorize the history of the nation, presumably to then perform it as needed, for the court.  Only later was Oho no Yasumaro asked to write it down in what became known as the Kojiki. Both of these chronicles were attempts to organize the history of the nation and to put together all the stories in a way that would establish a foundation for the new state that was evolving out of ancient Yamato.  A large part of that effort was going to be to justify those who were in power at the time—including both the royal family and the various noble houses at the time, including the powerful Fujiwara. Now, when we talk about how these histories were created to bolster the state, I want to be careful.  It may not have necessarily been the case that the chroniclers were actively and consciously promoting a fictional account.  From what we can tell, the chroniclers drew from a collection of stories, some written down in diaries and court records, works like the Baekje annals and continental histories, and some that were likely just memorized tales that were part of the general culture.   There were a couple of existing histories—we are told, for example, that there was a Teiki and a Kyuji floating around, both attributed to the legendary Shotoku Taishi, and both supposedly including the royal lineage at least to Toyomike-kashikiya-hime, aka Suikou Tennou.  However, the copies that were being passed around were apparently suspect, and we are told that there were inconsistencies.  Which probably means that the way they told the story did not conform to the way that Ohoama and the royal family wanted it told, though it could also refer to the fact that different accounts had slight variations on the stories, many of which had probably started as oral traditions that were only later written down.  It is also likely that there was only so much detail in those ancient texts, but we can't know for sure.  The Sendai Kuji Hongi purports to be the text of the original Kyuuji, or Kyuujiki, but that claim is dubious, at best, though it may have used an older, no longer extant history to crib its own notes from. So there were probably some writings, already, but there was also so much more.  There were stories from various familial records, stories told by various shrines about their kami and their histories, and stories passed down as local history that had never been captured, previously.  All of this was good material for the project of creating an official national history that aimed to tell the whole story. To get an idea of what the Chroniclers of that time might have been going through, imagine that you have some 2,000 random facts about the United States, or any country of your choice, in no particular order—stories of heroes, presidents, wars, etc.  On top of that, only a few of them ever give you any kind reference dates, and when they do, those dates are only in relationship to the presidents in office – the third year of the presidency of Roosevelt, for example - or maybe they reference another event.  In addition, some of the facts have been lost, or they come from history books with a slightly different format.  Or they come from diaries with different perspectives and takes on the same event.  And then, without the aid of the Internet or any other reference material, you are asked to put all of that together into a coherent narrative. In all likelihood you would be able to generally construct many of the broad strokes.  You would leverage what you know to be true and do your best to put things in place, but there is no guarantee that everything would be in the right order.  And in places where there wasn't any clear through line, you may have needed to come up with your best, most plausible explanation and write that down. Also, imagine you had, in the interests of completeness, thrown in some of the more, shall we say, apocryphal stories.  George Washington cutting down a cherry tree, for instance, or the story of Johnny Appleseed, or even the more fantastical stories of Davy Crockett.  Without other reference points, would you know where they went, or how true they actually were? Add to all of that the lack of a referential calendar.  The sexagesimal system helps for units of 60 years, but there was nothing comparable to a western calendar in use at the time.  Instead, everything was based on the number of years in a given reign.  So instead of thinking about it as “did this happen in 584 or 524?” it was more like “Did this happen in the years of the sovereign reigning from X palace or Y palace?” Now that said, there do appear to have been individuals whose job was to memorize the stories and the histories and recite them.  We have, for example, the Kataribe, the guild of storytellers.  It may have been out of this tradition that we get the eventual commission of the previously mentioned Hieda no Are, who was to memorize all of the historical events and recite them back, which I can only imagine would have been a kind of performance for the court, helping to reinforce the narrative.  But still, as Are was putting everything together, what were the assumptions and guidelines they were working under? After all, there were no doubt certain truths, whether factual or not, that were pushed by the court.  Things like the idea of an unbroken line of sovereigns going all the way back to the mythical founding, just like in continental stories.  Or, the idea that worship centered from the beginning around the sun goddess, Amaterasu. There is plenty of evidence that while the early Wa people practiced various forms of sun worship, with traces found in their language as well as stories, cultural traditions, etc., it was not necessarily Amaterasu who was the primary deity of worship.  Back in the Age of the Gods we talked about the creator deities, Izanagi and Izanami, and about the High god of Heaven, Takami Musubi, who seems to at one point been the most prominent central deity, but who had since been eclipsed, if you will, by the likes of Amaterasu. We also see evidence that there were other sun deities.  The language around Sarutahiko no Ohokami suggests that he may have once been worshipped as a sun deity as well.  And there is the early primacy of Mt. Miwa as a place of worship, and the spirit of Ohomononushi.  This is to say nothing of Ohokuninushi, and all of his stories, up in Izumo. Furthermore, it seems telling that Amaterasu is not even central to the rituals conducted in the palace itself, which likely went back to an even earlier period.  If Amaterasu were central, and the ancestral kami of the royal family since its inception, one would expect that Amaterasu would also be central to the rites carried out by her descendants in the royal palace.  And yet most of her worship appears to have continued to be set apart from the palace ritual, and conducted out of Ise shrine (albeit after a certain point ceremonially led by a designated female member of the royal line). Even Ise shrine itself isn't the primary shrine in the Ise area—the Ichi-no-miya, or most important shrine, of Ise is actually said to be Tsubaki shrine, worshipping Saruta Hiko no Ohokami and Ame no Uzume. So how did Amaterasu come to be so central in Ohoama's vision? There are stories that say that worship at Ise Shrine—and worship of Amaterasu—was specifically conducted by Ohoama's wife during the Jinshin campaign.  This is to say Ohoama's wife, primary consort, eventual queen and then queen regnant, Uno, later known as Jitou Tennou.  Remember, Uno had fled with Ohoama and had been on the trail with him at first, but had stayed behind in Ise.  Worship towards Ise seems to have later been counted as foundational to Ohoama and Uno's victory, and many suspect that they themselves may subsequently have encouraged greater worship of Amaterasu and placed her in the central position of sacral authority amongst the various kami. If so, that could explain why their histories focus so much on Amaterasu and her Heavenly descendant, from which the royal line claimed direct lineage.  It might also be around this time that the story of Iwarebiko, aka Jimmu Tennou, and the conquest of Yamato from Himuka may have been introduced: telling how Iwarebiko justifiably took away the land from the descendants of Nigi Hayahi, and then connecting Iwarebiko, in an extremely loose fashion, to Mimaki Iiribiko no Mikoto, aka Sujin Tennou. Another influence on all of this was likely the continental concept that time is a circle, and history repeats itself.  Chroniclers seeking to place events in a narrative context would have likely seen reflections of more recent events and used that to help order their compilation.  And of course, if there were events that seemed to run counter to the truth as known by the court, well, those could be smoothed over.  In this way, co-rulers were probably serialized, inconvenient interim rulers may have been excised altogether, and different dynasties, which may have only had tenuous connections, at best, were written down as direct lineal descendants.  It also seems telling that the Chroniclers may have reduced the role of what appears to be matrilineal succession to a more patriarchal and patrilineal determination of legitimacy.  Similarly, connections could be made for families to ancient ancestors through whom they were able to claim a certain proximity to the royal family.  Likewise, rules for legitimacy could be imposed—or perhaps just assumed—for previous reigns, doing their best to bring them into harmony with the social norms and the cultural imaginaries of the late 7th and early 8th centuries. So that's the general context the Chroniclers were working under. But at this point it's illuminating to take a look at the two histories and how they differ, to see what we can understand about where those differences came from. The work of Hieda no Are, eventually recorded and written down as the Kojiki, seems to have dealt with history that was far enough back that it was likely hard to argue with—it isn't like there was anyone alive who could counter with their own facts.  And the Kojiki reads as a fairly straightforward narrative, relatively speaking. The Nihon Shoki, on the other hand, is a different beast.  While the Kojiki may have captured the official narrative, the Nihon Shoki seems to have been designed to include more—including some of the competing accounts.  Thus you'll get a lot of things like “another source says…” with a different take on the same event.  This is much more prevalent in the Age of the Gods, but still pops up occasionally throughout the rest of the text.  Nonetheless, it is still very much focused on the royal line from Amaterasu down to Naka no Oe and Ohoama.  Even their posthumous names, Tenji and Temmu, specifically reference Ten, also pronounced Ama, at the start of their names, in what appears to be a bid to further connect them to the sun goddess of Heavenly Brightness--Amaterasu. Both of these works have their own character, and while the dates they were presented to the throne—713 for the Kojiki and 720 for the Nihon Shoki—suggest that they were published in succession, there are those that argue that the Kojiki is largely a reaction against the Nihon Shoki. In all likelihood the contents of the Nihon Shoki were known to many people before it was presented.  There were groups of Chroniclers involved, after all -- which meant teams of scribes pouring through sources, seeking out myths and legends, and generally trying to bring everything they could to the table.  And there is no indication that this was done in secret.  So it is quite possible that the writers of the Kojiki had seen some of the early drafts and cribbed from those notes. Some of the ways that the the history differ are in their portrayal of certain accounts.  For example, the Kojiki presents Iwarebiko and the pacification of Yamato and archipelago more generally in terms of that mythical sovereign conversing with the spirits.  And so he converses with, for instance, Ohomononushi, the deity of Mt. Miwa, a spirit whose name might be translated as the Great Lord of the Spirits, or “Mono”.  This idea places the sovereign as an intercessor between the mortal and the spirit world.  It hearkens back to earlier systems of sacral kingship, where power and authority came, at least in part, from supposed power of one's sacred sites and protective spirits. The Kojiki is also written in a much more vernacular style, using kanji and what we know of as man'yogana, the kanji used for their sound, rather than meaning, to provide a syllabary with which to write out Japanese words.  This may have been done for similar reasons to why it was also used in the Man'yoshu itself—because the Kojiki was meant to be recited aloud, not just read for meaning. The Nihon Shoki, in contrast, is clearly attempting to emulate the continental style.  It relies much more heavily on not just the characters but the grammar of Chinese, though not without its own idiosyncrasies.  The Nihon Shoki incorporated classical references that mirrored the references found in the histories of the Tang and earlier dynasties.  I suspect, for instance, that this is one of the main reasons that Naka no Oe and Ohoama are given the posthumous names of “Tenji” and “Temmu”.  Tenji means something like the Wisdom of Heaven while Temmu is more like the Martial Virtue of Heaven.  This immediately brings to mind, for me, the continental concepts of Wen and Wu—Culture and Warefare, or Bunbu in Japanese.  This even mirrors the founding Zhou kings, King Wen and King Wu.  Later, in the Han dynasty, you have Emperor Wu of Han, the grandson of Emperor Wen of Han, and Wu was considered to be one of the greatest emperors of the Han dynasty.  And so I can't help but think that there was a similar attempt at mythmaking going on here, connecting these two reigns with the reigns of famous emperors of the continent.  Of course, “Wu” was a popular name amongst the imperial dynasties from that period onward, with emperors of Jin, Chen, Liang, and others all being given the same name. This all accords with the way that the sovereign in the Nihon Shoki is less of a sacral king, interceding and speaking with the kami, and more along the continental model of an absolute ruler who ruled by divine right and heavenly mandate.  The lands outside of Yamato are subdued and, except for the occasional uprising, stay subdued—or at least that is what the narrative would seemingly have us believe. Now, I would argue that these distinctions are not absolute.  The Kojiki contains plenty of concepts of imperial trappings, and the Nihon Shoki contains plenty of examples of the sovereign playing a more traditional role.  But it is something to consider in the broad strokes of what they are saying, and I would argue that it also speaks to the duality of what was going on in this period.  Clearly the Ritsuryo State was built on the continental model, with an absolute ruler who ruled through a Heavenly mandate.  And yet at the same time, we see Ohoama patronizing the traditional spiritual sites and kami worship, like the emphasis on Amaterasu and Ise shrine.  Besides the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki, we have one more set of official records that were compiled just as the major histories were beginning to be finished.  These were the Fudoki.  Fudoki were texts about the various provinces, and they include information on the various places, population, soil quality, as well as various local myths and legends attached to such things.  Rather than supporting the royal lineage, the Fudoki were more geared towards supporting the process begun under Karu and Naka no Oe with the Ritsuryo system whereby knowledge of the archipelago was being centralized such that the State could know about its territories.  Still, there are many times that the various Fudoki refer to different sovereigns, often to help situate a given event roughly within the historical narrative. The Fudoki were commissioned in 713.  At least 48 chronicles were said to have been compiled, but only a handful of them remain extant today.  Most are only partial texts, though even those can still contain significant information.  We also have purported text from certain fudoki that were reprinted in later histories.  The Shaku Nihongi seems to have been one such work, expressly commissioned to try and compile various older records that were likely aging and in danger of being lost altogether.  However, there is a concern regarding just how faithful those later transcriptions might have been, meaning that we cannot rely on them, entirely.  Still, they are an invaluable addition to our study of the history of this period. I mention all of this because much of this period seems dedicated to remaking the nation of Yamato into what we know as Japan.  This evolution didn't happen overnight, and it seems clear that it started gradually, but had now come to a head.  There is some consideration, though, that many of the things attributed to earlier reigns—the work done by Shotoku Taishi, for example, or even that of Naka no Oe—may have been embellished in this period.  After all, consider the difference between Ohoama trying to institute something entirely new versus pointing back to a previous sovereign and claiming that he wasn't innovating, he was just following tradition. But there are still unmistakable signs of innovation in the following reigns.  The creation of the first permanent capital city, for one.  There was also the blending of Buddhist and local kami-based traditions.  While Buddhism had been ascendant for a while, now, we see Ohoama seemingly paying equal homage to Amaterasu and the local kami.  Even while instituting new fangled continental ideas, he is also hearkening back to traditions that I can only imagine helped assuage some of the fears of any traditionalists who saw the rapid speed at which the archipelago was adopting at least the trappings of continental imperial culture. Speaking of culture, there was one other work that we should probably mention, and that is the famous Man'yoshu—the collection of 10,000 Leaves.  I mentioned this briefly earlier in the episode, but I do want to discuss it a bit, because as much as we may glean from the official histories, as well as the various fudoki texts, the Man'yoshu provides an invaluable view into the minds of the people of the time, and contains some incredibly useful tidbits of information that, when put together, help give us a better idea of what was happening during this period. The Man'yoshu is a collection of more than 4500 poems attributed to various historical figures, from sovereigns, such as Ohoama and Naka no Oe, to common soldiers.  It is remarkable in that the poems are largely in native Japanese and are not using the Sinitic poetry styles that were popular with scholars of the time. These poems are waka, Japanese verse, which typically follows a pattern of repeating verses of 5-7-5 syllables or morae, ending with two lines of 7-7.  The most simple of these are tanka—one top verse of 5-7-5, and one bottom verse of 7-7.  However, the poems in the collection can vary quite a bit. They are also remarkable in that they are written in what we know as Man'yogana.  That is to say they use Sinitic characters—kanji—but for their sound rather than their meaning in many cases.  This practice allowed for much more nuanced writing, such that the author could be more certain that the correct meaning could be taken away, since Japanese grammar differs greatly from various Chinese languages, and leverages particles and suffixes that are non-existent in Sinitic script.  Often times, when reading something like the Nihon Shoki, one has to infer the Japanese word order, particles, and suffixes from the text as a whole.  This is common with any kanbun—a very Japanese style of Chinese writing that often requires its own study to fully understand. Meanwhile, the Man'yogana allowed someone to more easily sound out the letters in the Man'yoshu.  This must have been important when morae or syllable count was important to the art form.  Furthermore, it gives us tremendous insight into how spoken Japanese may have sounded  back in the 8th century. And of course it is great that we have all of these poems, but almost more important is the other information contained in the collection.  Most poems not only are attributed to a particular author, but they often give a brief introduction to lay out the circumstance in which the poem was composed.  These poems are, in many ways, more straightforward than many later poetic styles, which relied much more heavily on so-called “pillow words”, poetic allusions, or callbacks to previous poems—not that they were completely devoid of such references, especially to other, often continental, works. Some poems are actually paired—a type of call and response.  A man would often be expected to send a poem to a lady with whom he had recently had assignations, and she would often respond.  Through such correspondence, preserved in the poetic record, we can see connections that might not be as clear in the various historical texts. Now, 4500 is a lot of poems and I'll be honest, I'm probably not going to be researching all of them for historical tidbits, but it is nonetheless important to understand.  One should also be careful—while the poems are often attributed to various artists and famous persons, this may sometimes be misleading.  The attribution may have been garbled or forgotten, and recreated. Most of the poems in the Man'yoshu are presented with at least some amount of framing around them.  They are grouped loosely by various themes.  We are then told, for each poem, the composer and the occasion for which it was created.  Sometimes this may be as simple as “when they were out hunting”, but that still gives us some context on which to go by as for why the author was writing the poem in the first place. The poems themselves vary in size.  There are short poems, or tanka, but also longer form chōka poems, with multiple verses.  Some may allude to previous poems, but many of the poems are just about the author's feelings.  Unlike haiku, they were not quite so proscribed in terms of “pillow words” or requisite seasonal descriptions. And yet these poems, just as much as the histories, were important in capturing some part of the cultural zeitgeist from that time.  We can see what was considered popular or important, and it was there for future generations down until today. Ultimately the Kojiki would largely be overshadowed by the more comprehensive and prestigious seeming history in the Nihon Shoki.  The Nihon Shoki would become the official history, inspiring future historical records, such as the Shoku Nihongi, the continuation of the records.  The Man'yoshu, likewise, would be emulated, with future compilations like the Kokinshu. These, in turn, would impact the cultural imaginary of the time.  They would shape people's ideas about the past, about art, and even about the nature of the kami themselves.  During this period it is hard to understate just how much they were setting in place a new system.  It is even difficult to tell how much of that system had actually been instituted by previous sovereigns, even though it's hard to tell how much that actually happened as opposed to simple claims by Ohoama and, later, Uno, to justify what they were doing.  Up to this point, the Ritsuryou State and the various reforms had been an experiment, but under Ohoama we truly see that the new government upgrades would be fully installed.  At the same time, we also see a shake up in the court.  Those who had been loyal to Ohoama during the Jinshin conflict of 672 received various rewards—increased rank and stipend, for one thing.  As famous individuals passed away, they were also granted posthumous rank, which might not seem like much, but it increased the family's prestige and that of the individual's descendants without actually handing out a higher level stipend that would be a drain on the coffers.  All of this also continued to build up the elites' reliance on not just the court, but on the throne itself for their status, wealth, and position.  Thus they had a vested interest in seeing that the project succeeded. And that is the world that we are about to dive into.  Thank you, I know we didn't get into too much of the immediate history, and some of this is spoilers—after all, this took time and in the moment it could have turned out quite differently.  What if Ohoama had gotten sick and died?  What if there had been a rebellion?  What if Silla or Tang had attacked?  While we know what happened from the safety of our vantage point, far in the future, it is important to remember that at the time the people in the court didn't know what would happen next, so please keep that in mind. Next episode, we'll start to get into the actual events of the reign, starting with Ohoama's ascension to the throne at the newly built Kiyomihara palace in Asuka. Until then, if you like what we are doing, please tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website,  SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  Thank you, also, to Ellen for their work editing the podcast. And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan.

Bonjour à tous et bienvenue dans Callisto, le Podcast qui vous fait voyager à travers les récits mythiques et les légendes. Aujourd'hui je vous emmène dans les cieux divins du Japon où danse la belle Uzume. Bonne écoute ! Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

In this episode of the Inspired Money Live Stream Podcast, we explore the transformative impact of philanthropy and social initiatives. Joined by guest panelists Katherina 'Kat' M. Rosqueta, Adam McCurdie, and Mariko Gordon, we uncover creative ways to make a meaningful difference in the world. Innovative Approaches to Philanthropy Philanthropy is not just about donating money. It's about making a lasting impact. This episode, "The Art of Giving Back: Creative Ways to Make a Difference," highlights diverse strategies and personal stories that redefine how we think about giving. Our esteemed guests share their insights and experiences, providing a comprehensive view of impactful philanthropy.

A Groundbreaking Discussion on Women's Financial Empowerment Welcome to Episode 25 of the Inspired Money Podcast, "Empowering Financial Independence for Women: Closing the Gender Wealth Gap." This episode shines a light on the complex issues surrounding the gender wealth disparity, offering practical steps to enhance financial independence for women across different life phases. Elevating Women's Financial Status In this episode, we explore the multifaceted gender wealth gap, providing women with practical empowerment strategies. With insights from esteemed guests Dr. Judith Wright, Mariko Gordon, and Stefanie O'Connell Rodriguez, we explore personal growth, finance, and empowerment, offering actionable advice from the real world.

Enjoy this seasonal presentation as we are in the darkness of the year awaiting the return of the light.  I'll present on the stories of the Sun Goddesses who teach us about Light as Life.  I'll delve into Amaterasu and Uzume, Demeter and Baubo, Brigid and why this is the perfect time of year for making resolutions, including some tips to help stick to our promises made to ourselves for a better tomorrow.

Witness the creation of the world through old stories of Japanese mythology and folklore. Fall asleep with 12 Shinto gods and goddesses: Izanagi, Izanami, Kagutsuchi, Amaterasu, Susanoo, Tsukuyomi, Ame-no-Uzume, Raijin, Fujin, Inari, Kitsune and Ukemochi - as you follow their joys and sorrows across mystical mountains, rivers, and valleys of ancient Japan.  

Welcome to the Instant Trivia podcast episode 855, where we ask the best trivia on the Internet. Round 1. Category: 3-letter abbreviations 1: Your car's tachometer measures them. RPM (revolutions per minute). 2: If you're half an hour away at 2:47, your this is 3:17. ETA (estimated time of arrival). 3: This group had a Top 10 hit when it joined Olivia Newton-John for "Xanadu". ELO (Electric Light Orchestra). 4: Classic radio and TV messages of this type include "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk". PSA (Public Service Announcement). 5: On June 24, 1996 it reintroduced the "Bucket" that's made many families' mouths water. KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken). Round 2. Category: college nicknames 1: Longhorns. Texas. 2: Wolverines. Michigan. 3: Crimson Tide. Alabama. 4: Jayhawks. Kansas. 5: Ducks. Oregon. Round 3. Category: caribbean cuisine 1: Grenadans love to eat ice cream made from this main guacamole ingredient. Avocado. 2: Puerto Ricans make mofongo by frying and mashing these "cooking bananas". Plantains. 3: In the Dominican Republic, la bandera ("the flag") is made with red beans, meat and this white grain. Rice. 4: In Haiti, lambi is this big spiral-shelled sea snail (If I eat it, can I hear the ocean?). Conch. 5: In Barbados, you'll go cuckoo for cou-coo, a mix of cornmeal and this essential gumbo veggie. okra. Round 4. Category: ye gods! 1: Famous for enticing Amaterasu out of hiding, Uzume is a goddess of mirth and dancing from this Asian country. Japan. 2: 2 giants, Otus and Ephialties, once kept this Greek war god in a bronze jar for 13 months. Ares. 3: Depicted as both a cobra and a lioness, the goddess Wadjet protected royal authority in this ancient land. Egypt. 4: Invoked by seal hunters, Nerrivik is the mother of all sea creatures as a goddess of this North American people. the Inuit. 5: The forger of Achilles' armor, some accounts say this Greek god also created Pandora. Hephaestus. Round 5. Category: filthy rich 1: In April 1999 his net worth hit $100 billion. Bill Gates. 2: Worth over $15 billion, Robson, son of Sam, runs this company, the USA's largest private employer. Wal-Mart. 3: The Sultan of Brunei has air-conditioned stables housing his 200 animals for this sport. Polo. 4: With $50,000 of his $30 or so billion, Paul Allen bought a guitar this "Purple Haze" star had shattered. Jimi Hendrix. 5: "Direct From" the Times of London is a quote calling him "The Avon Lady of the Microchip". Michael Dell. Thanks for listening! Come back tomorrow for more exciting trivia! Special thanks to https://blog.feedspot.com/trivia_podcasts/

Former JAXA Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Robotics Engineer Stephane Bonardi on the Objective of Space Robotics, the UZUME Mission and Prospective Solar Sails, Collaboration with External Fields and Robots Helping with Societal Issues, Creating Modular Robots at EPFL and MIT, and Finding Nature in Large Cities.Institute of Space and Astronautical Science Homepage: https://www.isas.jaxa.jp/en/Kubota Lab: https://robotics.isas.jaxa.jp/kubota_lab/en/UZUME Mission: https://www.uzume.exst.jaxa.jp/M-Blocks Project: https://www.csail.mit.edu/research/m-blocks-modular-roboticsRoombots Project: https://www.epfl.ch/labs/biorob/research/modular/roombots/

In the Shinto religion of Japan, Ame-no-Uzume is regarded as the goddess of dawn, meditation, revelry, and the arts. She is the wife of fellow-god Sarutahiko Okami. In Japanese mythology, she relates to the story of Amaterasu Omi Amenouzume, who went missing. The celestial goddess who performed this dance enticed Amaterasu out of the cave where she had been hiding.According to some stories, Ame-no-Uzume is often seen wearing revealing clothes, but other kami find her to be more joyful and open-hearted. Unlike Amaterasu, who is reserved and strict, Ame-no-Uzume is not afraid to bring joy to others.Read more at https://mythlok.com/ame-no-uzume/

Our episode today is short, sweet, and silly. Tune in as we cover our first Japanese deity, Ame-no-Uzume, and go over a brief introduction to Shintoism. Jordan gets cultured about The Godfather and we discover just how expensive it might really be to repair a broken fence. Instagram & TikTok: @aowtgpodcast Email: aowtgpodcast@gmail.com Hosted by Joey and Jordan Kindig Music by Jordan Kindig Logo by Ashley Epperson

►Check out our fanlink.to/Y0UTUBE for your audiovisual experience◄ Amaretto Sour is one of those cocktails that is hard not to like. It's bright, refreshing and a delicious way to start-off the new week. It is brought to you by Paris talent Uzume and features an incredibly intoxicating flow and energy. Since she first touched a controller in end 2019, Uzume has developed a distinctive ability to create musical journeys whose eclecticism and intensity makes the listener feel deep emotions and dance until exhaustion. Her favorite styles span deep and organic house, melodic techno, indie dance, and a sprinkle of tech house. On stage, she is known for thrilling the crowd with her sets, and spreading her energy, happiness and love of the tracks she plays. Although a young DJ, she already shared the stage with Ame, Jennifer Cardini, Konstantin Sibold, Acid Arab, Mezerg and many others. In 2022, stay on the lookout for her productions - expect deep grooves, organic dreamy vibes, and heavy basslines - we can't wait! Cheers! The Bartenders Link up! Uzume @uzume_music www.instagram.com/uzume_._ Schirmchendrink @schirmchendrink www.facebook.com/schirmchendrink www.instagram.com/schirmchendrink

ตัวที่ 47 เทพธิดาแห่งความบัญเทิงในตำนานญี่ปุ่น

Disobedient Femmes begins its the third season! Suzanne LaGrande interviews writer and author Kate Hodges who has just published Warriors Witches, and Women: Mythology's Fiercest Females. Ms. Hodges discusses how both feminism and stories about monsters and ghosts helped inspire her book, which is a compendium of fascinating female figures from World mythologies. The book includes figures from mythology such as Cassandra as well as actual women who have become legends such as Yennenga, a warrior, princess, and mother who lived over 900 years ago in Burkina Faso. Other characters includeBewitching, banished Circe, an introvert famed and feared for her transfigurative powers. The righteous Furies, defiantly unrepentant about their dedication to justice. Fun-loving Ame-no-Uzume makes quarreling friends laugh and terrifies monsters by flashing at them.The fateful Morai sisters spin a complex web of birth, life, and death. From feminist fairies to bloodsucking temptresses, half-human harpies and protective Vodou goddesses, Warriors, Witches and Women retells each heroine's story and raises important questions about how we may draw on these stories to understand the lives of women at present. For more about Kate Hodge's work, visit https://katehodges.org. (https://katehodges.org.)For more interviews, kickass women writers, artists, healers, and activists, subscribe to the Disobedient Femmes Podcast at the link below.Join me on Fridays at the Healing Salon where I free workshops in craft magic and other healing arts https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehealingsalon (https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehealingsalon).For even more about me, as well as strange, mostly true stories and magic spells visit me at http://suzannelagrande.com/ (suzannelagrande.com) Thanks so much for listening!★☆★ CONNECT WITH ME ★☆★Website ➜ https://www.suzannelagrande.com/ (https://www.suzannelagrande.com/)Podcast ➜https://www.shamansnotebook.com/ (https://www.shamansnotebook.com/) Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehealingsalon (https://www.facebook.com/groups/thehealingsalon)Instagram ➜https://www.instagram.com/suzanne_lagrande/ (https://www.instagram.com/suzanne_lagrande/)Pinterest ➜ https://www.pinterest.com/suzannelagrande/ (https://www.pinterest.com/suzannelagrande/)Original theme music composed by Edward Givens. For more about his work, visit: https://edwardgivens.bandcamp.com/ (https://edwardgivens.bandcamp.com/) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.disobedientfemmes.com

Let's break down the new Nightfall weapons and answer some questions! Hung Jury - 11:03 Uzume RR4 - 26:14 PLUG ONE.1 - 39:41 Listener Questions - 59:01

Uma moeda pelo seu futuro é um espaço de reflexão e de inspiração rotineira, com a intenção de trazer harmonia para seu dia. Siga nas redes sociais Youtube: Uma moeda pelo seu futuro Instagram: laurasoaresramos TikTok: laurasoaresramos Este programa foi produzido pela Estalo Podcasts

Uma moeda pelo seu futuro é um espaço de reflexão e de inspiração rotineira, com a intenção de trazer harmonia para seu dia. Siga nas redes sociais Youtube: Uma moeda pelo seu futuro Instagram: laurasoaresramos TikTok: laurasoaresramos Este programa foi produzido pela Estalo Podcasts

Uma moeda pelo seu futuro é um espaço de reflexão e de inspiração rotineira, com a intenção de trazer harmonia para seu dia. Siga nas redes sociais Youtube: Uma moeda pelo seu futuro Instagram: laurasoaresramos TikTok: laurasoaresramos Este programa foi produzido pela Estalo Podcasts

Welcome to Train to Dreamland, a podcast to help you unwind and fall asleep. Tonight's journey includes 5 stations:Eye health and gratitude check-inThich Nhat Hanh's thoughts on experiencing pain in the momentMythology and archetype of the Goddess UzumeOracle Card "Joy" pulled from The Moon Deck by Aarona LeaOur need for hugs and connectionThis podcast is enhanced by music licensed from epidemicsound.com

I sat down with an interview with Uzume Wijnsma, a researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Leiden, whose research has proved invaluable to the podcast on a few occasions. Her research focuses on Egyptian resistance to Achaemenid rule, and she is part of the Persia & Babylonia project at Leiden. Persia and Babylonia Prosobab: Prosopography of Babylonia Arcadia – Support Renewable Energy Energy 300 Review In The Words of Zarathustra Patreon | Support Page Twitter | Facebook | Instagram --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/history-of-perisa/support

Episode 166: Today I talk art with Charlotte artist, Adrianna Button about her fabulous collages. We talk about Inspiration, transplanting from the North, waking up early, routines, Kara Walker, Romare Bearden and much more. All images used with permission. Featured image is Ama-no-Uzume 12”x12” Cut paper collage This episode is brought to you by: The post Charlotte Collagist, Adrianna Button appeared first on Let's Talk Art With Brooke.

Ahoooo!!! Aqui Selene de Hekate e eu trago até vocês uma meditação do livro "O Oráculo da Deusa", de Amy Marashinsky. Deseja conhecer o meu trabalho? https://linktr.ee/InstitutoAguiaDourada Mitakuye Oyassin! Selene de Hekate --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/institutoaguiadourada/support

Elk jaar worden er in Nederland een paar duizend kinderen geboren die een unieke naam krijgen. Ouders zijn ontzettend creatief als het gaat om het bedenken van nieuwe namen. Wat denk je bijvoorbeeld van Dwinand, Uzume of Tos? Waar komen deze namen vandaan? En hoe is het om een naam te hebben die bijna niemand anders heeft? Is dat leuk, lekker bijzonder, of toch ook wel eens lastig... Neeltje, de moeder van Kit, en Joris, de vader van Uto, leggen uit hoe zij op de bijzondere namen van hun kinderen zijn gekomen. Waren ze op zoek naar een unieke naam? En hoe zit het met de naam Uif, waar komt die vandaan? En is hij eigenlijk wel zo uniek als je denkt? In aflevering 4 van Aangenaam het bijzondere verhaal van Uif, vernoemd naar een jongetje uit het ziekenhuis. Hoe zou het met dit jongetje zijn?

We take a deep dive into the Venice Cruise Crash Incident, review the hottest point and click action adventure game: Hotel Brufido, and ROAST YOU.   Playlist: Lou Reed - Doin’ The Things That We Want To Sugai Ken - Wochikaeri to Uzume Dave Brubeck - Bossa Nova U.S.A. SK Simeon - Render Your Heart Ween - Big Fat Fuck

Hello, hello. In this episode, Lysa and guest Lowri discuss queerness in a few mythologies. Myths covered are Loki, Sinfjotli and Gudmundr (Norse), Ishtar and Ashushunamir (Akkadian/Babylonian), Heracles, Hyacinthus and Apollo (Greek), Amaterasu, Shinu no Hafuri, Ama no Hafuri, Ama no Uzume and Ishi kore (Japanese).  Content warnings for mentions of bestiality, pedophilia/pederasty, incest and death. Follow Sexuali-tea on Instagram, Twitter, Wordpress and Tumblr at queerasmedia.  Support this podcast

Episode 080 Erica Ross, She Reflects, a spiral journey for the feminine soul  Erica Ross brings the wisdom of over 40 years work in the creative, healing and spiritual arts. Erica infuses her life experience as a dancer, artist, DJ, facilitator, trainer, sister and mother into the pages of her newly published book, She Reflects: A Spiral Journey for the Feminine Soul, and the accompanying, She Reflects Journal and Colouring Book. As a dancer, artist and facilitator of healing, expressive and sacred experiences, and the co-founder of, The Move Dance Collective—Toronto's largest ecstatic dance community—Erica has dedicated herself to the "liberation and healing of the feminine soul." Her work in this includes, Dance Our Way Home, and Radical Radiance, 2 healing processes that facilitate the discovery and re-discovery of women's own unique gifts, power, and voices. As Erica says, she has followed her wild heart and creative impulses around the globe since the early 1970's, making homes in Canada, the USA, Indonesia and Wales. She shares that dance, creativity and unveiling the power of the Divine Mirror has been her life's work and her calling. Erica shared the powerful story of the goddesses Amaterasu and Uzume, and this episode might be worth listening to just to hear that, but she goes on to share the power of being clear mirrors for each other, and how that work is part of the gift of being in true community. Erica shares the potential for ecstatic dance to bring us home to our bodies' wisdom, in particular our womb wisdom and the power of tuning into our own beat. She says, "We're awakening, stirring, rising... connecting and dancing. We're exploring coming home to ourselves and claiming our right to re-order the world... and our dear Gaia needs us to do just that for the well-being of all." Visit Erica's website https://ericaross.com  Visit Awakened Woman self care website: https://awakenedwomanselfcare.com  Called to Donate https://awakenedwomanselfcare.com/podcasts/donate-to-the-podcast/ 

01 - fuishoo “Butterfly Steps” from morning [FREE] 02 - SNAIL RAMP “MIND YOUR STEP!” from MIND YOUR STEP! [BUY] 03 - LOVEBITES “Pledge Of The Savior” from Clockwork Immortality [BUY] 04 - NENE “High Time (ft. Ryugo Ishida)” from NENE [BUY] 05 - FOUDRE! “Ame-no-Uzume” from 神 [BUY] 06 - 明日の叙景 “自己に対する無関心が生んだ他人への共感” from 過誤の鳥 [BUY] 07 - Spire “Connexion” from Exist [FREE] 08 - See You Smile “Stay Pure” from Pure [BUY] 09 - NO BRIGHT GIRL “Story To Tell” from Single [BUY] 10 - PENPALS “Love Song” from 2nd Coming [BUY] Notes: Guest Giggysan joins us to talk about Mirai!! -Tyler Abstract.

Calling Amaterasu and Uzume - the Japanese Sun-Goddess and her ally, the goddess of laughter and revelry! Caroline welcomes fellow pragmatic mystic Osprey Orielle Lake, Director of the Women's Earth and Climate Caucus, author of "Uprisings for the Earth - Reconnecting Culture with Nature." The post Visionary Activist – April 7, 2011 appeared first on KPFA.