Wajinden

Wajinden

Original title	魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん傳でん
Language	Classical Chinese
Genre	History
Published	Between 280 and 297
Publication place	Western Jin dynasty
Preceded by	Records of the Three Kingdoms, volume 29
Followed by	Records of the Three Kingdoms, volume 31

Wajinden
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん傳でん
Simplified Chinese	魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん传
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wèi zhì Wōrén zhuàn
Japanese name
Kanji	魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん伝でん
Transcriptions Romanization Gishi Wajinden

The Wajinden (倭人わじん伝でん; "Treatise on the Wa People") are passages in the 30th fascicle of the Chinese history chronicle Records of the Three Kingdoms that talk about the Wa people, who would later be known as the Japanese people. It describes the mores, geography, and other aspects of the Wa, the people and inhabitants of the Japanese archipelago at the time. The Records of the Three Kingdoms was written by Chen Shou of the Western Jin dynasty at the end of the 3rd century (between the demise of Wu in 280 and 297, the year of Chen Shou's death).

Overview

There is no independent treatise called "Wajinden" in the Records of the Three Kingdoms, and the description of Yamato is part of the Book of Wei, vol. 30, "Treatise on the Wuhuan, Xianbei, and Dongyi". The name "Wajinden" comes from Iwanami Bunko who published the passages under the name Gishi Wajinden (魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん伝でん) in 1951. Therefore, some believe that it is meaningless unless one reads not only the passages on the Wa but also the whole of the Treatise on the Dongyi ("Eastern Barbarians"). Yoshihiro Watanabe, a researcher of the Three Kingdoms, states that the accounts about the Korean Peninsula and Japan were not based on Chen Shou's first-hand experience, but was written based on rumors and reports from people who had visited the Korean Peninsula and Japan, and its authenticity is questionable. He further recommended that "the worldview and political situation of Chen Shou be examined not only by reading the Records and its annotations in full, but also by familiarizing with the Confucian classics that form the worldview to understand it.".

The Wajinden represents the first time a comprehensive article about the Japanese archipelago has been written in the official history of China. The Dongyi treatise in the Book of the Later Han is chronologically earlier than the Wajinden, but the Wajinden was written earlier.

The book describes the existence of a country in Wa (some say later Japan) at that time, centered on the country of Yamatai, as well as the existence of countries that did not belong to the queen, with descriptions of their locations, official names, and lifestyles. This book also describes the customs, flora and fauna of the Japanese people of the time, and serves as a historical record of the Japanese archipelago in the 3rd century.

However, it is not necessarily an accurate representation of the situation of the Japanese archipelago at that time, which has been a cause of controversy regarding Yamatai On the other hand, there are also some researchers such as Okada Hidehiro who cast doubt on the value of the Wajinden as a historical document. Okada stated that there were large discrepancies in the location and mileage and that it lacked credibility. Takaraga Hisao said, "The Wajinden is not complete, and it cannot be regarded as a contemporaneous historical material because of the lack of total consistency and the long transcription period. Although it is certain that the Book of Wei predates the Records of the Three Kingdoms, there are many errors in the surviving anecdotes. In addition, Yoshihiro Watanabe stated that the Wajinden contains "many biases (distorted descriptions) due to the internal politics and diplomacy of Cao Wei at the time when Himiko sent her envoy and the world view of the historian.

Editions

Of the printed versions of the Wajinden that have survived, the one included in the Bainaben (百ひゃく衲本; "patchwork") version of the Twenty-Four Histories from the 20th century during the Republican period of China is considered the best. The edition of Records of the Three Kingdoms that forms the Bainaben version is based on a copy from the Shaoxi period (紹熙; 1190–1194) of Southern Song dynasty.

A punctuated edition of the Records of the Three Kingdoms was published in 1959 by Zhonghua Book Company in Beijing, and is available in Japan. In addition, Kodansha published a kanbun version named Wakokuden (倭国わのくに伝でん) in 2010 featuring syntactic markers to aid the Japanese reader.

The Wajinden was written without paragraphs, but it is divided into six paragraphs in the Chinese-language versions and the Kodansha version. In terms of content, it is understood to be divided into three major sections.

Relationship between Wa and Wei

Himiko and Toyo

Originally, there was a male king for 70 to 80 years, but there was a prolonged disturbance in the whole country (considered as the so-called "Civil War of Wa"). In the end, the confusion was finally quelled by appointing Himiko, a woman, as the ruler.

Himiko was described to be a shaman queen who held her people under a spell. She was elderly and had no husband. Her younger brother assisted her in the administration of the kingdom. She had 1,000 attendants, but only one man was allowed in the palace to serve food and drink and to take messages. The palace was strictly guarded by a guard of soldiers.

Himiko sent a messenger to Wei through Daifang Commandery in 238, and was appointed by the emperor as the King of Wa, Ally to Wei. In 247, Daifang dispatched Zhang Zheng (張ちょう政まさし) to negotiate a peace between Wa and Kununokuni. According to the description in Wajinden, he exchanged messengers with the countries of the Korean Peninsula.

When Himiko died in 247, a mound was built and 100 people were buried there. After that, a male king was established, but the whole country did not accept him, and more than 1,000 people were killed. After the death of Himiko, a 13-year-old Toyo, a girl of Himiko's clan or sect, was appointed as ruler and the country was pacified. Zhang Zheng, who had been dispatched to Japan earlier, presented Toyo with a proclamation, and Toyo also sent an envoy to Wei.

Diplomacy with the Wei and Jin dynasties

• In June of the second year of the Jingchu era (238), the Queen sent her husband, Natome (難なん升ます米まい), and her second emissary, Tsushigori (都市とし牛ぎゅう利とし), to Daifang commandery to request an audience with the son of heaven. In December, the emperor Cao Rui was pleased and proclaimed the queen as the King of Wei, bestowed a gold seal and purple ribbon, gave her a huge gift including 100 bronze mirrors, and named Natome as the General of the Household (中ちゅう郎ろう將しょう).
• In 240, the Grand Administrator of Daifang, Gong Zun (弓ゆみ遵), dispatched a group of emissaries to Japan with an imperial decree and ribbons, temporarily conferred the title of King of Japan, and gave them gifts.
• In 243, the queen again sent an envoy to Wei, this time with a group of slaves and cloth. The emperor Cao Fang made them Generals of the Household .
• In 245, the emperor Cao Fang issued an imperial decree to send a yellow banner to Nanshōme through Daifang. However, this was not carried out, as the Grand Administrator Gong Zun was killed in battle against the Eastern Ye.
• In 247, a new Grand Administrator, Wang Qi (王おう頎), arrived in office. The queen sent a messenger to report on the war against Kununokuni. This was not based on the report from Japan in the same year, but on an edict issued in 245.
• After assuming the queen's throne, Toyo (it is possible that the queen was already Toyo at the time of the dispatch in 247) had 20 people accompany Zhang Zheng's return to China.

In addition, the "Jingū-ki" in Nihon Shoki quotes the now-lost Imperial Diaries of Jin (晉すすむ起居ききょ注ちゅう) that the queen of Wa presented tribute through interpreters in October of 266. The extant Book of Jin notes that the Wa made a tribute in November of 266 in the annals of the Emperor Wu of Jin. The embassy was recorded elsewhere in the Book of Jin in the "Biography of the Four Barbarians" (四よん夷えびす傳でん), although the Wa ruler was not specified to be a queen. It is probable that Toyo made a tribute to Emperor Wu of Jin, who overthrew the Wei.

The Wa afterwards

After the record of Toyo's tribute in the mid-3rd century, there would be no record of Japan in Chinese historical books for nearly 150 years until the tribute of King San (one of the five kings of Wa) in 413. The Gwanggaeto Stele fills in this gap, stating that in 391 people from Wa crossed the sea to invade Baekje and Silla, and battled with Gwanggaeto of Goguryeo.

The text

map illustrating the path from the Daifang Commandery to Yamatai, and its distances.

According to the Wajinden, the Wa people made the mountainous island as their state, and paid tribute to the continent through the Daifang Commandery that was established by the Han dynasty near present-day Seoul.

As for the route from Daifang Commandery to Japan, the passages relating to the Korean peninsula in fascicle 30 of the Records of the Three Kingdoms describes the location and boundaries of Samhan and Wa to the south of Daifang Commadery:

The Han (Korea) is south of Daifang, bounded by the sea to the east and west, connecting with Wa to its south, with an area of 4,000 li. There are three Han, the first is called Mahan, the second is called Jinhan, the third is called Byeonhan.

The Book of the Later Han's treatise on the Dongyi makes the positional relationship of Samhan more concrete:

Mahan is to the west, consisting of 54 chiefdoms, bordering Lelang to the north and Wa to the south. To the east is Jinhan, with twelve chiefdoms, bordering Yemaek to the north. Byeonhan is south of Jinhan, consisting of twelve chiefdoms of its own, also bordering Wa in the south.

The journey to Yamatai

There are various theories about official names. An excerpt of the original text and an English translation (romanizations mainly follow J. Edward Kidder).

Original Chinese	English translation
倭人わじん在ざい帶おび方かた東南とうなん大海たいかい之の中なか、依よ山やま㠀爲國こく邑.舊きゅう百ひゃく餘あまり國こく、漢かん時じ有ゆう朝見ちょうけん者しゃ.今こん使つかい譯やく所しょ通どおり三さん十じゅう國こく.	The Wa lived in the seas southeast of Daifang, and established chiefdoms in the mountains and islands. It originally had more than 100 chiefdoms. During the Han dynasty, there were those who came to see the Emperor, and now there are thirty chiefdoms that have been in contact with envoys and interpreters.
從したがえ郡こおり至いたる倭やまと、循海岸水きしみず行ゆき、歷れき韓國かんこく、乍南乍東、到いた其北岸がん狗いぬ邪よこしま韓國かんこく、七なな千せん餘あまり里さと.	In order to reach Wa from the [Daifang] commandery, one must follow the coast and go through Han (Mahan), heading to the south and east, to reach Kuyahan on its (Wa's) northern shore, 7,000 li from the commandery.
始はじめ度ど一いち海うみ千せん餘あまり里さと、至いたり對馬つしま國こく、其大官かん曰卑狗いぬ、副ふく曰卑奴やつ母はは離はなれ、所ところ居きょ絶ぜっ㠀、方かた可か四よん百ひゃく餘あまり里さと.土地とち山やま險けわし、多た深林しんりん、道路どうろ如禽鹿しか徑みち.有ゆう千せん餘よ戸こ.無む良田よしだ、食しょく海うみ物ぶつ自活じかつ、乗船じょうせん南北なんぼく市し糴.	After crossing the sea for the first time for more than 1,000 li, one arrives at Tsushima chiefdom. The governor was called hiko. His second-in-command was called hinamori. They are on an island in the middle of nowhere, about 400 li in every direction. The land is mountainous and heavily wooded, and the roads are like the paths of birds and deer. There are more than 1,000 houses. There are no good rice fields, so they subsist by eating marine products and taking boats to the north and south to buy rice.
又また南みなみ渡わたり一いち海うみ千せん餘あまり里さと、名めい曰瀚海うみ、至いたり一いち大國たいこく.官かん亦また曰卑狗いぬ、副ふく曰卑奴やつ母はは離はなれ.方かた可か三さん百ひゃく里さと.多た竹たけ木叢こむら林りん.有ゆう三さん千せん許もと家か.差さ有田ありた地ち、耕田こうだ猶なお不足ふそく食しょく、亦また南北なんぼく市し糴.	Crossing the sea again for more than a thousand li south, the sea named the Vast Sea (Tsushima Strait), one arrives in Idaikoku (Iki). Its top official is again named hiko and his second-in-command hinamori. The distance in all directions was about three hundred li. There are many bamboo groves and thickets, and more than 3,000 houses. There is a little rice field, and even after cultivating the field, there is not enough to eat, so they go north and south to buy rice.
又また渡わたり一いち海うみ千せん餘あまり里さと、至いたり末まつ廬いおり國こく.有ゆう四よん千せん餘よ戸こ、濱はま山海さんかい居きょ.草木くさき茂しげ盛もり、行こう不ふ見み前人ぜんじん.好捕こうほ魚ぎょ鰒ふぐ、水無みずなし深淺しんせん、皆みな沈没ちんぼつ取と之これ.	After crossing another sea for more than 1,000 li, one arrives at Matsuro chiefdom. There are more than 4,000 houses. They live on the coast between the mountains and the sea. They live on the shore between the mountains and the sea, where the vegetation is so thick that they cannot see the people in front of them as they walk. They like to catch fish and abalone, and whether the water is deep or shallow, they all dive for them.
東南とうなん陸行りくこう五ご百ひゃく里り、到いた伊都いと國こく.官かん曰爾支ささえ、副ふく曰泄謨觚・柄え渠みぞ觚.有ゆう千せん餘よ戸こ.丗有王おう、皆みな統すべ屬ぞく女王じょおう國こく.郡ぐん使し往來おうらい常つね所しょ駐ちゅう.	Five hundred li to the southeast, and one arrives at Ito chiefdom. The official is called niki. The second-in-commands are called imoko and hikoko. There were more than 1,000 houses, ruled by a hereditary king, all belonging to the queen's domain. This was the place where the travelling envoys of the commandery stayed.
東南とうなん至いたり奴やつ國こく百ひゃく里さと.官かん曰兕馬ば觚、副ふく曰卑奴やつ母はは離はなれ.有ゆう二に萬まん餘よ戸こ.	A hundred miles to the southeast is the Na chiefdom. The official is called shimako. The second-in-command is called hinamori. There are more than 20,000 houses.
東ひがし行ぎょう至いたり不ふ彌わたる國こく百ひゃく里さと.官かん曰多模も、副ふく曰卑奴やつ母はは離はなれ.有ゆう千せん餘あまり家か.	Eastward for a hundred miles is the Fumi chiefdom. The official is called tamo. The second-in-command is called hinamori. There are more than 1,000 families.
南みなみ至いたる投とう馬ば國こく、水みず行ぎょう二に十じゅう曰.官かん曰彌彌わたる、副ふく曰彌彌わたる那な利り.可か五ご萬まん餘よ戸こ.	It takes twenty days of water travel southward to get to the Toma chiefdom. The official was called mimi. The second-in-command was called miminari. There are more than 50,000 houses.
南みなみ至いたり邪馬壹國やまいちこく、女王じょおう之の所ところ都と、水みず行ぎょう十じゅう日にち、陸行りくこう一いち月がつ. 官有かんゆう伊い支ささえ馬ば、次じ曰彌馬ば升ます、次じ曰彌馬ば獲え支ささえ、次じ曰奴佳けい鞮.可か七なな萬まん餘よ戸こ.	Going south, one will reach the country of Yamatai, the capital of the queen. It takes ten days by water and one month by land. The official is ikima, subordinates mimato, mimawaki, and nakato. There are more than 70,000 houses.

Other chiefdoms

Other than the chiefdoms mentioned on the journey from Daifang to the Queen's domain in Yamatai, there are other distant countries that are only known by name. In addition, mention is made of a Kona chiefdom south of Yamatai ruled by a male king that lies outside of the Queen's control.

An excerpt of the original text and an English translation follows:

Original Chinese	English translation
自じ女王じょおう國こく以北いほく、其戸數すう道どう里さと可か得とく略りゃく載の、其餘旁つくり國遠くにとお絶ぜっ、不可ふか得とく詳しょう. 次つぎ有ゆう斯馬國こく、次じ有ゆう已やめ百ひゃく支ささえ國こく、次じ有ゆう伊い邪よこしま國こく、次じ有ゆう都と支ささえ國こく、次つぎ有彌あや奴やつ國こく、 次じ有ゆう好こう古都こと國こく、次じ有ゆう不ふ呼よび國こく、次じ有ゆう姐あね奴やつ國こく、次じ有ゆう對たい蘇そ國こく、次つぎ有ゆう蘇そ奴やつ國こく、 次じ有ゆう呼よび邑國、次じ有ゆう華はな奴やつ蘇そ奴やつ國こく、次じ有ゆう鬼おに國こく、次じ有爲ゆうい吾われ國こく、次じ有ゆう鬼おに奴やつ國こく、 次じ有ゆう邪よこしま馬ば國こく、次じ有ゆう躬臣國こく、次つぎ有ゆう巴ともえ利國としくに、次じ有ゆう支ささえ惟おもんみ國こく、次じ有ゆう烏がらす奴やつ國こく、次じ有ゆう奴やつ國こく. 此女王おう境界きょうかい所しょ盡つき.	North from the Queen's domain, the distance and number of households can only be roughly estimated, but the rest of the chiefdoms are too far away and cannot be known in detail. In order, the chiefdoms are Shima, Ihaki, Iya, Toki, Mina, Kokoto, Fuko, Sona, Tsuso, Sona, Ko-o, Kanasona, Ki, Igo, Kina, Yama, Kuji, Hari, Kii, Una, then Na. Here the Queen's realm is exhausted.
其南有ゆう狗いぬ奴やつ國こく.男子だんし爲ため王おう、其官有かんゆう狗いぬ古こ智さとし卑狗.不ふ屬ぞく女王じょおう.	In the south there is the chiefdom of Kona, which has a man as its king. The official therein is Kukochihiko. It does not belong to the Queen.

Distance from Daifang Commandery to Yamatai

自じ郡ぐん至いたり女王じょおう國こく、萬まん二に千せん餘あまり里さと.

The distance from Daifang Commandery to the Queen's country is 12,000 li.

Descriptions of Wa

Excerpts from the original text and an English translation:

Original Chinese	English translation
男子だんし無む大小だいしょう、皆みな黥面文身いれずみ.	All men, high or low, have their faces and bodies inked.
自じ古いにしえ以來いらい、其使詣まい中國ちゅうごく、皆みな自稱じしょう大夫たいふ.	In the past, when emissaries visited China, they all called themselves taifu.
夏なつ后きさき少しょう康かん之子ゆきこ、封ふう於會稽、斷髪だんぱつ文身いれずみ、以避蛟龍こうりょう之の害がい.今こん倭やまと水すい人じん好こう沈没ちんぼつ捕と魚さかな蛤はまぐり、文身いれずみ亦また以厭大だい魚さかな水禽すいきん、後ご稍やや以爲飾かざり.	The son of Shaokang of Xia was enfeoffed in Kuaiji. He cut off his hair and inked his body to avoid harm from the flood dragon. The water people of Wa are fond of diving to catch fish and clams, with inked bodies to ward off large fish and aquatic fowl. Later, the ink was used as a decoration.
諸國しょこく文身いれずみ各かく異こと、或ある左ひだり或ある右みぎ、或ある大だい或ある小しょう、尊卑そんぴ有ゆう差さ.	Each chiefdom's ink is different: they may be to the left or right, large or small, depending on the status of the person.
計けい其道里さと、當とう在ざい會かい稽東冶之東ひがし.	Taking into account the distance of the journey, it should be east of Dongye of Kuaiji.
其風俗ふうぞく不ふ淫いん.男子だんし皆みな露ろ紒、以木緜頭.其衣橫よこ幅はば、但ただし結束けっそく相しょう連れん、略ほぼ無む縫ぬい.婦人ふじん被ひ髪かみ屈こごめ紒、作さく衣ころも如單被ひ、穿ほじ其中央ちゅうおう、貫ぬき頭あたま衣ころも之の.	The custom was not lewd. All the men wear their topknots uncovered, with cotton cloths draped over their heads. Their clothes are made of wide strips of cloth tied together, with little or no sewing. The women's hair was tied in a knot, and their clothes were made like a single-layered robe with a hole in the middle, through which they stuck their heads.
種たね禾稻・紵麻、蠶桑こぐわ緝績、出で細ぼそ紵・縑・緜.	They plant grains, rice, flax, and mulberry trees for silkworms. Linen, silk, and cotton are spun to make textiles.
其地無む牛馬ぎゅうば虎とら豹ひょう羊ひつじ鵲かささぎ.	There are no cattle, horses, tigers, leopards, sheep, or magpies in the land.
兵へい用よう矛ほこ・楯だて・木き弓ゆみ.木き弓ゆみ短たん下か長上ちょうじょう、竹たけ箭や或ある鐵てつ鏃或骨こつ鏃.所有しょゆう無な與あずか儋耳・朱しゅ崖がけ同どう.	For weapons, they use spears, shields, and wooden bows. Wooden bows are shorter at the bottom and longer at the top, and the arrows are made with bamboo with iron or bone arrowheads. Their haves and have-nots are the same as the Dan'er and Zhuya commanderies.
倭やまと地ち温暖おんだん、冬ふゆ夏なつ食しょく生せい菜さい、皆みな徒跣かちはだし.	The land of Wa is warm, and people eat fresh vegetables in both winter and summer. Everyone is barefoot.
有屋ありや室しつ、父母ちちはは兄弟きょうだい臥が息いき異い處しょ.以朱丹塗にぬり其身體しんたい、如中國ちゅうごく用よう粉こな也.食しょく飲用いんよう籩豆、手て食しょく.	There are houses, and the parents and siblings have different places to sleep and rest. The body is covered with red ochre, similar to the use of powder in China. When eating and drinking, they use a high bowl and eat with their hands.
其死、有ゆう棺かん無む槨、封土ほうど作さく冢.始はじめ死し停とま喪も十じゅう餘あまり曰.當時とうじ不ふ食肉しょくにく、喪主もしゅ哭泣、他人たにん就歌舞まい飲酒いんしゅ.已やめ葬そう、擧きょ家か詣まい水中すいちゅう澡浴、以如練ねり沐.	When a person dies, there is a coffin but no outer casing, and a mound is made by sealing the coffin with earth. During this period, the mourners do not eat meat, and the mourners weep and cry, while the others sing, dance, and drink. After the burial, the whole family goes into the water to purify the body. This is similar to the practice of ablution.
其行來いきき渡海とかい詣まい中國ちゅうごく、恒つね使し一いち人にん、不ふ梳くしけず頭あたま、不ふ去さ蟣蝨、衣服いふく垢あか汚けがれ、不ふ食肉しょくにく、不ふ近きん婦人ふじん、如喪人じん.名な之の爲ため持じ衰おとろえ.若わか行者ぎょうじゃ吉よし善よし、共きょう顧其生せい口こう財物ざいぶつ.若わか有ゆう疾病しっぺい、遭暴害がい、便びん欲よく殺ころせ之これ、謂いい其持衰おとろえ不ふ謹.	Whenever a mission crosses the sea to China, there would always be a man who does not comb his head, not remove lice, not eat meat, and not let women come near him, as if he were a mourner. He is called a jisai. If the journey is blessed with good luck, he will be given slaves and goods. If the journey is met with disease or misfortune, they will kill him for the jisai is said to be disrespectful.
出で真珠しんじゅ・青玉せいぎょく.其山有ゆう丹に、其木有ゆう柟・杼ひ・櫲樟・楺・櫪くぬぎ・投とう橿かし・烏がらす號ごう・楓かえで香かおり、其竹篠しの・簳・桃もも支ささえ.有ゆう薑はじかみ・橘たちばな・椒はじかみ・蘘荷、不知ふち以爲滋味じみ.有ゆう獼猴・黒くろ雉.	Wa produces pearls and jasper. Their mountains have cinnabar, their trees are mountain camphor, horse-chestnut, camphor tree, Japanese quince, Quercus serrata oak, cryptomeria, Quercus dentata oak, mulberry, and maple. Their bamboos are sasa, arrow bamboo, and vine bamboo. They have ginger, citrus, pepper, and myoga, yet they do not know their taste. There are also monkeys and black pheasants.
其俗舉事行來いきき、有ゆう所しょ云爲うんい、輒灼骨こつ而卜、以占吉凶きっきょう.先さき告つげ所しょ卜ぼく、其辭如令龜かめ法ほう、視み火ひ坼占兆ちょう.	When embarking on an endeavour or a journey, the custom is to burn the bones and divine good or bad fortune. The diviner first announces the occasion to be divined. The words are like in tortoise bone divination, in which the fire cracks are examined for oracles.
其會同かいどう坐すわ起おこり、父子ふし男女だんじょ無む別べつ.人性じんせい嗜酒.見み大人おとな所しょ敬けい、但ただし搏手以當跪拝きはい.其人壽じんじゅ考かんがえ、或ある百ひゃく年ねん、或ある八はち九きゅう十じゅう年ねん.	There is no distinction between father and son, male and female, when it comes to sitting together. People like to drink. To show respect, the aristocrats just clap their hands in place of kneeling down. People live a long life, perhaps a hundred years old, or eighty or ninety.
其俗、國大こくだい人じん皆みな四よん五ご婦ふ、下戸げこ或ある二に三さん婦ふ.婦人ふじん不ふ淫いん、不ふ妒忌.不ふ盗ぬすめ竊、少しょう諍いさかい訟.其犯法ほう、輕けい者しゃ没ぼつ其妻子さいし、重じゅう者しゃ滅めつ其門戸もんこ及宗族ぞく.尊卑そんぴ各かく有ゆう差さ序じょ、足あし相しょう臣服しんぷく.	According to the custom, every man of high rank in the country has four or five wives, and every man of low rank has two or three wives. The women are not licentious, nor jealous. There is no thievery and litigations are few. If they violate the law, persons who committed minor offences will have their wives and children enslaved, and those who committed major crimes will have their families and clans destroyed. There is a hierarchical order, with lower classes subjected to supervision by the higher ones.
收おさむ租賦、有ゆう邸てい閣かく.	There are mansions where taxes are collected.
國くに國有こくゆう市し、交易こうえき有無うむ使し大倭おおやまと監かん之の.自じ女王じょおう國こく以北いほく、特とく置おけ一大いちだい率りつ、檢察けんさつ諸國しょこく、諸國しょこく畏かしこ憚はばか之これ.常治つねじ伊都いと國こく、於國中有ちゅうう如刺史し.	There are markets in each chiefdom, and trade was conducted with the supervision of a Wa official. In the north of the Queen's domain stations an Ichidaisotsu who conducts inspections of the chiefdoms, striking fear in them. He governs from Ito chiefdom, and is like a cishi (Inspector) in the country.
王おう遣や使つかい詣まい京都きょうと、帶おび方かた郡ぐん、諸しょ韓國かんこく.及郡使し倭國わのくに、皆みな臨津捜さがせ露ろ、傳送でんそう文書ぶんしょ、賜たまもの遣や之これ物詣ものもうで女王じょおう、不ふ得とく差さ錯.	In the occasion when the ruler sends an envoy to our capital (Luoyang), Daifang commandery, or the various Han (Korean) states; or when the commandery sends an envoy to Wa, they must be searched at the ports and have their messages and gifts to the queen delivered without fail.
下戸げこ與あずか大だい人相にんそう逢道路ろ、逡巡しゅんじゅん入にゅう草くさ.傳つて辭じ說せつ事ごと　或ある蹲つくばい或ある跪　兩手りょうて據よりどころ地ち　爲之ためゆき恭敬きょうけい　對應たいおう聲ごえ曰噫　比ひ如然諾だく	When a commoner meets an aristocrat on the street, he modestly steps into the grass. If they are to address the aristocrat, they are to crouch or kneel, hands on the ground, in an attitude of reverence. When responding, they say "ai" in affirmation.
其國本こくほん亦また以男子だんし爲ため王おう、住じゅう七なな八はち十じゅう年ねん、倭國わのくに亂みだれ、相あい攻おさむ伐き歷年れきねん、乃共立きょうりつ一いち女子じょし爲ため王おう、名めい曰卑彌呼ひみこ.事こと鬼道きどう、能のう惑衆、年とし已やめ長大ちょうだい、無む夫おっと壻むこ、有男くにお弟おとうと佐治さじ國こく.自じ爲ため王おう以來いらい、少しょう有ゆう見み者しゃ、以婢千せん人にん自じ侍さむらい、唯ただ有ゆう男子だんし一いち人にん、給きゅう飲食いんしょく、傳つて辭じ出入でいり.居きょ處しょ宮室きゅうしつ、樓ろう觀かん、城しろ柵しがらみ嚴げん設しつらえ、常つね有人ゆうじん持じ兵へい守衞しゅえい.	Originally, the country was ruled by a man for seventy or eighty years. Then Wa descended into chaos as the chiefdoms attacked each other for many years. Finally, the chiefdoms together decided on making a woman as ruler. Her name is Himiko. She was adept at shamanism and kept the people under her spell. She remained unmarried even though advanced in age, but had a brother who assisted her in ruling the land. Since she became queen, she has not had many visitors, and has 1,000 female servants to attend to her. There is only one man who serves food and drink, delivers messages, and enters and exits the palace. Her palace and terraces are heavily stockaded and normally protected by armed guards.
女王じょおう國東くにさき渡海とかい千せん餘あまり里さと、復ふく有ゆう國こく、皆みな倭やまと種しゅ.又また有ゆう侏儒しゅじゅ國こく在ざい其南、人ひと長ちょう三さん四よん尺しゃく、去さ女王じょおう四よん千せん餘あまり里さと、又また有ゆう裸はだか國こく、黒くろ齒は國こく、復ふく在ざい其東南みなみ、船行ふなゆき一いち年ねん可か至いたり.	To the east of the Queen's domain, more than a thousand li across the sea, there are yet another chiefdoms all like the Wa. To their south is the Land of the Dwarves, where the inhabitants are three or four chi in height. More than four thousand li away from the Queen's domain, there are the Land of the Naked and the Land of the Black Teeth. They are to the southeast of the Land of the Dwarves, and they can be reached by ship in a year.
参まいり問とい倭やまと地ち、絶ぜっ在ざい海中かいちゅう洲しゅう㠀之上じょう、或ある絶ぜっ或ある連れん、周旋しゅうせん可か五ご千せん餘あまり里さと.	To visit all the lands of Wa, all dwelling on islands in the middle of the ocean that are sometimes isolated and sometimes continuous, would take more than five thousand li to complete a circuit.

Chronology

Contains excerpts from the original text. and an English translation

Original Chinese	English translation
景けい初はつ二に年ねん六ろく月がつ　倭やまと女王じょおう遣や大夫たいふ難なん升ます米まい等とう詣まい郡ぐん　求もとめ詣まい天子てんし朝あさ獻けんじ　太守たいしゅ劉りゅう夏なつ遣や吏將送おく詣まい京都きょうと	In the sixth month of the second year of the Jingchu era (238 AD), the Queen of Wa sent a delegation with the taifu Natome to the commandery (Daifang) seeking audience with the son of heaven and present him with an offering. Liu Xia, the grand administrator, sent officials to take them to the capital (Luoyang).
其年十じゅう二に月がつ　詔書しょうしょ報ほう倭やまと女王じょおう　曰（中略ちゅうりゃく）	In the twelfth month of that year, in an imperial decree, the Queen of Wa was informed that: (decree enumerating the tributes received and the gifts and titles bestowed to Wa in reciprocation omitted)
正せい始はじめ元年がんねん　太守たいしゅ弓ゆみ遵遺建けん中ちゅう校こう尉じょう梯はしご儁等　奉たてまつ詔書しょうしょ印しるし綬詣倭國わのくに　拜はい假かり倭やまと王おう　并齎詔みことのり賜金しきん帛　錦にしき　罽　刀かたな　鏡かがみ　采さい物ぶつ　倭やまと王おう因いん使し上表じょうひょう答こたえ謝しゃ詔みことのり恩おん	In the first year of the Zhengshi era (240 AD), the grand administrator Gong Zun sent a delegation with the Colonel Establishing Centrality Ti Jun to go to Wa with an imperial decree, a seal, and a purple ribbon to present to the ruler of Wa. Alongside were gifts of gold, white silk, embroidered silk, woolen cloth, swords, mirrors, and other things. The ruler of Japan sent an envoy in response thanking the emperor's favor.
其四よん年ねん　倭やまと王おう復ふく遺のこ使つかい大夫だいぶ伊い聲ごえ耆　掖わき邪よこしま狗いぬ等とう八はち人にん　上うえ獻けんじ生なま口くち　倭やまと錦にしき　絳青縑　緜衣　帛布　丹木たんぎ拊　短たん弓矢ゆみや　掖わき邪よこしま狗いぬ等とう壹いち拜はい率りつ善ぜん中ちゅう郎ろう將はた印綬いんじゅ	In the fourth year [of Zhengshi] (244 AD), the Wa ruler again sent eight envoys, including taifu Itogi and Yayako, to present slaves, Japanese brocades, red and blue silk, wadded clothes, white silk, cinnabar, a bow grip, and a short bow and arrows. Yayako and several of his entourage received seals and ribbons bearing the rank of the General of the Household Leading the Virtuous.
其六ろく年ねん　詔みことのり賜たまもの倭やまと難なん升ます米まい黃き幢　付づけ郡ぐん假かり授	In the sixth year (246 AD), the emperor issued an decree to bestow yellow banners to Natome of Wa, to be presented at the commandery (Daifang).
其八はち年ねん　太守たいしゅ王おう頎到官かん　倭やまと女王じょおう卑彌呼ひみこ與あずか狗いぬ奴やつ國男くにお王おう卑彌弓ゆみ呼よび素もと不和ふわ　遺のこ倭やまと載の斯　烏がらす越えつ等とう詣まい郡ぐん　說せつ相しょう攻擊こうげき狀じょう　遣や塞ふさが曹掾史し張ちょう政まさし等とう　因いん齎詔書しょ 黃き幢　拜はい假かり難なん升ます米まい　爲ため檄げき告つげ喻之　卑彌呼ひみこ以死　大作たいさく冢　徑みち百ひゃく餘よ歩ほ　狥葬者しゃ奴やつ碑ひ百ひゃく餘人よにん　更さら立男たつお王おう　國中くになか不服ふふく　更さら相しょう誅殺ちゅうさつ　當時とうじ殺ころせ千せん餘人よにん　復ふく立りつ卑彌呼ひみこ宗むね女おんな壹いち與あずか年とし十じゅう三さん爲ため王おう　國くに中ちゅう遂とげ定じょう　政せい等とう以檄告つげ喻壹與あずか　壹いち與あずか遣や倭やまと大夫たいふ率りつ善ぜん中ちゅう郎ろう將はた掖わき邪よこしま狗いぬ等とう二に十じゅう人にん　送おく政せい等とう還かえ　因いん詣まい臺だい　獻上けんじょう男女だんじょ生せい口こう三さん十じゅう人にん　貢みつぎ白しろ珠たま五ご千せん孔あな　青あお大だい句く珠たま二に枚まい　異い文ぶん雜ざつ錦にしき二に十じゅう匹ひき	In the eighth year (248 AD), the grand administrator Wang Qi arrived to his post. The Queen of Wa, Himiko, had been in conflict with Himikoko, the male king of Kona. She sent Wa's Kishiuo and others to the commandery to explain their conflict. Zhang Zheng, the Deputy Officer of the Border Guard, and others were dispatched to present Natome with a decree and yellow banners along with a document admonishing them. When Himiko died, a large mound was built. The diameter of the mound was more than a hundred paces, and there were more than a hundred servants who were sacrificed. A male king succeeded her, but the whole country refused to obey him. They fought in deadly feuds with each other, killing more than 1,000 people at the time. A 13-year-old female relative of Himiko named Iyo, was installed as ruler, and the whole country was finally pacified. Zhang Zheng and others admonished Iyo with a proclamation. Iyo sent 20 men, including the Wa taifu Yayako, the Gentleman of the Household Leading the Virtuous, to escort Zhang Zheng back to China and to present slaves and gifts of 5,000 white pearls, two large blue beads, and 20 brocades with different designs.

It is important to note that the Wei imperial decrees were dated to the time they were written, not the time they arrived in Wa, which typically took two years to arrive.

The "Yamatai controversy" over its location

Following the distance in Wajinden exactly as they were written would land a hypothetical traveller past the Japanese archipelago and into the Pacific Ocean. As such, there is considerable debate over the locations of the Wa chiefdoms named in the Wajinden, primarily Yamatai. The prevailing theories are the "Honshu Theory" and the "Kyushu Theory". The interpretations of the journey to Yamatai are split into the "continuous theory" and the "radiation theory" (see Yamatai).

Textual relationship with other sources

Book of Later Han

There is a description about Wa in Fan Ye's Book of Later Han written in the 5th century. Its contents have much in common with the Wajinden, but it also includes details that are absent from Wajinden such as the approximate time-frame of the Civil War of Wa, which the Book of Later Han records to be during the reign of Emperor Huan and Ling (146–189).

Book of Sui

The passages about Wa in the 7th century Book of Sui are seen as a compilation of similar passages from the Weilüe, Wajinden, Book of Later Han, Book of Song, and the Book of Liang. As such, many passages from Wajinden can be found in the Book of Sui with minor modifications. Notably, the Book of Sui updated the distances found in Wajinden.

Bibliography

• Hōga, Toshio (2015). There was no need for the Yamataikoku controversy. - An approach to solving the Yamataikoku location issue 邪馬台国やまたいこく論争ろんそうは必要ひつようなかった－邪馬台国やまたいこく所在地しょざいち問題もんだいの解決かいけつへのアプローチ－.
• Okamoto, Kenichi (1995). Yamataikoku ronsō 邪馬台国やまたいこく論争ろんそう. Kōdansha sensho mechie. Tōkyō: Kōdansha. ISBN 978-4-06-258052-6.
• Kidder, Jonathan Edward (2007). Himiko and Japan's elusive chiefdom of Yamatai: archaeology, history, and mythology. Honolulu (T.H.): University of Hawai'i press. ISBN 978-0-8248-3035-9.
• Tōdō, Akiyasu; Takeda, Akira; Kageyama, Terukuni (2010). 倭国わのくに伝でん 中国ちゅうごく正史せいしに描えがかれた日本にっぽん. 講談社こうだんしゃ学術がくじゅつ文庫ぶんこ 2010. Kōdansha. ISBN 978-4-06-292010-0.
• Nishio, Kanji (1999). Kokumin no rekishi. Atarashii-Rekishi-Kyōkasho-o-Tsukuru-Kai. Tōkyō: Sankei Shinbun Nyūsu Sābisu. ISBN 978-4-594-02781-0.
• Nishio, Kanji (2009). 国民こくみんの歴史れきし（上うえ） 決定けってい版ばん. 文春ぶんしゅん文庫ぶんこ. 文藝春秋ぶんげいしゅんじゅう. ISBN 978-4-16-750703-9.
• Furuta, Takehiko (November 1971). 「邪馬台国やまたいこく」はなかった 解読かいどくされた倭人わじん伝でんの謎なぞ. 朝日新聞社あさひしんぶんしゃ.
• Matsumoto, Seichō (1968). 古代こだい史し疑うたぐ. 中央公論社ちゅうおうこうろんしゃ. ASIN B000JA64RY.
• Yoshimura, Takehiko (November 2010). ヤマト王権おうけん シリーズ 日本にっぽん古代こだい史し②. 岩波いわなみ新書しんしょ（新しん赤あか版ばん）1272. 岩波書店いわなみしょてん. ISBN 978-4-00-431272-7.
• Wada, Sei; Ishihara, Michihiro, eds. (November 1951). 魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん伝でん・後こう漢書かんしょ倭やまと伝でん・宋そう書しょ倭国わのくに伝でん・隋ずい書しょ倭国わのくに伝でん. 岩波いわなみ文庫ぶんこ. 岩波書店いわなみしょてん. ASIN B000JBE2JU.
• Ishihara, Michihiro, ed. (1985). 魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん伝でん・後こう漢書かんしょ倭やまと伝でん・ 宋そう書しょ倭国わのくに伝でん・隋ずい書しょ倭国わのくに伝でん――中国ちゅうごく正史せいし日本にっぽん伝でん1. Iwanami-bunko (Shintei, dai 58 satsu hakkō ed.). Tōkyō: Iwanami-Shoten. ISBN 978-4-00-334011-0.
• Watanabe, Yoshihiro (May 2012). 魏ぎ志こころざし倭人わじん伝でんの謎なぞを解とく 三国志さんごくしから見みる邪馬台国やまたいこく. 中公新書ちゅうこうしんしょ 2164. 中央公論ちゅうおうこうろん新しん社しゃ. ISBN 978-4-12-102164-9.

External links

• Yayoi Museum