Years B.C.

662. Zin mu completes the conquest of the country (Nippon), and builds a

palace.

660. On the first day of this year, in the palace of Kasivabara, he ascends the throne, as first Mikado, and assumes the title of Kan Yamato Iware fiko Fobodemino mikoto. He raises the first of his wives to the rank of a kwogu, and orders sacrifices to the Kami.

It may be recollected that, upon factory authority, we stated that the Mikado has twelve wives, seemingly equal among themselves.* We here find Zin mu evidently a pluralist in wives, but to one alone is assigned a title of dignity, analogous most likely to "empress." Afterwards, we regularly find one wife named-it may be presumed this Kwogu, a title subsequently changed. At a later period, we find secondary wives named, as distinguished from concubines; and there seems reason to conclude that, of the dozen, eleven are wives of this inferior class, though not, as in the Ziogoon's case, mere concubines.

585. (Seventy-six of the reign.) The Mikado dies the eleventh of the third month, in the hundred and twenty-seventh year of his age, and receives the posthumous name of Zin mu ten wou.

286. In the province Omi, a considerable district sinks; a lake is formed, and the volcano Fusi appears.

219. Zys fook, a man from China, comes to Japan. The Chinese Emperor She-hwang-te ordered Zis fook to seek the herb of immortality in Nippon. Nippon then desired the books of the dynasties Woo-te and Sanhwang, which the Emperor She-hwang immediately sent.

93. A pestilence carries off half the population.

92. A general famine. Bands of robbers infest the provinces. At Kasa nuino mura, in the province Yamato, a chapel is built and dedicated to the sun goddess.

91. Chapels are dedicated to the spirits of heaven and of earth. Priestly families are instituted, and lands for their support assigned..

88. Generals-in-chief (Ziogoons) are appointed to subjugate the tribes that are still free on all sides of the empire.

87. The banditti are put down. Great immigration from abroad.

86. An annual census of the people ordered, and official business and rank regulated.

81. By command of the Mikado, ships are built in several provinces.

36. For the promotion of agriculture, the Mikado orders tanks and canals to

be made.

24. Pugilism introduced.

2. Hurnan sacrifices at funerals are prohibited.

A.D.

3. The Mikado's consort dies. Instead of living servants, puppets are buried with her. Nomino Sukune now makes figures of clay, which are henceforward to bear the dead company in the grave, in lieu of living The Mikado rewards him with the family name of Fazi (meaning, modeller').

men.

Asiatic Journal, vol. xxix. p. 285.

Years A.D.

61. Tatsima Mori leaves Japan, by the Mikado's command, to fetch sweetsmelling fruits (oranges).

71. Twelfth Mikado, Kei Ko, named successor at twenty-one, ascends the throne at the age of eighty three. Tatsima Mori brings the sweetsmelling fruit (oranges).

87. The Mikado composes a poem, upon occasion of discovering the East and thence thinking of his return home, whilst taking a walk in the province of Fiuga.

200. The Mikado dies in the second month, in the fifty-second year of his

age. His consort, with the aid of Takeutsi (now 127 years old), conceals his death, and has the corpse carried across the sea to the palace Toyora miya, on the coast of the province of Anato (Nagato). 201. Mikado Singon Kwogu, in her lifetime Okinagatarasi fime, was great granddaughter of the Mikado Kaï kwa. In the third month she, with her troops, defeats the Kumaosa tribe in Kiusiu, and annihilates the robber Kumawasi, with his faction. Peace and order re-established in Kiusiu. In the tenth month she undertakes with her army the conquest of Sinra (a Corean state), the king of which country immediately submits. Kaou-le and Pe-tse likewise submit, so that the three Corean states are all subject to Japan. In the twelfth month she returns to Japan, and in Tsukusi bears the son who was afterwards her successor. 202. Two elder sons of Mikado Tsiuai, the princes of Kakosaka and of

Osikuma, revolt and seek the life of the child and his mother. For many days the sun is eclipsed from noon till evening. In the third month the minister of state, Takeutsi, gives the Prince of Osikuma battle at Utsi, and defeats him. He flies to Seda, where he kills himself.

284. The King of Pe-tse sends his son Atoga with horses to Japan. Atoga introduces the knowledge of the Chinese character.

285. The Chinese philosopher, Wang shin, comes from Pe-tse to the Japanese court, and affords the first instruction in Chinese literature.

323. A dyke built at Ibarada to divert the inundations of the northern waters from Ohosaka; and the Forjye canal dug, to conduct those waters into the western sea.

374. Introduction of ice-cellars.

543. Thirtieth Mikado, Kin Mei, receives from Pe-tse a valuable instrument, that indicates the south.

552. Pe-tse sends a Buddha statue, and Buddhist utensils and books, to the

Japanese court. Upon the breaking out of a pestilence, the Mikado issues orders to throw the image into the river, and burn the temple built for its reception.

577. Mikado Bindats receives books, two Buddhist priests, a nun, and a sculptor, from Pe-tse.

584. Two Japanese bring Buddhist images from Pe-tse. Sogano Mumako builds a temple, in which they are set up. Buddhist doctrines spread rapidly.

585. Second month.-A pestilence carries off great part of the population. Third month.-Oho murazi Monono obtains leave to lay the Buddhist temples in ashes, and throw the images into the canal.

Years A.D.

Sixth month.-Sogano Mumako asks permission to profess Buddhism, which the Mikado refuses.

591. Orders issued for diffusing the Buddhist doctrines and building Buddhist

temples.

605. The dress of princes and officers of state regulated.

612. Music begins to be learned.

613. The high road from Obosaka to Miyako completed.

660. Water-clocks introduced.

701. A festival in honour of Confucius first instituted by the Daigakreo

Academy.

710. Mikado Genmei, daughter of Mikado Teutsi, founds Miyako.

711. Fudono Yasumaro composes the book of antiquities (Koziki), in three volumes, and lays it before the Mikado.

713. By command of the Mikado, in every province a topography and natural history is drawn up, and its provincial legends are collected.

719. Mikado Gensyo, daughter of Prince Kusakabe, regulates female dress. 720. The chronicle Nipponki published through the prince and minister Tonerino Sinwo.

792. An order that the Chinese language be learned.

797. The continuation of the Nipponki completed in forty volumes, by Sukavarano Mamitsi.

800. Eruption of the volcano Fusi.

806. (Daito, 1.) Fifty-first Mikado Feizei institutes the eight inspectors of the eight circles, and passes a law that the young of all ranks shall attend schools.

808. Imibi Firo nari's Supplement to the Legends of Olden Times appears. The physician Firo sada, of Idsumo, publishes a collection of prescriptions in one hundred volumes.

827. The collection of poems, entitled Keikoksyu, completed in twenty volumes. It consists of contemporary poems, and was undertaken by the Mikado's command.

847. Fudsivarano Sadatoyo, upon his return from China, is named head of the lyrics.

888. Mikado Uda succeeds. The painter Kose Kanaoka, who had been distinguished as a poet likewise since 810, adorns the southern side of the Dairi with pictures.

918. The colour of fire in garments prohibited, and rules respecting colours established.

924. The Mikado attends horse-races.

1075. Mikado Siragawa commands Minamotono Tosiyori to begin the collection of Japanese poems upon golden leaves, called kinyefu (jo) wakasyu. 1102. (Kokwa, 4.) The principal poets and poetesses at court arrange a selection of Japanese poems, under the title of Yensyogo, -a most beautiful compilation.

1185. Mikado Go Toba appoints Minamotono Yoritomo imperial commanderin-chief, who appoints governors in all the provinces.

This is evidently esteemed the exaltation of Yoritomo (who, it will be observed, bears the family name given by Mikado Saga to his princes and

princesses, thus shewing his sun blood) to virtual sovereignty, since our annalist now divides his page into columns,-one for Mikados, one for Ziogoons. Yet, notwithstanding this recognition of his authority, we find Yoritomo, seven years later, obtaining the title of Ziogoon, subsequently to performing divers acts of authority.

Years A.D.

1189. Yoritomo comes to Miyako to do homage. Minamotono Yositsoone, driven by Yasufira out of Osyu, kills himself. Yoritomo sends troops against Yasufira, who annihilates him. [This last statement materially corroborates Tsyusiro's idea, that Yositsoone had eluded his brother's general, who would thereby incur his master's displeasure].

1200. Monomitsi appointed regent, Yoritomo dies.

But, perhaps, it is to be supposed the Ziogoon had business enough of his own, without undertaking the Mikado's, as regent. Presently, in addition to the Mikado and Ziogoon columns, we get a third column for a series of anti-Mikados, with anti-nengos for dates. This contest for, or division of, the mikadoship, lasted for fifty-five years, during which, in addition to battles and sieges, we have records of lyrical publications, buildings of temples and palaces, &c., as before. At the end of that time, the pseudo-Mikados submitted, and we return to the lesser confusion of two columns of synchronous sovereigns of one and the same realm, who are not colleagues.

1394. Mikado Go Komatsu appoints Ziogoon Yosimitsu syokok, or prime minister. Yosimotsi, fifteenth Ziogoon.

Yosimitsu must, it should seem, have abdicated either prior to being appointed syokok, or upon receiving the office, which must, we apprehend, be one of those Dairi posts, mentioned heretofore,* as objects of ambition to the highest in the empire. An efficient administration office it could hardly be, since we know that the kwanbak was the prime minister before the virtual division or cession of sovereignty, and that, under the new title of governor of the empire, he, the president of the ministerial council, still is so. It is to be noted that the appointment of the kwanbak usually stands in the Ziogoon column, that of a syokok always on the Mikado side.

1409. The Mikado visits Yosimitsu. Yosimitsu dies. * * * Nanban (barbarians from the south) bring a black elephant and parrots.

1469. The Japanese painter Setssyu returns from China.

1539. The use of fire-arms learned.

Amidst civil wars, hard to be comprehended in this style of narration, we find the first not over-pleasing mention of the heroic successor to the Yoritomo dynasty, Nobunaga.

1557. Nobunaga slays his younger brother, Nobuyuki.

1561. Birth of Seikwa, afterwards distinguished for his knowledge of Chinese literature.

1600. (Keï tsyo, 5). The Chinese statistical work, Ching kwân ching jao,

published in Japan.

* Asiatic Journal, vol. xxix. p. 284.

Asiat.Journ.N.S. VOL.IV.No.19.

Id. vol. xxx. p. 94.

D

Some of the following entries are worth extracting, as proofs how little the Mikado cared which party triumphed in the civil wars for the ziogoonship, and how little Buddhism had at that time-viz. prior to the political antipathy conceived to Christianity-crushed or superseded Sinsyu :

Years A.D.

1603. Thirty-second Ziogoon, Minamotò Jyeyasou. Mikado Go Yosei appoints Hideyori (Taykosama's son) Nai daizin (evidently one of the desired Dairi officers).

1605. The Mikado appoints Fidetada, the son of Jyeyasou, Sei i Ziogoon, the thirty-third.

1628. (Kwan yei, 5). One hundred and ninth Mikado, Go Midsunowo builds the Kami temple Kamonoyasiro.

1639. Intercourse with Christian nations broken off.

1640. The genealogies of the princely families registered.

1647. Arrival of Europeans, who are repulsed by Mikado Go Kwomyo, or Ziogoon Jyemitsu.

1658. The Chinese Ching, known, under the name of Koksenja, as the conqueror of Formosa, seeks support at the Japanese court; it is refused. 1663. One hundred and thirteenth Mikado, Reigen, forbids the self-slaughter of dependents upon the death of their lords.

1690. The high school of Chinese science founded at Yedo.

1722. One hundred and fifteenth Mikado, Nakano Mikado, visits his minister, Sukesane. (Still no seclusion, even of the Mikado; but this is the last locomotive entry concerning a Mikado.)

1781. A Yedo bookseller publishes the Encyclopædia Kun syo rui tsui, which, in 639 volumes, comprehends 1,273 divisions, together with the work named Bitsu foo ryak, which consists of 1,000 volumes, the most extensive undertaking of the kind in Japan.

1789. Forty-second Ziogoon, Jyenari, orders the establishment of rice magazines throughout the empire.

1795. The Ziogoon has a grand hunt. (The last locomotive mention of a Ziogoon).

1797. Siragawako publishes the antiquarian work Sinko syu tsiu, a collection of ten kinds of antiquities, which is highly valued by all lovers of archæology.

1798. The calendar improved Europeanwise.

1804. Fall of a mountain and devastation of the land on the lake Kiza* * * By command of the Mikado, great presents are offered

sawa.

at the Kami temple at Usa, in Buzen.