Just joined- Origins of the Japanese people

[tangomike]

Hello, i'm new to this board, just joined a few min ago. I study japanese for my minor and am fascinated with history in general. I never really cared for my Japanese heritage growing up- all my friends were white, i live in America and I had nothig really to do with where my ancestors came from. However, since I started attending college I began to meet all kinds of people from around the world. I became intensely interested in my own origins and asked around my family about our history and such- as well as copious amounts of reading of translated Chinese texts, Korean texts, the Nihon Shoki, Kojiki and textbooks.

From what I can put together the Nihon-jin of today are neither a purely local race or a people who are purely foreign (Korean and Chinese). They are a mix of many ethnic groups that converged in Japan over the course of millennia.

(prehistory)
First the Jomon- probably arrived via land bridge when Japan was attached to the continent. They lived all across Japan and were untouched for millennia, they are the decendants of the modern Ainu people. Sometime In the later Jomon period Polynesian/Malay people arrived in southern Kyushu. This being so long ago it was probably not a mass invasion and take over- they simpley occupied souther Kyushu and did not expand at all. They are referred to as the Kumaso.

I believe that Xu Fu of China (around 200 BC) , sent by Emperor Shi Huang Di to find the elixer of life, was the catalyst that started Yayoi culture. There are memorials and statues of Xu Fu (called Jo-fuku in Japanese) in Japan decorating him as the God of Farming and the God of Silk. Diplomats from the Chinese Wei kingdom reported that the Japanese claimed to be decendants of Wu Taibo (around 1000 BC). I also read that Yayoi skeletons found in Kyushu were a match with skeletons from Jiangsu province, China I beleive that displaced Chinese refugees as well as some Korean fled to Kyushu, Japan during wars that were plentiful during the Spring and Autmumn period and the Warring States period of china. Artifacts found in Japan in this period are mainly CHINESE lnked like bronze mirrors. My conclusion- the Yayoi were mainly of Chinese decent mixed with the native Jomon. It is likely that Yayoi and Jomon cheifdoms co-existed for some time. The Yayoi nations being concentrated in Kyushu and the more north you went the more Jomon. The Kumaso still lived in southern Kyushu, protected by mountain ranges.

During this time (1000 BC - 0) Yamataikoku was just one of the 100+ small cheifdoms fighting for supremacy. The Japanese legends in the Nihon Shoki of Amaterasu, Orochi, Susanoo, tsuchi-guo (spider people) were likely influenced in this period of nations swallowing each other up. Susanoo was likely the founder the the Izumo nation- he came from Buyeo, Korea in prehistory. Orochi is a many headed monster in Japan but after reading Korean doucments and acknowledging that the Japanese often turn their former enemies into 'monsters' or 'demons' (ie. they called some groups in Kyushu/southern honshu 'tsuchi-gumo or 'earth spiders' and Kumaso (meaning Bear-like). I believe Orochi was the name of a Jomon or Yayoi cheiftain who had conquered the Korean-based Izumo nation in Susanoos absence (perhaps back in Korea recruiting more troops and building ships etc). The story of Susanoo defeating Orochi with the Kusanagi is an interpretation of Susanoo retuning from the mainland with his army and re-taking Izumo from Orochi.

According to Chinese sources the 100's in Japan were rife with civil war between 100+ tribes/chiefdoms. It was called the mysterious century by scholars because nobody knows what happend in Japan then. I believe that the various Yayoi and Jomon kingdoms fought and absorbed each other until one nation came out on top in the early 200s. Yamataikoku.

The first recorded Japanese state, Yamatai-koku was a confederation of 30 chiefdoms that held the other 70 or so in check. Kumaso was still independent in souther Kyushu at this time. Led by Himiko (I believe Himiko is also Empress Consort Jingu therefore she had once been married to Emperor Chuai and produced Queen Iyo their daughter). The controversial topic of Jingu conquering Korea is not correct. Based on Kyushu or Shikoku, Empress Jingu (Himiko) went over seas after her husbands death and conquered a Jomon cheifdom across the sea on Honshu (or Shikoku if Yamataikoku was on Kyushu) making her country prosper. Anyway,

When Himiko died so did her strong rule and the country weakened. Iyo was named Queen but the country faced instability. ALL THE EMPERORS UP TO EMPEROR OJIN (270 AD-310AD)WHERE THE EMPERORS OF YAMATAIKOKU.

Sometime between 250-270 in the Gaya Confederacy, Korea the younger brother of the King Mapun led a revolt against the King. This younger brother is named Ungjin or Homuda....King Mapun put down the insurrection and his brother, his troops and his people were forced to flee to Baekje in southwestern Korea. King Goi of Baekje was concerned about the mass influx of refugees from Gaya and told Ungjin to go to Wa (Japan) with his men and start a country there free from the clutches of his angry brother Mapun. So in 270 AD Ungjin led an invasion of Japan from Korea with his refugees and troops and defeated Yamataikoku and settled in the Yamato plain. The Japanese government wants to hide tha fact that Yamataikoku was conquered by Koreans so they wiped out Himikos name, history and made it look like Ojin was already present in Japan as a Japanese, where in reality he was from Korea. Anyway, Ungjin convinced Queen Iyo (Natsuka hime) to marry him after he defeated the native Wa-jin. His name was changed to Ojin and this was the start of the Kofun period- marked by large korean style tombs, the introduction of horses from Korea and a HUGE influx of people unexplainable by natural means and only by migration.

I am sure all the Emperors BEFORE Ojin existed but they were probably just Kings of Yamataikoku who didnt control much territory. Ojin came from the mainland and hijacked an existant Yamataikoku to become the first "real" emperor.

anyway what are your guys thoughts? counter arguements?

[RealJames]

Interesting read!

I'm going to discuss this with one of my history buff Japanese students

My 2 cents:
ANY story containing the elixir of life is destined to be good!

[Ronin4hire]

Originally Posted by tangomike

From what I can put together the Nihon-jin of today are neither a purely local race or a people who are purely foreign (Korean and Chinese). They are a mix of many ethnic groups that converged in Japan over the course of millennia.

There is no such thing as a "pure race" period. Even the populations from which today's Yamato are descended from were not "pure" and are defined due to their way of life, traditions and time period in which they lived.

That is true for all human populations past and present.

[tangomike]

Originally Posted by Ronin4hire

There is no such thing as a "pure race" period. Even the populations from which today's Yamato are descended from were not "pure" and are defined due to their way of life, traditions and time period in which they lived.

That is true for all human populations past and present.

Yep, I wished Hitler and the Japanese would have grasped this through study before they went on to cause the worlds worst atrocities....but then again both would use anything to further their agendas so hmm.