(X. 14.) the Atahe of the Aya[1] of Yamato, and his son Tsuga no Omi immigrated to Japan, bringing with them a company of their people of seventeen districts.
A.D. 291. 22nd year, Spring, 3rd month, 5th day. The Emperor made a progress to Naniha, where he dwelt in the Palace of Oho-sumi.
10th day. He ascended a lofty tower and had a distant prospect. Now he was attended by his concubine Yehime, who, looking towards the west, lamented loudly. Hereupon the Emperor inquired of Yehime, saying:—"Why dost thou lament so bitterly?" She answered and said:—"Of late thy handmaiden has been thinking fondly of her father and mother, and so, looking towards the west, unawares she made lament. I pray thee let me return for a while that I may see my parents." Hereupon the Emperor loved Yehime's tender thought for the warmth and coolness[2] of her parents, and addressing her, said:—"Many years have passed since thou hast seen thy parents. It is clearly right that thou shouldst wish to return
- ↑ Aya is the traditional Japanese rendering of 漢, i.e. Han, the name of a Chinese dynasty. No satisfactory explanation of the reason why this character should be read aya has been given. As a mere guess, I would suggest that Hada or hata for 奏 (Ts‘in), Kure for Wu 呉 and Aya for Han may have been names given from the textile products with which these three Chinese dynasties, or the emigrants, may have been associated; Hada or Hata meaning loom or cloth generally, Kure, dyed stuffs (for Kurenawi, pink or scarlet), and Aya, figured stuffs. There were numerous weavers among the Corean (or Chinese) emigrants to Japan. See below, A.D. 306. For Kure, another derivation is that which makes it mean "distant," a sense in which it occurs more than once in the "Manyōshiu," and in a poem in the "Nihongi," Reign of Saimei, year 4.
This family was called the Aya of Yamato to distinguish it from another family of the same name in Kahachi. These two families were also known respectively as the Higashi no Aya, or Eastern Aya, and the Nishi no Aya, or Western Aya.
Motoöri ("Kojikiden," XXXIII. 39) shows that, like other events relating to Corea in this part of the "Nihongi," this immigration must be dated 120 years later.
The Yamato Aya claimed descent from the Emperor Ling-ti of the Later Han dynasty, who reigned A.D. 168 to 190. We are told that on the fall of that dynasty in 221, Prince Achi fled to Corea, whence he subsequently emigrated to Japan; but how much of this is true it is impossible to say. Cf. Ch. K., p. 253.
- ↑ i.e. thoughtfulness for her parents' comfort.
