Page:Nihongi by Aston.djvu/436

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Muretsu.
405

Ohomuraji to make a levy of labourers of the province of Shinano, in order to build a castle in the village of Minomata. It was called Kinouhe.

In this month, Wi-ta-nang[1] of Pèkché died and was buried on the top of the hill of Takada.

A.D. 502. (XVI. 8.) 4th year, Summer, 4th month. He pulled out the hair of men's heads, made them climb to the tops of trees, and then cut down the trees, so that the men who had climbed were killed by the fall. This he took a delight in.

In this year, King Malta[2] of Pèkché, for his lawless oppression of his subjects, was at length deposed by the people of that country and King Shima raised to the throne. He was made King Munyöng.

The Pèkché "Shinsen" says:—"King Malta lawlessly oppressed the subjects, and the people united to remove him. Munyöng was set up. His sobriquet was King Shima. He was the son of Prince Konchi, and therefore the elder brother of King Malta by a different mother. When Konchi went to Wa, he arrived at an island in Tsukushi where King Shima was born to him. He was sent back from the island, and did not reach the capital (of Japan). Owing to his having been born on an island, he received the name of Shima. There is now in the sea of Kawara[3] an island called Nirim Shima[4] which is the King's birthplace. Therefore the Pèkché people call this island Nirim Shima. Considering that King Shima was King Kèro's son, and King Malta King Konchi's son, the expression 'elder brother by a different mother' is not clear."[5]

  1. This is the Corean pronunciation of the characters given, but very likely these are not the proper characters for his name, and are only a phonetic Japanese rendering of the sound. The traditional Kana rendering is Otara.
  2. Or Mata if the Japanese pronunciation is taken. His real name was Mutè.
  3. The traditional Kana pronunciation.
  4. The traditional Kana has sema, for the Corean syöm, island. Nirim means Lord.
  5. The "Tongkam" (Vol. V. 4) account of these events is as follows:—"Autumn, 8th month (A.D. 501). Pèkché built the Castle of Karim (in Chöllado), which was occupied by a garrison under a military officer named Chak Ka.

    Winter, 11th month. Chak Ka of Pèkché slew his Lord Mutè. Before