뉴스레터

The Need for the Book Translated with Notes

NAHF published the book translated with notes 『Shinsen shōjiroku』, a generalical table of ancient Japanese clans. This book is the basic data of ancient Japanese history research, but it is very useful for research on ancient Korean history and ancient Korean-Japanese relations because many Korean people are detected. In order to use 『Shinsen shōjiroku』 as historical data, it is necessary to have a comprehensive understanding and strict criticism of the compilation ideology of this literature. We organized a research team immediately after the publication of the book 『Nihon shoki』 and published the book after seven years of work. The period of compilation of 『Nihon shoki』 and 『Shinsen shōjiroku』 differs about a hundred years, but it is directly connected in terms of genealogy history.

Kōbu kō-shi(後部高氏) of Goguryeo, Mitsuma mei Kō-shi of Gaya  

The Purpose of Composition and Compilation of 『Shinsen shōjiroku』

『Shinsen shōjiroku』 is a generalical table of ancient Japanese Imperial State with 1,182 genealogy residing in Heian-kyō and five areas in Kinai(Published in 815). Although it is abstract to convey at present, the first complete version contains specific contents such as ancestors of each clan, children born, related to each individual, and relationship with the Emperor, so that politicalness is strongly expressed unlike general genealogy and family register. First, we arranged the descendants of the gods in Japanese mythology, starting with Kōbetsu, who claims to be descendants of the Emperor's family. And the descendants of the Torai clan were included as Shoban. These are the main members of Japan's royal authority, and many are the official servants who serve the Emperor. The whole composition was classified into Kōbetsu 335, Shinbetsu 404, and Shoban 326. The clans that are difficult to confirm were classified into 「unspecified」 117.

The preface of 『Shinsen shōjiroku』 states that it was compiled to correct the disorder of the surname to profit from the genealogy of other clans. However, this book is a literature about the ruling system and ideology of the end of the 8th century and compiled to strengthen the order of the state's rule. The most important part of this generalical table is the degree of closeness between the original family line and the ancestor who is the first of the family line. The criteria for distinguishing the sequence of the clan are who is the progenitor of the original family line and how this progenitor is connected to the genealogy. The family line of the individual clan constitutes the clan group according to the conformity. But the being at the apex of the family line is AmaterasuōMikami, the god of Imperial Family. This was a message that asserted the sanctity and legitimacy of the Imperial Family and ruled the emperor's state. Looking at the children of the Kōbetsu clan, there are 178 surnames in the family register(53%), assuming that there are emperors from the 2nd to the 9th generations. In other words, through the extended genealogy network, they share the consciousness of being a member of the Imperial Family descending from AmaterasuōMikami.

The clans who claim to be descendants of Shinbetsu are also linked to this best principal icon. The clans of Kōbetsu and Shinbetsu, which are close to 70% of the total, share a strong sense of solidarity, claiming to be the ruling class of the emperor's state and a blood-related and agenda-oriented group. The clans have formed numerous relationships according to the conformity, creating a huge clan group vertically and horizontally connected. The Emperor's state created a huge familial ruling ideology by the numerous clans that received blood from the Emperor descending from AmaterasuōMikami, creating new lineages. The control of the genealogy was a valid means of maintaining the survival and dominance of the Emperor's state.

『Correction of Shinsen shōjiroku』 Block Book (1807)    

The Newly Discovered Korean descent Clan, The Direction of its Utilization

The clans that make up Shoban are descendants of foreign immigrants, a group recognized as a citizen who was incorporated into the ruling order of the Emperor who ruled the Japanese state. In particular, the ‘foreign’ is a representation of the China-centric World View that embraces them, but it also reflects the perception of the Japanese royal authority which is difficult to ignore their presence. There are 150 Korean clans newly discovered through this work. Many of them are clans incorporated into Japanese or Chinese circles through Sutuji-kaihen, which tells the actual condition and nature of Sutuji-kaihen of the progenitor at that time.

Among the clans listed in 『Shinsen shjiroku』 Korean descent is 313 of the total which is 26% of the total, including 163 already available and 150 newly excavated. Looking at the distribution of Korean descent clans, 202 Baekje clans can be found. The rest are 52 Goguryeo clans, 48 Silla clans, 10 Gaya clans, and 1 Gojoson clan with only the stomach as a progenitor. Looking at the clans with the king of their home country, Baekje has the largest number of 29 such as King Geunchogo and King Uija, and Goguryeo has five such as King Choomo and King Hotae, and Imna has four including King Gasil. Most of them are descendants of at least 5 to 10 generations from the first migrants, and Korean-Japanese who became citizens of ancient Japanese countries. They are an important axis of Japanese ancient society, and embraced and absorbed foreign figures of the Japanese royal family as their own citizens.

The data cited in this book are the historical records of ancient Japan such as 『Nihonshoki』 and 『Shokunihongi』, as well as 『Kojiki』, 『Fudoki』, Documents of 『Shosoin』, and the book of law. It also encompasses ancient Japanese data related to temples and other ancient records, ancient documents, secret documents, gravestones, and the latest wooden tables. Among the clans listed here are those who are interconnected with this historical material, so research is possible in a more expanded view. Especially, Korean descent people are more than the people in ancient Korean history books such as 『Samguksagi』 and 『Samgukyusa』, and it is helpful to study ancient Korean genealogy that has been scattered and disappeared because of the surname and last name.

This book is very useful for examining the settlement and assimilation process of Korean immigrants in ancient Japan, and for understanding the lives and consciousness of their descendants. This is meaningful in terms of predicting the problems of Korean residents living abroad such as Europe, the United States, and Latin America as well as Goryeoin who moved to the Maritime Province in the late 19th century and settled in Central Asia, Korean Residents in Japan and Ethnic Korean Living in China.