Gishiki

Author: (Japanese) Taiki Manri
Translator: Zhou Zuoren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: The Kojiki was compiled by Taiki Manri in the fifth year of the Tenmei era (712) of the Empress Tenmei. The entire work consists of ancient Japanese mythology, heroic legends, folk tales, folk songs, and the genealogy of the imperial family, divided into an introduction and upper, middle, and lower volumes. The introduction and the prose sections of the main text were written in Chinese characters, while the poetry was transcribed using Chinese characters to represent Japanese pronunciation. The upper volume focuses on myths and legends, covering the creation of heaven and earth, the birth of the gods, the formation of the Japanese land, and the descent of the grandson of Amaterasu to rule Japan. The middle and lower volumes blend myths, legends, and historical records, starting with the fictional Emperor Jimmu and recording the genealogy and deeds of thirty-three generations of emperors.