Dei of Wa

Dei of Wa (禰), also known as Sodei (祖禰, lit. 'great ancestor').[1]: 11  was a King of Wakoku, who was compared to Emperor Nintoku, founder of the Kawachi dynasty by the historian Hidehiro Okada.[2] He was not among the Five kings of Wa but would be another King of Wa predating them.[1]: 11 

He is sometimes identified with “Mye (彌),” the Wa leader mentioned in the Book of Liang,[1]: 11 

Kuranishi Yūko identifies him as the father of Sai of Wa who she identifies with Emperor Ingyō.[1]: 11  Okada identifies him with Emperor Nintoku, the grandfather of Emperor Yūryaku.[3]

Some dispute the identification as an individual and take the phrase Sodei to refer to ancestors as a whole.[1]: 11 

Basis for the name

This is the genealogy proposed by Okada

Dei of Wa（Emperor Nintoku）
San of Wa（Emperor Richū）
Chin of Wa（Emperor Hanzei）Sai of Wa（Emperor Ingyō）
Ko of Wa（Emperor Ankō）Bu of Wa（Emperor Yūryaku）

The name Dei is recorded in the Book of Song as the Japanese king Wangmu[4] to the Song dynasty of the Northern and Southern dynasties of China in 487,[5]

Okada (岡田) said of Sodei (祖禰)

Sodei (祖禰) is Emperor Nintoku, the grandfather of Emperor Yūryaku.[3]。

Bu of Wa, wrote in a letter addressed to the Song dynasty in China in 487 that he had been engaged in warfare both at sea and abroad since the generation of Grandfather-Dei「祖禰」or his grandfather Dei of Wa. There must be another King of Wa before San, Chin, and Sai.[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Kishimoto, Naofumi (2013-05-01). "Dual Kingship in the Kofun Period as Seen from the Keyhole Tombs". Journal of Urban Culture Research. S2CID 193255655.
  2. ^ 岡田, 2008
  3. ^ a b 岡田, 2008, p. 225、「中国の古典の用例では、「禰」は父の霊をまつる廟を指すので、これまでの学説では、「祖禰」は「祖先以来」を意味するものと漠然と解釈されてきたが、それは間違いである。明確の仁徳天皇の事績を伝えようとしているのだ」
  4. ^ ワカタケル大王。『日本書紀』にいう雄略天皇
  5. ^ 岡田, 2008, pp. 225, 257
  6. ^ 岡田, 2008, p. 257

Sources