08 Empress Jinguu Yamato Takeru no Mikoto unfortunaly passed away in his youth, his son eventually ascended the throne, and became Emperor Chuuai. During his reign, there was unrest in Kyuushuu. The Emperor, with his Empress Jinguu, campaigned there in the process passed away due to sudden illness. The Empress hid the news, in order not to cause alarm amongst the people. It was her judgement that the source of the unrest in Kyuudhuu was to be found in the Korean Penninsula. If Korea could be pacified, peace would prevail in Kyuushuu. The Empress changed into masculine outfits, led the military force and advanced on Korea. Her orders were: "If the drums are beaten out of time, and the signal-flags are waved confusedly, order cannot be preserved among the troops: if greedy for wealth, and eager for much, you cherish self and have regard for your own interests, you will surely be taken prisoners by the enemy. Despise not the enemy, though his numbers may be few; shrink not from him, though his numbers may be many. Spare not the violent, slay not the submissive. There will surely be rewards for those who conquer in battle, and of course punishments for those who turn their backs and flee." At this time, the Korean Peninsula was ruled by the kingdom of Koguryo, which was located north of the Yalu River, in southeast Manchuria, and fortified itself with strong military power. China often suppressed Koguryo as it advanced to the neighbouring countries. Against the enormous Chinese force Koguryo was not a match, so it expanded southward instead of westward. To the south of Koguryo lies the Korean Peninsula, where the Kingdom of Paekche was located to the west and the kingdom of Silla to the east. Shilla, threatened by Koguryo's power, formed an alliance with Koguryo and advanced to Kyuushuu to stir up unrest. Paekche on the other hand was determined to protect itself from Koguryo invasion and yet keep its independence. However, in view of its weak national strength, it asked for Japan's assistance. It was under such circumstances that Empress Jinguu advanced to Korea. She defeated Sila, thereby terminating the source of unrest in Kyuushuu and keeping intact the national defence. She further proceeded to attack Koguruo, in order to destpry their ambition to conquer the entire Korean Peninsula, and saved Paekche. Her intention to help the neighbouring ally was reasonable, and her military feat most admirable. When the imperial army crossed the Strait it swiftly overpowered Silla, which surrendered. The king of Silla promised obedience to Japan and to send a yearly envoy with gifts in the future. His promise was, "When the sun no longer rises in the East, but comes forth in the West; when the river Arinare turns its course backward, and when the river pebbles ascend and become stars - if before this we fail to pay homage every spring and every autumn, or neglect to send tribute of combs and whips, may the Gods of Heaven and Earth both together punish us." The Empress accepted the surrender and released the prisoners of war. It is written in Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki) that the King of Silla thereafter sent a member of the royal family to Japan as a hostage, along with yearly gifts. This is not just seen in Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki). According to Chronicles of the Three Kingdom (Samguk Sagi), an old historical writing of Korea, I it is recorded that King Naemul (r. 356-402) of Silla first sent to the mighty Koguryo a hostage by the name of Silsong; in the next year the Japanese advanced on the Kingdom of Silla and the castle was placed under siege; Silsong was made to return from Koguryo, and this time a prince called Malsahum was sent as hostage to Japan. This Malsahum must be identical to Micheul-kwe-chi Pha-chin Kan-ki, who appears in Chronicles of Japan (Nihon SHoki) as Mishikochi Hatori Kamuki. In Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki), only the events that took place in Silla are entered. But actually the Japanese went northward, to fight a fierce battle near Pyongyang, to save Paekche from its national crisis and discourage Koguryo's military ambitions. This part is missing from Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki), probably because the oral transmission became dispersed. Fortunately, the facts are preserved by inscription on the stone momument of King Kwanggaet'o (r. 391-413) of Koguryo. This monument is located in the southeast part of Manchuria, in the upstream area of the Yalu River, in Jian Prefecture. A four-faced stone of unequal facets, 22 shaku or 6.6 meters high, it is indeed a grand monument. The first facet is over 1.5 meters wide, the second, a little over 1.4 meters, the third a little over 1.9 meters, and the fourth side is slightly less than 1.4 meters. It was made in 414 AD, in the second year of King Changsu (r. 413-491), also the year of Kinoe-tiger, of Koguryo. It was unknown in Japan for a long time, but in the 17th year of Meiji era (1884), Sakawa Kageaki found it and reported its existence. The stone monument says that the Japanese crossed the Strait in 391 AD and invaded the Korean Peninsula, to subbordinate Paekche and Silla. Battles ensued, and in 404 AD the Japanese went northward along the Han River, wedged up to Pyongyang, and there fought a fierce battle. If the purpose of the Japanese advancement to Korea were to protect Paekche, the campaign had to proceed northward to that point. Conversely, since the Japanese went up to that point, it is known that the objective of this war was to save Paekche. According to Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki), the King of Paekche sent an envoy to Japan with an offering. In particular, to commemorate his gratitude towarde Japan for repelling the invaders from Silla, he stated that he would never forget the debt, and presented a seven-branched sword and a mirror with seven small decorations. The seven-branched sword had seven sharp offshoots, designed like branches of a tree. The mirror had seven round decorations attached around it, like children gathered around the parent. Both records sound so unreal that we cannot believe the existence of the sword and mirror, and tend to conclude that the entries are fabrications. However, the sword exists at the present day. It is preserved as a sacred treasure in Iso no Kami Shrine, located in Tenri city, Nara Prefecture. It is 75 centimeters long, with three branches shooting out, to the left, and other three to the right, making seven. On the front and the back is an inscription in gold damascene, stating that the sword had been made from highly purified iron, and is a treasure of the rarest kind; it is presented from the Kyng and Prince of Paekche to the Emperor of Japan to express gratitude, with respect, for saving their lives, and is to be preserved forefer. The preservation of this sword, which accords with the inscription, is almost a mystery. But the very fact rhat the sword exists confirms the Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki) entry, as well as the epitaph of King Kwanggaet'o, that the Japanese advanced northward on the west side of Korea, subjugated the delta area of the Han River, and fought eith Koguryo near Pyongyang. Look at the map of Asia. The Japanese archipelago lies from north to south, as a long belt. To the east is the enormous Pacific Ocean. But to the west there is a part of the Asian continent which protrudes as though realy to stab the Japanese archipelago. This is the Korean Peninsula. If there were strife in this Peninsula, and a great continental military power invaded it, the peace and integrity of Japan would be threatened. The unrest in Kyuushuu during the reign of Emperor Chuuai occurred because Koguryo of Manchuria, in the process of its southward campaign, controlled the Korean Peninsula. Thus for the self-defence of Japan, the Korean Peninsula must be kept at peace, and foreign powers repelled. Moreover, it is the national temperament of the Japanese to pursue justice, and dislike impropriety. When the King and Prince of Paekche pequested assistance, the Japanese, with their sense of justice, could not have remained uninvolved. Empress Jinguu's advancement to Korea was carried out for these two reasons. The uninformed often make a wicked conjecture that the campaign was carried out to conquer Silla. Or, to incorporate the Korean Peninsula for national gain. These beliefs are wrong. Just consider. Emperor Chuuai suddenly passed away, and his successor was still in the Empress Jinguu's womb (thus in the past, this Emperor was called by the people Emperor in the Womb). At such a time of national emergency, with no reserves, why should an ambitious territorial war be launched from Japan's side ? The necessity was absolute, and for this reason the Empress dared to cross the Strait and proceeded northward in the Korean Penninsula, to engage in a fierce war. Futhermore, this was not a brief, small-scale battle, as the epitaph of King Kwanggaet'o testifies. It was a major war lasting for several years.

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