These were pure males spontaneously developed by the operation of the principle of Heaven.[1]
In one writing it is said:[2]—"When Heaven and Earth began, a thing existed in the midst of the Void.[3] Its shape may not be described. Within it a Deity was spontaneously produced, whose name was Kuni-toko-tachi no Mikoto, also called Kuni-soko-tachi[4] no Mikoto. Next there was Kuni no sa-tsuchi no Mikoto, also called Kuni no sa-tachi[5] no Mikoto. Next there was Toyo-kuni-nushi[6] no Mikoto, also called Toyo-kumu-nu[7] no Mikoto, Toyo-ka-fushi-no[8] no Mikoto, Uki-fu-no-toyo-kahi[9] no Mikoto, Toyo-kuni-no[10] no Mikoto, Toyo-kuhi-no[11] no Mikoto, Ha-ko-kuni-no[12] no Mikoto, or Mi-no[13] no Mikoto."
In one writing it is said:—"Of old, when the land was young and the earth young, it floated about, as it were floating oil. At this time a thing was produced within the land, in shape like a reed-shoot when it sprouts forth. From this there was a Deity developed, whose name was (I. 3.) Umashi-ashi-kabi-hiko-ji[14] no Mikoto. Next there was Kuni no toko-tachi no Mikoto, and next Kuni no sa-tsuchi no Mikoto."
- ↑ The principle of Heaven is the same thing as the Yō or male principle of Chinese philosophy. This again is no part of the old tradition.
- ↑ These quotations are usually referred to as part of the "Nihongi." They were, in my opinion, added at a somewhat (but not much) later date. They afford some indication of the mass of written literature which existed on this subject.
- ↑ In Japanese sora, to be distinguished from ame or ama, the heaven or firmament, which was regarded as a plain, as in the expression takama no hara, the plain of high heaven.
- ↑ Soko means bottom.
- ↑ Tachi means stand.
- ↑ Rich-country-master.
- ↑ Rich form-moor.
- ↑ Rich-perfume-joint-plain.
- ↑ Float-pass-plain-rich-buy.
- ↑ Rich-land-plain.
- ↑ Rich-bite (?) plain.
- ↑ Leaf-tree-land-plain.
- ↑ Mino is written with characters which suggest the derivation see-plain. But mi is more probably a honorific, to be rendered "august."
- ↑ Sweet-reed-shoot-prince-elder. There is some doubt about the precise signification of the word ji here rendered elder. It is the same root which we have in chichi father; wo-ji, uncle; orochi, serpent, and tsutsu or tsuchi, which is found in many names of gods. It is probably little more than a mere honorific.
