I've taken a few days to digest Tom Newall's second lecture in this nine lecture series and I hope this is a fair summary of the main point.
In summary, the usual texxt book version of the transmission to Buddhism to Japan is basically 'Royal Propaganda' that is designed to make the monarch, court and Kyoto elite look good. There's truth in it but it's partial and incomplete. It dominates the narrative because of the ease with which the extensive documentary evidence can used to create that official version of events. However, the bulk of the transmission was actually done by the large number of Korean migrants and refugees that came to Japan and brought their faith with them. Finding out their stories takes more work and interpretation so their names tend to be forgotten and left unsaid.
Example of Royal Propaganda - Prince Shotoku.
The Prince Regent is a celebrated figure in Japan not least for the claim that he wrote the first constitution as well as propagating Buddhism. When the war against anti-Buddhist aristocracy was turning against him, he carved statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, guardian deities of the Buddhist world, placed them in his top knot and prayed for victory in battle. He vowed that if he won, he would build a temple to enshrine the Four Heavenly Kings. Shitennoji then becomes the second temple built in Japan in 593. The mythologising of Prince Shotoku is obvious when you look at stories such as him flying over Mt. Fuji on his horse.
Example of Immigrant Transmission - Japan's first ordinations
The first ordinations in Japan were of three young women as nuns in 584. They were Shimane, daughter of a Chinese immigrant saddle maker named Tatto, and Tokome, daughter of Ayahito Hoshi, and Ishime, daughter of Nishigori no Tsuho. This took place in Harima, modern Hyogo Prefecture, where an old Korean monk Hyeppyon (Japanese: Eben) and an old nun Popmyong (Japanese: Homyo) had left monastic life, married and settled down together. The three girls were taught by Popmyong and later were given permission to travel to Paekche (a Korean Kingdom) to get full ordination. On their return as Zenshin, Zenzo and Ezen respectively they established the first convent with Zenshin in charge.
Contrast
The Japanese royalty narrative seems to clash with the reality of Buddhism that had already reached lower class immigrant Koreans, Chinese and non aristocratic Japanese women in provincial Japan, way beyond the central elite in Kyoto and Osaka. It suggests that the royal version is really an official approval of what was already happening on the ground since the two events are bascially contemporary.
Note not mentioned by Prof Newall
In the late seventh century, the collapse of Goguryeo and Paekche due to Chinese invasion set off a wave of Korean immigration to Japan. In 815, the Shinsen Shojiroki recorded the backgrounds of the then Japanese aristocracy, and found about 30% were Korean. Recent DNA research on tombs from that era have found 40% are Korean.
I hope this is of interest.
Bows
Hoshuku
Satlah
In summary, the usual texxt book version of the transmission to Buddhism to Japan is basically 'Royal Propaganda' that is designed to make the monarch, court and Kyoto elite look good. There's truth in it but it's partial and incomplete. It dominates the narrative because of the ease with which the extensive documentary evidence can used to create that official version of events. However, the bulk of the transmission was actually done by the large number of Korean migrants and refugees that came to Japan and brought their faith with them. Finding out their stories takes more work and interpretation so their names tend to be forgotten and left unsaid.
Example of Royal Propaganda - Prince Shotoku.
The Prince Regent is a celebrated figure in Japan not least for the claim that he wrote the first constitution as well as propagating Buddhism. When the war against anti-Buddhist aristocracy was turning against him, he carved statues of the Four Heavenly Kings, guardian deities of the Buddhist world, placed them in his top knot and prayed for victory in battle. He vowed that if he won, he would build a temple to enshrine the Four Heavenly Kings. Shitennoji then becomes the second temple built in Japan in 593. The mythologising of Prince Shotoku is obvious when you look at stories such as him flying over Mt. Fuji on his horse.
Example of Immigrant Transmission - Japan's first ordinations
The first ordinations in Japan were of three young women as nuns in 584. They were Shimane, daughter of a Chinese immigrant saddle maker named Tatto, and Tokome, daughter of Ayahito Hoshi, and Ishime, daughter of Nishigori no Tsuho. This took place in Harima, modern Hyogo Prefecture, where an old Korean monk Hyeppyon (Japanese: Eben) and an old nun Popmyong (Japanese: Homyo) had left monastic life, married and settled down together. The three girls were taught by Popmyong and later were given permission to travel to Paekche (a Korean Kingdom) to get full ordination. On their return as Zenshin, Zenzo and Ezen respectively they established the first convent with Zenshin in charge.
Contrast
The Japanese royalty narrative seems to clash with the reality of Buddhism that had already reached lower class immigrant Koreans, Chinese and non aristocratic Japanese women in provincial Japan, way beyond the central elite in Kyoto and Osaka. It suggests that the royal version is really an official approval of what was already happening on the ground since the two events are bascially contemporary.
Note not mentioned by Prof Newall
In the late seventh century, the collapse of Goguryeo and Paekche due to Chinese invasion set off a wave of Korean immigration to Japan. In 815, the Shinsen Shojiroki recorded the backgrounds of the then Japanese aristocracy, and found about 30% were Korean. Recent DNA research on tombs from that era have found 40% are Korean.
I hope this is of interest.
Bows
Hoshuku
Satlah
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