Fudoki

The Fudoki (Japanese风土 记, literally, as " records of air and earth," or free. " Records of the regional customs " ) are chronicles of the provinces of Japan and dates back to ancient times (8th century ). They contain information on geography, fauna, flora and agricultural production, as well as customs, history and mythology. The explanation of place names plays an important role.

The Fudoki were in the Nara period compiled from 713 at the behest of the Empress Genmei and completes at least 20 years. The Shoku Nihongi writes:

「五月 甲子畿内七道諸國郡郷名著好字其郡内所生銀銅彩色草木禽獸魚虫等物具録色目及土地沃塉山川原野名号所由又古老相傳舊聞異事載于史籍言上」

" [ Wado 6 / ] 5/2 [= May 30 713 ]: For Kinai and the seven highways [= all of Japan ] to be written down the names of provinces, districts and villages; to the resources of the districts such as silver, copper, all kinds of plants, trees, birds, animals, fish, insects, etc., as well as the fertility of the soil, the names of mountains, rivers, plains and fields whose origin. The traditional of the old stories are to be entered into a historical register. "

The beginning of their creation thus coincides with the time, were written in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki.

At least 48 provinces were mentioned, but only the records of the province of Izumo are almost completely preserved parts of the records of the provinces of Bungo, Harima, Hitachi and Hizen also came down. Together, they are considered the so-called "old Fudoki " ( kofudoki ). Single passages of many other books have been preserved as quotations in several books, including bingo, Buzen, Chikugo, Chikuzen, Higo, Hoki, Hyūga, Ise, Iyo, Mutsu, Owari, Ōsumi, Settsu, tango and Yamashiro. In later times came under the name Fudoki to other texts.

In parts of the Fudoki of Izumo, Hyūga, Yamashiro, Tango, Ise, Settsu, Suruga, bingo, Inaba Ōmi and Tosa by Karl Florence were translated into German. An English translation of the "old Fudoki " was created in 1997 by Michiko Yamaguchi Aoki.