Himiko
Himiko (Japanese卑 弥 呼/卑 弥 呼* 170, † 248 ) is the first known ruler of the kingdom Yamatai.
Life
Himiko is the first, called the Queen Empress of Japan. It was probably after the end of a 70-80 year-long war among some kuni (国) - elected by their tribal leaders as the head, to keep the peace among themselves - small communities of about 20-30 km across. With Yamatai at the top they reigned over 32 kuni, an area of from today's perspective, roughly estimated 600 km ².
Himiko contacted the Wei Dynasty of China to establish trade relations and above all of the extensive knowledge of the Chinese of that time to benefit. In this way they wanted to solve Japan from the status of backwardness. 238 they sent an embassy with tribute to China and was rewarded with a recognition of their sovereignty position in Japan. She was also allegedly 100 bronze mirrors. Only 4 levels, which correspond to the appearance and processing of Chinese Production of this time have been found to date.
The Queen lived, as it is written in the Wei Zhi, retired from the public in a residence, protected by watchtowers. It was guarded by male guards and 100 of 1000 exclusively female servants, she was cared for. She remained unmarried. The only male except in her court was her brother, who served her, among other things as a mouthpiece for the people. After her death, she was supposedly buried with 100 slaves in a large grave mound.
After political unrest (it was a elective monarchy ) was brought a relative of her to power, a 13- year-old girl named Toyo (台 与/台 与even Iyo ).
Origin of the name
The Japanese Himiko said to be made hime (姫, dt " upstanding wife, Princess " ) - which itself of hi (日, dt "Sun" ) and me (女, dt "woman" ) is derived - and the female suffix ko (子, dt "child" ), and hi miko ( Shamanin ) or hime and miko exist.
In order to imitate the pronunciation of her name used, the Chinese, the characters卑, low, low ' ,弥/弥fill; full ' and呼, exhale; call '. In modern Chinese, this would bēimíhū or pronounced bìmíhū. The then Chinese pronunciation in the 3rd century is controversial and includes:
- Pjiḙmjiḙχuo (Bernhard Karlgren, Alt-/Mittelchinesisch )
- Pjiemjieχwo (Li Fanggui, Alt-/Mittelchinesisch )
- PjiumjieXxu ( William H. Baxter, Alt-/Mittelchinesisch )
- Pjimjiχɔ or pjiə̌mjiə̌χɔ ( Edwin G. Pulleyblank, Early Middle Chinese)
- Piemiehɑ (Axel Schuessler, late Han Chinese)
Shamanism
The fact is that the Chinese in the Wei Zhi Himiko describe as a special shaman with a unique practice, but which must be mentioned that no other practices of Japanese shamanism at the time of Himiko are described. We know neither the exact nature of the practices, nor the exact backgrounds for the practices. Himiko is repeatedly described as a spiritual leader who understands her people " enchanted " to.
Others
Himiko and Yamatai are the subject of the 2013 released game Tomb Raider made by Square Enix.