Himikoko/Himikuko (卑弥弓呼、卑彌弓呼, ひみここ/ひみくこ) (date of birth and death unknown) was a male king of
Kununokuni, recorded in the
Wajinden, a 3rd century figure from
Wakoku (now
Japan) in the 3rd century.
Naitō Torajirō proposed the theory that he was Himikoso.[1]
People
He had a disagreement with
Himiko, the queen of
Yamatai, which is located north of
Kununokuni, and is recorded to have started a war with her in 247 (the 8th year of the Shōgen era according to the
Wei calendar system).
According to various theories, he was
Kumaso's
chief[1] (or
Emishi chief[2]), but details are unknown.
Original text
其南有狗奴國。男子爲王、其官有狗古智卑狗。不屬女王。
其八年、太守王頎到官。倭女王卑彌呼與狗奴國男王卑彌弓呼素不和、遺倭載斯・烏越等詣郡、說相攻擊狀。
Various theories
Naito Konan, who advocates the Yamatai Honshu Theory, says that the name "Himiyumi-yoso" in the original text is not "Himiyumi-yoso yori" but "Himiyumi-yoso" and assumes that the "yoso" in the name refers to "the chiefs and others of the Assault The name "Yoboso" is assumed to refer to "the chiefs and others in the land of the term "Sokoku" refers to the area of Kumaso (southern part of
Kyushu), and in addition to Naito,
Arai Hakuseki,
Shiratori Kurakichi, Tsuda Sokichi, Inoue Mitsusada, Kida Sadakichi and others also used
Gunu as the name of
Kumaso, and thus consider the same person to be a Kumaso figure. In addition to Naito, Arai and Yamada hold to the
Yamatai Kyushu Theory, while Motoi, Shiratori, Tsuda, Inoue, Kida, and Yoshida hold to the
Yamatai Kyushu Theory. The record of the same persons is limited to two references (#original text) in the
Wajinden, which are inferred by
Linguistics,
History, and other approaches, respectively.
Ryūsaku Tsunoda, founder of the
Columbia University Institute for the Study of Japanese Culture, translated Wei-shi-wajinden into English in 1951, using Himikuku or Pimikuku,[3]. The latter rendering is in accordance with the theory of labial degeneration in Japanese (see Hagyo#Phonological History, section on Hagyo Tengyo). Other readings of Himikyūko include Himikyūko[4]「Himikuko」,[5] which some believe to be an error for Hikomiko (彦御子, male king)[6][7]。
The "Hikomiko (彦御子)" theory, introduced by the well-known researcher Yuichi Sato, is that "(卑弥弓呼)" is an error for "(卑弓弥呼)",[6] and "彦御子", or "son of the emperor", which is synonymous with
prince is a
Common noun, which refers to
Prince,[8] and "Himiko" is also a common noun referring to "the emperor's daughter", synonymous with "Himiko" and
Princess,[9] would be a counterpart to "Himiko".[6] Furthermore, the theory adopted by Sato goes beyond the meaning of the emperor's sons and daughters, and states that "Hikomiko" refers to a "male king" and "Himimiko" to a "queen".[6][7]
Some consider Hiyakyuu to be the king of Kennichibetsu (
Kumaso) "
Hayato", and call him
Hisuteronomyi (in the Nihon shoki
Hosuseri).[10] Hoderi in
hoshiromikoto means "fire burning brightly". According to Yozaburo Ishihara, Himiko has the characteristics of
Himiko, and since he was a "male", the "bow" was probably added to the name. He may have been good with the bow, or he may have been a king who excelled at speed and rapid attack, as with the bow.
Ryūsaku Tsunoda, tr. 1951. Japan in the Chinese Dynastic Histories: Later Han Through Ming Dynasties. Goodrich, Carrington C., ed. South Pasadena: P. D. and Ione Perkins.