SillaSilla (; ɕiɭ.ɭa; Old Korean: 徐羅伐 Syerapel, 斯羅火 Sïrapïr; RR: Seorabeol; IPA: shʌ̹ɾa̠bʌ̹ɭ), alternatively Shilla, was a Korean kingdom that existed between 57 BCE – 935 CE and located on the southern and central parts of the Korean Peninsula. Silla, along with Baekje and Goguryeo, formed the Three Kingdoms of Korea. Silla had the lowest population of approximately 850,000 people (170,000 households), which was significantly smaller than those of Baekje (3,800,000 people) and Goguryeo (3,500,000 people).
Japanese creation mythIn Japanese mythology, the Japanese Creation Myth is the story that describes the legendary birth of the celestial and creative world, the birth of the first gods, and the birth of the Japanese archipelago. This story is described at the beginning of the Kojiki, the first book written in Japan (712), and in the Nihon Shoki (720). Both form the literary basis of Japanese mythology and Shinto; however, the story differs in some aspects between these works.
Soga clanThe Soga clan was one of the most powerful aristocratic kin groups (uji) of the Asuka period of the early Japanese state—the Yamato polity—and played a major role in the spread of Buddhism. Through the 5th and 7th centuries, the Soga monopolized the kabane or hereditary rank of Great Omi and was the first of many families to dominate the Imperial House of Japan by influencing the order of succession and government policy. The last Soga predates any historical work in Japan, and very little is known about its earliest members.
KamiyonanayoIn Japanese mythology, the Kamiyo-nanayo are the seven generations of kami that emerged after the formation of heaven and earth. According to the Kojiki, these deities appeared after the Kotoamatsukami, which appeared at the time of the creation of the universe. The first two generations were hitorigami while the five that followed came into being as male-female pairs of kami: male deities and sisters that were at the same time married couples. In total the Kamiyonanayo consist of 12 deities in this chronicle.
KojikiThe "Records of Ancient Matters" or "An Account of Ancient Matters", also sometimes read as or , is an early Japanese chronicle of myths, legends, hymns, genealogies, oral traditions, and semi-historical accounts down to 641 concerning the origin of the Japanese archipelago, the 神, and the Japanese imperial line. It is claimed in its preface to have been composed by Ō no Yasumaro at the request of Empress Genmei in the early 8th century (711–712), and thus is usually considered to be the oldest extant literary work in Japan.
Gaya confederacyGaya (, ka.ja) was a Korean confederacy of territorial polities in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea, growing out of the Byeonhan confederacy of the Samhan period. The traditional period used by historians for Gaya chronology is AD 42–532. According to archaeological evidence in the third and fourth centuries some of the city-states of Byeonhan evolved into the Gaya confederacy, which was later annexed by Silla, one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea. The individual polities that made up the Gaya confederacy have been characterized as small city-states.
Emperor Tenmuwas the 40th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from 673 until his death in 686. Tenmu was the youngest son of Emperor Jomei and Empress Kōgyoku, and the younger brother of the Emperor Tenji. His name at birth was Prince Ōama (大海人皇子:Ōama no ōji). He was succeeded by Empress Jitō, who was both his niece and his wife. During the reign of his elder brother, Emperor Tenji, Tenmu was forced to marry several of Tenji's daughters because Tenji thought those marriages would help to strengthen political ties between the two brothers.
Koreanic languagesKoreanic is a small language family consisting of the Korean and Jeju languages. The latter is often described as a dialect of Korean, but is distinct enough to be considered a separate language. Alexander Vovin suggests that the Yukjin dialect of the far northeast should be similarly distinguished. Korean has been richly documented since the introduction of the Hangul alphabet in the 15th century. Earlier renditions of Korean using Chinese characters are much more difficult to interpret.
BaekjeBaekje or Paekche (, pɛk̚.t͈ɕe) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. While the three kingdoms were in separate existence, Baekje had the highest population of approximately 3,800,000 people (760,000 households), which was similar to that of Goguryeo (3,500,000 people) and much larger than that of Silla (850,000 people). Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jumong and Soseono, at Wiryeseong (present-day southern Seoul).
Classical ChineseClassical Chinese, also known as Literary Chinese (; or , meaning "literary language/speech"; modern vernacular: , meaning "literary language writing"), is the language of the classic literature from the end of the Spring and Autumn period through to either the start of the Qin dynasty or the end of the Han dynasty, a written form of Old Chinese (). Classical Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese that evolved from the classical language, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese.
