CLASSICAL JAPAN Eternal Rule by One Imperial Family |
| In the classical period, Japan developed into a centralized state headed by an emperor. In developing the idea of a centralized state, the Japanese took the Chinese concept of the emperor — who ruled by virtue of a "Mandate of Heaven" — and related it to already existing mythological traditions that supported the eternal rule of one imperial family. |
H. Paul Varley :: The mythology had been brought down mostly as oral tradition until this time. The mythology was put down into writing, and the central story of the mythology was how the Sun Goddess — the supreme deity of the mythology — sent her grandson down to rule Japan. And the descendants of that grandson were regarded as the imperial family, or dynasty, which was to rule Japan eternally. Japan in the late sixth century was a loosely organized state. When I say state, it was centered in what we call the central provinces of Japan that contains the present day Kyoto and Nara. And it was divided up into territorial entities that were ruled by families or clans called uji. And one of these families emerged as the, was emerging or had emerged, as the dominant family. Primus interpares — that is, one family gaining superiority over others. And this is the family that became in historic times, and we are getting into historic times now, became the imperial family. |
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