Hi,
thank you for your interest in this topic. I am looking for information about the first appearance of the Hata clan in ancient Japan. According to Wikipedia, the Hata clan were originally from the Qin Dynasty (the real family name was Ying), and this name was given to their descendants established in Japan. Unfortunately, it does not provide a source.
Does anyone know of a book or online source about the Ying family?
And, if the Hata are known to have come from the peninsula, books or information which evince such?
An excerpt from the book Sacred Texts and Buried Treasures, Issues in the Historical Archaeology of Ancient Japan by William Wayne Farris, reads
The Hata were one of the most famous peninsular families to make Japan their home in the ancient period. As recounted in The Chronicles and other sources, their ancestor came to the archipelago in the reign of the Emperor Ōjin bringing 127 villages of kin. According to A Record of Titles and Surnames Newly Selected (Shinsen shōjiroku), Emperor Nintoku gave the immigrants the surname Hata because "they presented thread and silk cloth as tribute, and when the emperor donned the clothes they were soft and warm to the skin." Some Japanese scholars believe that the story of the Hata's prowess in weaving silk was a myth invented by the authors of Japan's genealogies. ("Hata" is a homophone for loom.) But the name Hata appears on a tapestry made for Prince Shōtoku now kept at Hōryūji, suggesting that the Hata might have specialized in weaving techniques after all.
There still may have been a link between silk weaving and southern Korea, even if not through the Hata. The Japanese had known silk during the Yayoi era, centuries before the beginning of the Tomb age, but Japan's foremost expert on ancient cloth believes that the production of fine-figured silk twill increased markedly after the fifth century. He links this growth with the other technological improvements that came from Korea at the same time. It seems reasonable to place silk weaving in the same category as glassmaking or the ferrous industries—that is, crafts which the Japanese had some knowledge of from olden times but only began to exploit more fully with the wave of Korean influence that occurred in the mid- to late fifth century.
There are a few select points in the excerpt, the first of which is the adjective for the Hata clan "peninsular," referring of course to Korea. Unfortunately, WWFarris does not provide a source beyond the Nihon Shoki.
The second point is about the tapestry on which the name Hata occurs, made for Prince Shōtoku.
This point is important because when we look into the life of Prince Shōtoku, we find that he lived in the sixth and seventh century, which as a date concerning sericulture in Japan is not nearly early enough if we want to vindicate The Nihon Shoki or other legendary accounts.
Also important is There still may have been a link between silk weaving and southern Korea, even if not through the Hata. The Japanese had known silk during the Yayoi era, centuries before the beginning of the Tomb age
This would seem understandable since the Jomon were hoisted into the iron and bronze age overnight by the Yayoi, and of course introduced to wet rice agriculture. In sharing so much, as well as sending gold seals (from the Han dynasty in ancient China) and numerous mottled brocades and other fabrics (according to the Wei Zhi), the mainland would have most probably shown them silk, which as an inference regarding the Yayoi period should not be unreasonable since Japan's foremost expert on ancient cloth believes that the production of fine-figured silk twill increased markedly after the fifth century. He links this growth with the other technological improvements that came from Korea at the same time. (Tsunoyama Yukihiro, "Orimono," in Kofun jidai no kenkyū 5: Seisan to ryūtsū II, pp. 165-169) WWFarris, IBID
If you have any information on the origin of the Hata clan or their ancestor, preferably with reliable sources evidencing them as having come from the peninsula or the continent prior to or in the Kofun period, please share.
If you have any book suggestions, please share also.
Thank you very much,
Justin
thank you for your interest in this topic. I am looking for information about the first appearance of the Hata clan in ancient Japan. According to Wikipedia, the Hata clan were originally from the Qin Dynasty (the real family name was Ying), and this name was given to their descendants established in Japan. Unfortunately, it does not provide a source.
Does anyone know of a book or online source about the Ying family?
And, if the Hata are known to have come from the peninsula, books or information which evince such?
An excerpt from the book Sacred Texts and Buried Treasures, Issues in the Historical Archaeology of Ancient Japan by William Wayne Farris, reads
The Hata were one of the most famous peninsular families to make Japan their home in the ancient period. As recounted in The Chronicles and other sources, their ancestor came to the archipelago in the reign of the Emperor Ōjin bringing 127 villages of kin. According to A Record of Titles and Surnames Newly Selected (Shinsen shōjiroku), Emperor Nintoku gave the immigrants the surname Hata because "they presented thread and silk cloth as tribute, and when the emperor donned the clothes they were soft and warm to the skin." Some Japanese scholars believe that the story of the Hata's prowess in weaving silk was a myth invented by the authors of Japan's genealogies. ("Hata" is a homophone for loom.) But the name Hata appears on a tapestry made for Prince Shōtoku now kept at Hōryūji, suggesting that the Hata might have specialized in weaving techniques after all.
There still may have been a link between silk weaving and southern Korea, even if not through the Hata. The Japanese had known silk during the Yayoi era, centuries before the beginning of the Tomb age, but Japan's foremost expert on ancient cloth believes that the production of fine-figured silk twill increased markedly after the fifth century. He links this growth with the other technological improvements that came from Korea at the same time. It seems reasonable to place silk weaving in the same category as glassmaking or the ferrous industries—that is, crafts which the Japanese had some knowledge of from olden times but only began to exploit more fully with the wave of Korean influence that occurred in the mid- to late fifth century.
There are a few select points in the excerpt, the first of which is the adjective for the Hata clan "peninsular," referring of course to Korea. Unfortunately, WWFarris does not provide a source beyond the Nihon Shoki.
The second point is about the tapestry on which the name Hata occurs, made for Prince Shōtoku.
This point is important because when we look into the life of Prince Shōtoku, we find that he lived in the sixth and seventh century, which as a date concerning sericulture in Japan is not nearly early enough if we want to vindicate The Nihon Shoki or other legendary accounts.
Also important is There still may have been a link between silk weaving and southern Korea, even if not through the Hata. The Japanese had known silk during the Yayoi era, centuries before the beginning of the Tomb age
This would seem understandable since the Jomon were hoisted into the iron and bronze age overnight by the Yayoi, and of course introduced to wet rice agriculture. In sharing so much, as well as sending gold seals (from the Han dynasty in ancient China) and numerous mottled brocades and other fabrics (according to the Wei Zhi), the mainland would have most probably shown them silk, which as an inference regarding the Yayoi period should not be unreasonable since Japan's foremost expert on ancient cloth believes that the production of fine-figured silk twill increased markedly after the fifth century. He links this growth with the other technological improvements that came from Korea at the same time. (Tsunoyama Yukihiro, "Orimono," in Kofun jidai no kenkyū 5: Seisan to ryūtsū II, pp. 165-169) WWFarris, IBID
If you have any information on the origin of the Hata clan or their ancestor, preferably with reliable sources evidencing them as having come from the peninsula or the continent prior to or in the Kofun period, please share.
If you have any book suggestions, please share also.
Thank you very much,
Justin
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