Nintoku
Nintoku, also known as Emperor Nintoku, was a significant historical figure in Japan, recognized as the 16th emperor according to ancient chronicles. He is the son of Ōjin Tennō, the 15th emperor, and is generally considered a historical ruler, with much of his life documented in the Nihon shoki, a mix of myth and history. Nintoku's ascent to the throne was marked by a tragic dispute with his brother Uji, who ultimately took his own life, prompting Nintoku to become emperor. He reigned during a time of great importance, as he clarified the responsibilities of the emperor to prioritize the well-being of his people. His reign is noted for abolishing forced labor when he observed his subjects suffering from poverty, leading to a resurgence of prosperity in Japan.
Nintoku passed away in 427 CE and was interred in the largest burial mound in Japan, known as his tumulus, located in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture. This impressive structure, completed in 443 CE, features extensive moats and thousands of haniwa figures. His legacy endures through his commitment to the prosperity of his people, emphasizing that the emperor's happiness is intertwined with the welfare of the nation. Nintoku remains a revered figure in Japanese history, reflecting values of leadership and responsibility.
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Nintoku
Related civilization: Japan
Major role/position: Sixteenth emperor of Japan
Life
Nintoku’s father was Ōjin Tennō, the fifteenth emperor of Japan. Although most of what is known about him is based on information found in the Nihon shoki (compiled 720 c.e.; Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to a.d. 697, 1896), which is a mixture of myth and history, he is generally regarded as a historical rather than a mythical ruler. According to the Nihon shoki, Ōjin Tennō had two sons, Princes Nintoku and Uji. Ōjin wanted Uji to succeed him on the Japanese throne. However, upon Ōjin’s death, Uji tried to get Nintoku to become emperor. Nintoku refused, saying that he did not want to fail to respect their dead father’s wishes. For three years, the two brothers argued about who would be emperor. Finally, Prince Uji, realizing that his brother would not do as he wanted, killed himself so that Nintoku would have to assume the throne. Upon his brother’s death, Nintoku became very distraught, so Uji had to return to life to give his brother comfort and encouragement. Having done that, he died again, and Nintoku became the emperor.
When Nintoku died, in 427 c.e., he was entombed in the largest burial mound (kofun) ever built in Japan. Nintoku’s tumulus, located in Sakai City in Ōsaka Prefecture, took thousands of workers nearly twenty years to complete. It is some 531 yards (486 meters) long, 333 yards (305 meters) wide, and 38 yards (35 meters) high and was completed in 443 c.e. (The date of completion of the tomb and whether it is Nintoku’s have been the subject of debate.) There are three moats around it. More than 11,000 haniwa (terra-cotta figures) were on and around Nintoku’s tumulus. In the late nineteenth century, a section of the mound slid away, revealing a stone coffin, gold-plated armor, and a sword.
Influence
Throughout history, Nintoku was revered by the Japanese people because he had clarified the role and duty of the Japanese emperor. According to the Nihon shoki, after surveying his kingdom from the top of a mountain, Nintoku noted a lack of smoke rising from the rooftops, which meant that his people had no food to cook. To remedy the situation, he abolished forced labor. After three years, prosperity returned to Japan. When Emperor Nintoku again climbed to the top of the mountain, he saw smoke rising and realized that his people had prospered. In a conversation with the empress, he noted his happiness, which she wondered at, considering that their own home had fallen into disrepair. Nintoku explained that the true job of an emperor was to make sure that his people prospered. If the people were prosperous and happy, then so was the emperor; likewise, if the people were poor, then so was the emperor.
Bibliography
Allan, Tony, Michael Kerrigan, and Charles Phillips. Realm of the Sun. Alexandria, Va.: Time/Life Books, 1999.
Davis, F. Hadland, and Evelyn Paul. Myths and Legends of Japan. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover, 1992.
Tyler, Rayall, and Robert Boynton. Japanese Tales. New York: Pantheon, 1989.
Zona, Guy A. Even Without Trees Give Prosperity to the Mountains: And Other Proverbs of Japan. New York: Touchstone Books/Simon and Schuster, 1996.