[SECT. CXXXVIII.—EMPEROR IN-GIYŌ (PART II.—HIS SICKNESS IS CURED BY A KOREAN PHYSICIAN).]

The Kojiki, translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain, [1919], at sacred-texts.com

p. 367

The Heavenly Sovereign, when first about to rule the succession of Heaven's Sun, ^1a declined, saying: "I have a long sickness; I cannot rule the sun's succession." Nevertheless, as from the Empress downwards all the magnates strongly urged him, he forthwith ruled the Empire. At this time the ruler of Shiragi ^2a dutifully sent eighty-one vessels with august tribute. Then the chief envoy ³ sent with the august tribute, whose name was Komu-ha-chimu-kamu-ki-mu, ⁴ was a man deeply versed in the medical art. So he cured the Heavenly Sovereign's august sickness.

Footnotes

367:1a p. 367 For this expression see Sect. XXXIII, Note 27. The story of the refusal of this monarch to accept the crown which was offered to him by the magnates of the nation is told at considerable length in the parallel passage of the "Chronicles." According to the same authority he belonged to a collateral branch of the Imperial family, and was therefore not in the regular line of succession.

367:2a See Sect. XCVIII. Note 2.

367:3 Literally, "great messenger."

367:4 Motowori decides that is the surname, an official title, an official designation of the kinsmen of the Korean King, and the personal name.