Imperial Chronicles

A record that focuses on the order of imperial succession in ancient times. It is also called "Teiou no Hitsugi." Along with the Kuji, it was used as material for the compilation of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. There were many different theories in the Teiki and Kuji, and the contents also had many inconsistencies and discrepancies, but Emperor Tenmu wanted to organize them and establish one correct version. This was the motivation for compiling the Kojiki. Therefore, the specific contents of the Teiki can be inductively inferred from the descriptions in the Kojiki. In other words, it covers various items such as the name of the emperor, the location of the imperial palace, important matters during his reign, the names of his empresses and princes and princesses, important matters related to them, the age at death of the emperor, the number of years he reigned, and the location of his tomb, but it is thought that not all of these were included in the records of the successive emperors, and some were missing.

[Hiromichi Mayuzumi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代における皇位継承の次第(しだい)を中心とした記録。「帝皇日継(ていおうのひつぎ)」ともいう。旧辞(くじ)とともに『古事記』『日本書紀』の編纂(へんさん)材料となった。帝紀や旧辞には異説が多く、内容にも出入り・異同が少なくなかったが、天武(てんむ)天皇はこれを整理して一つの正説を定めようとした。これが『古事記』編纂の動機となった。したがって帝紀の具体的な内容は『古事記』の記載から帰納的に推測される。すなわち天皇の名、皇居の所在、治世中の重要事項、后妃(こうひ)・皇子女の名、それに関する重要事項、天皇の享年、治世年数、山陵の所在などの諸項目にわたるが、歴代にすべてこれらが含まれていたのではなく、そのうちの若干を欠くこともあったと思われる。

［黛　弘道］

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