Wa

It may have been pronounced wi. Originally it was the name given to Japan in China and Korea before the 7th century, but it was also used as the self-proclaimed name of the country during the investiture system. The character Wa can also be written as 'we'. There are various opinions on its meaning, such as the first person pronoun 'wa' or 'obedient person', but it is unclear. The first appearance of Wa in historical documents was in the Chinese geography book 'Shan Hai Jing' (written during the Warring States to Qin and Han periods) which reads 'Wa belongs to Yan', and in a fragmentary article in the miscellaneous book 'Lunheng' (written in 90), but the actual situation is unknown. The Geography section of the Book of Han states, "There are Wa people in the Rakuryou Sea, divided into more than 100 countries," and the Eastern Barbarians section of the Book of Later Han states, "There are envoys who communicate with the Han from about 30 countries," and "In the second year of the Jianwu Chuyuan era, the Wa country of Nakoku offered tribute to the Emperor," showing the process of Wa "countries" being integrated under the tribute system under the Chinese dynasty. Based on the Wa people section of the Wei Shu of the Records of the Three Kingdoms, the view has been put forward in recent years that southern Korea is also Wa, but if we carefully consider, "The Wa people are in the great sea southeast of Taifang, and form their country and villages based on mountains and islands," it is appropriate to consider Wa to be Western Japan, centered on Kyushu, Shikoku, and the Chugoku region. The Wa in the King Gwanggaeto Stele of Goguryeo from the late 4th century and the Wakokuden in the 5th century Song Shu is generally considered to refer to the Yamato Kingdom. Wa was eventually pronounced "Yamato" and became a word indicating Yamato. From the second half of the 7th century onwards, the title of our country became Japan, but the Old Book of Tang discusses the relationship between Wa and Japan as follows: "Japan is a separate country from Wakoku, and it takes its name from its location on the borders of Japan. Some say that Wakoku itself disliked the lack of elegance of its name and changed it to Japan. Other say that Japan incorporates the land of the former small country, Wakoku."

[Kazuhiko Seki]

"The Progress of Research on Ancient National History by Yasutami Suzuki (1980, Shinjinbutsu Oraisha)" ▽ "Kazuhiko Seki x The Theory of Yamataikoku (1983, Azekura Shobo)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

wiと発音された可能性がある。本来的には7世紀以前の中国・朝鮮での日本に対する呼称であるが、冊封(さくほう)体制内で自称国号としても援用された。倭の字は委とも表記される場合がある。意味は一人称の吾（わ）、従順な人、などの見解があるが不明。倭に関する史料上の初見は中国の地理書『山海経(せんがいきょう)』（戦国～秦(しん)・漢時代成立）の「倭は燕(えん)に属す」、雑家書『論衡(ろんこう)』（90成立）の断片的記事であるが、実態はわかっていない。『漢書(かんじょ)』地理志には「楽浪海中に倭人あり、分かれて百余国」、『後漢書』東夷(とうい)伝には「使駅漢に通じる者、三十国許(ばかり)」「建武中元二年、倭の奴国(なこく)奉貢朝賀」などとみえ、中国王朝下の冊封体制において倭の「国」々が統合されている過程がうかがえる。『三国志』魏書倭人条を根拠に、近年、朝鮮南部も倭とする見解が出されているが、「倭人は、帯方(たいほう)東南大海中に在り、山島に依(よ)りて国邑(こくゆう)を為(な)す」などを細かに検討すれば、倭は九州・四国・中国地方を中心とする西日本と考えるのが妥当である。4世紀末の高句麗(こうくり)好太王碑文、5世紀の『宋書(そうじょ)』倭国伝の倭は大和(やまと)王権と考えるのが一般的である。倭はやがて「ヤマト」と訓じられ、大和を示す語となった。7世紀後半以降、わが国の称号は日本となるが、倭と日本の関係について『旧唐書(くとうじょ)』は、「日本国は倭国の別種なり、其(そ)の国日辺に在るを以(も)って名となす。或(あるい)は曰(い)う。倭国自ら其の名の雅ならざるを悪(にく)み、改めて日本と為す。或は云(い)う。日本は旧小国、倭国の地を併す」と論じている。

［関　和彦］

『鈴木靖民著『古代国家史研究の歩み』（1980・新人物往来社）』▽『関和彦×『邪馬台国論』（1983・校倉書房）』

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