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Achi no Omi
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Achi no Omi (阿知使主; 3rd–5th century) also known Achi no Ō (阿智王) as well as Achikishi (阿知吉師) or Achiki (阿直岐), was the legendary founder of the Yamatonoaya clan, an immigrant clan in ancient Japan who hailed from the kingdom of Paekche with his son Tsuga no Omi (都加使主).[1] He is not to be confused with another individual named "Achi no Omi (安致臣)" found in the Nihon Shoki.
He is considered one of the three most influential Toraijins alongside Yuzuki no Kimi and Wani during the Kofun period.
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Origin
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Originally from the kingdom of Paekche, he is first mentioned in the Kojiki (under Achikishi) as a stable master who took care of the horses brought over from Paekche.
『亦，百濟國主照古王，以牡馬壹疋・牝馬壹疋付阿知吉師以貢上。〔此阿知吉師者 阿直史等之祖〕』
"King Geunchogo of Baekje also gave Achikishi a stallion and a mare as tribute. (This Achikishi was the ancestor of Achishi and others.)"
— Kojiki
He is later mentioned again (under Achi no Omi) in the Nihon Shoki when discussing about his arrival in Japan. It parrots the same information about
"20th year, Autumn, 9 month. Achi no Omi, ancestor of the Atahe of the Aya of Yamato, and his son Tsuga no Omi immigrated to Japan, bringing with them a company of their people of seventeen districts."
— Nihon Shoki, Chapter:13; p.264
However, due to conflicting details across several sources that claim different origins of Achi no Omi, several theories have been proposed by modern historians.
According to Shoku Nihongi (797), it is said that he was the great-grandson of Emperor Ling of Han which is the reason why his clan was named "東漢" meaning "Eastern Han" in Chinese characters. However, according to the claim made by the Sakanoue clan, Yamatonoaya's cadet branch clan, Achi no Omi was a descendant of Emperor Xian of Han being either his grandson or great grandson and not Emperor Ling. These claims made by blood-related families (Yamatonoaya–Sakanoue) conflict with each other causing genealogical confusion among modern historians.
On the contrary, older documents such as the Kojiki (712) and the aforementioned Nihon Shoki (720) state that Achi no Omi and his clan had originated from the kingdom of Paekche without mentioning anything about the Chinese emperors.[2]
Japanese scholars have indicated that Yamatonoaya clan and other "Aya (漢)" clans were all related and that they were generally classified under the same ethnic group.[3] These mainly included: the Aya clan (漢氏), the Ayahito clan (漢人氏), the Yamatonoaya clan (東漢氏/倭漢氏) and the Kawachinoaya clan (西漢氏/河内漢氏). It is said that Yamatonoaya clan, Aya and Kawachinoaya, though not from the same founder, were ethnically related,[3] most likely all immigrating from Paekche.
『百濟王遣阿直岐，貢良馬二匹。即養於輕阪上厩。因以阿直岐令掌飼。阿直岐亦能讀經典。及太子菟道稚郎子師焉。於是天皇問阿直岐曰，如勝汝博士亦有耶。對曰，有王仁者。是秀也。時遣上毛野君祖荒田別・巫別於百濟，仍徴王仁也。』
"The King of Paekche sent Achiki (Achi no omi) to deliver two horses. He was stationed at a stable in Karu where he took care of the horses. He was a master of reading scriptures and was placed as the mentor to Ujinowakiiratsuko. One day, the Emperor of Japan asked him "is there someone more talented than yourself?" and he replied, "a great scholar named Wani". The emperor dispatched his men to bring Wani from Paekche."
It is very likely that the added information and claims are aggrandizations made by the authors to accentuate the clan's importance.
Regardless of the claims found in the sources, the truth surrounding Achi no Omi and the other prominent immigrants such as Wani and Yuzuki no Kimi remain skeptical with modern historians considering them as fictional individuals whose stories were added later to help create origin stories for clans with foreign backgrounds.
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Name
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Achi no Omi's name is often referenced differently depending on the source with four names in particular, "Achikishi", "Achiki", "Achi no Omi", and "Achi no Ō" being the main four candidates.
All of his names share the "Achi (あち)" pronunciation; however, depending on the character, some are confused as to whether these names were alluding to the same individual.[4] In essence, the oldest name "Achikishi" is represented by the "阿知" characters in the Kojiki. This name is referenced again in the Nihon Shoki under "Achi no Omi" alongside another name, "Achiki" with the same pronunciation, but different spelling under "阿直". Though the premise of both names are similar, it is not specifically stated in the Nihon Shoki that these two are the same people, nor does it specify any instances that allude to the possibility of them being related. However, due to the Kojiki claiming that an individual of a similar name "Achishi (阿直史)" was the descendant of "Achikishi (Achi no Omi)", it can be deduced that "Achi" under "阿直" or "阿知" are in fact related. Furthermore, it is said that the Sakanoue clan's stables are related to the stables brought by Achiki from Paekche which supports the theory that Achiki and Achi no Omi were indeed the same individual.[Quotes 1][5]
The "-kishi (吉師)" suffix in Achikishi is believed to be an allusion to the title "-gilji (吉支)", or "-kichi" in Old Korean, of Paekche when addressing their royalty, specifically to that of the king. In Paekche, the king was called "Geongilji (Korean: 건길지; Hanja: 鞬吉支; RR: Geongilji; MR: Kŏn'gilchi)" and it is believed that the title was given to Achikishi when depicting him of Paekche descent (also seen in Wanikishi).
This sentiment is further examined in his alternate name, "Achi no Ō (阿智王)" or "King Achi" despite not referencing him of being royalty. It is believed that Achi no Omi and other invented clan founders were given the "King" title (also seen in Yuzuki no Ō) to elevate their importance in their respective clan's founding stories.
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Legacy
Achi no Omi's son, Tsuga no Omi became father to three sons; Yamaki no Atai (山木直), Shido no Atai (志努直), and Isabuki no Atai (爾波伎直), who all became ancestors to many powerful clans including the Yamatonoaya clan, Sakanoue clan, and many more. They all trace their lineage to Tsuga no Omi and thus, Achi no Omi.
The Yamatonoaya clan, became the parent clan to many of its cadet branches including the famous Sakanoue clan. The said clan became famous for Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who became a loyal servant to Emperor Kanmu where many of his children married into the imperial family.
It is also said that Achi no Omi was in fact the ancestor to the Ōtomo clan, another immigrant clan from Korea, according to the Sakanoue clan's genealogy. However, due to the conflicting claims made by the Sakanoue clan and the Ōtomo clan itself in regards to their respective founders,[Notes 1] it is considered unlikely that Achi no Omi was the founder of the Ōtomo clan.
See also
- Yamatonoaya clan: Achi no Omi's clan.
- Toraijin
References
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