Kingdom of Kibi

Kibi (吉備国, Kibi no kuni) was a kingdom of fourth century Western Japan. The Kingdom of Kibi covered most of what is today Okayama Prefecture. Today, the Kibi Road crosses the plain between Okayama and Soja, what was once the heartland of Kibi no kuni.

Etymology

In modern Japanese, 黍 kibi refers to proso millet (Panicum miliaceum). However, the name of the kingdom of Kibi, which appears in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki (the oldest written records in Japan), may have a different origin that has been lost to time. The Chinese characters used for writing the name of the kingdom, which have been in use for over 1200 years, literally mean "lucky, propitious, good" and "to prepare, preparation; ready; complete, perfect; provision, equipment, installation, facility" and probably have been used for their phonetic values.

History

Archaeological research of many temples and shrine ruins, as well as burial mounds, suggests that the ancient kingdom was possibly as developed and powerful as the Yamato administration that controlled Japan in the eighth century. The center of power of the Kibi Kingdom was located on the Kibi plain between Soja and Okayama.

Legends

Kibi has also been associated with the legends of Kibitsuhiko-no-mikoto. According to the Nihon Shoki, he was the son of Emperor Kōrei.^[1] Legend says this prince slew an ogre called Ura. The tale may be a metaphor for the conquest of the Kingdom of Kibi, which was destroyed during the reign of Emperor Kōrei. In the story, the demon Ura lived in Ki castle, the capital of Kibi.

Legendary Kibi:

Kibi has been associated with non-yamato Japanese. Possible connections exist to the Iranian scytians, or the Emishi (one of the Yomon people). One of the main reasons is that the Japanese mention kibi as being different to the Yamato Japanese and practicing "non-yamato" traditions. Cultural artifacts of the kibi like the many Balbals (Kaisan Rakan Statues) found in it's area resemble more Caucasoid traits (like deep set eyes or higher nose bridges) than Mongoloid traits. According to one theory, the kibi were of scytian origin, precisely from modern day Iran or Afghanistan. This theory is based on proposed contacts between early Japan, Korea, and the Scytians, as well as similarities between Scytian art and the local Kasan Rakan.

References

• Gorman, Michael S.F. (1999). The Quest for Kibi. Orchid Press. ISBN 974-8299-23-6.
• Brown, Delmer (1993). The Cambridge History of Japan 6 Volume Set: The Cambridge History of Japan: Volume 1. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-22352-2.
• https://japanesemythology.wordpress.com/2013/02/27/the-historical-reach-of-the-saka-kambuja-scythians-and-their-influences-upon-gaya-kingdom-and-kofun-and-postt-kofun-era-japan/The historical reach of the Saka-Kambuja Scythians, and their influences upon Gaya kingdom and Kofun-and-postt-Kofun-era-Japan.

See also

• Kibi Province
• Kibi no Makibi
• Ezo