1. In the "Pre-Columbus" period, the New Continent had
already been known to the people of other continents. They had
visited it and returned to their home. Therefore their experiences
had been reported to other people and also recorded in trustworthy
historical books.
Formerly nobody would show any interest in this subject, but recently
it is obtaining its credibility in the fields of historical literature
and archaeology. In this paper I will elaborate upon it.
2. We can find revealing sentence in Worenzhuan*1) 倭人伝 ( a part of Sanguozhi 三国志).
They are as follows:
"And there are Luoguo 裸国 (a country where naked people live)
and Heichiguo 黒歯国 (a country where people with black teeth live).
They are in the southeast of Japan. It takes one year by boat
to reach them."
The descriptions mentioned above mean that;
This news was brought by Woren 倭人 (a big group of ancient Japanese).
A Chinese Chenshou 陳寿 , a chronicler official of the Xijin dynasty*4) 西晋 wrote this news down in
Sanguozhi 三国志 , official historical books on the dynasty. I surmised
these descriptions are real, and these countries were located
in the northwest coast of South America ; Ecuador and Peru. I
stated this view in my book*5)
twenty years ago.
3. Concerning the subject mentioned above we can find other important
sentences in Sanguozhi 三国志. They are as follows;
"We (Chinese armies) proceeded into Susen 粛慎 areas and on
the east reached Dahai 大海 (northwest of the Japan Sea, perhaps
extending to the Pacific Ocean). The elders said that the strange-faced
People lived in a country near where the Sun rose."
In my book I supposed that (the strange-faced People) were Woren
倭人. For Woguo 倭国 was situated in the east of China. But it was
my error. Because in this context, "the elders" indicate
the elders of Sushen 粛慎 (Vladiostok), Woguo 倭国 (its heart was
in northern Kyushu) and did not lie in the east of it.
(On this point Mr. Kamata Takeshi 鎌田武志 pointed out my error at
the Shirakaba Symposium).
Furthermore, Woguo 倭国 lay in the far west of Louguo 裸国 and Heichiguo 黒歯国 and took one year by boat. So Woguo 倭国 could not be called "near where the Sun rises." From this viewpoint my old understanding was obviously incorrect.
This being the case, who were "the strange-faced people?
" The answer is now clearer to me. That is, it took one year
by boat to get to the land where men lived and made countries,
southeast of where Woren 倭人 lived. The names of their countries
were also noted. They were the farthest lands that people mentioned
in Sanguozhi 三国志, and the other ancient Chinese history books
did not white about it in Shiji 史記 and Hanshu 漢書. Consequently,
Louguo 裸国 and Heichiguo 黒歯国 also belonged to a part of the great
land where "the
strange-faced people*6)" lived. They were ancient Native
American who lived in the New Continent. The elders of Sushen
粛慎 called them "the strange -faced people. " This is
my new theory.
5. In this theory we should learn how people recognized these
countries. The elders of Sushen 粛慎, did not say "From which
direction dose the Sun rise?" as perceived from only one
place (for example Vladiostok) they lived. They talked about it
using only the common sense of Sushen 粛慎. It was regarded as the
great area of ancient culture which spreads over the northeast
area of the Present Russian Republic. The large ice fields spread
over from the Behring Strait to Alaska. Therefore it was called
the New Continent based on their common sense.
To say the least, the people who lived near the north border of
the New Continent could keep in touch with their environment.
We can easily imagine that they went hunting beasts on ice fields,
slide over the snow in sledgs and entered Alaska through the frozen
Behring Strait in winter. If anyone insists that " They had
no knowledge of Alaska". I assure you that he is selfrighteous.
Besides, there is the Sea. In the southern part of the Behring
Strait flows the North Pacific Current. It is the extension of
the Kuroshio 黒潮. It goes southward, becomes the California Current,
and reaches the distant part of the sea that it still visible
from the northwest shore of South America (Ecuador and Peru).
There it collides with the Humbold Current coming from the north,
that is the largest cold current on earth. This makes for the
greatest fishing ground.
(The mixed currents go westward to Tahiti island. )
I cannot believe that the fishermen of Sushen 粛慎 did not know
about the existence of the great fishing ground in the south sea.
Because they could have the inshore fishing from the southern
area of the Behring Strait to the greatest fishing ground. We
cannot deny that the people of Sushen 粛慎 knew about this. On every
occasion, the elders of Sushen 粛慎 stated that the New Continent
and the existence of "the strange-faced people", were
ancient Native Americans. They stated this fact to the Chinese.
On the other hand, Woren 倭人 also knew about the existence of the
continent and two countries. They mentioned this fact to the Chinese.
Subsequently, the Chinese became aware of the existence of the
New Continent, by the elders of Sushen 粛慎 and Woren 倭人. Therefore
they recorded two sure news in their historical books 三国志.
6. Hanshu 漢書, the famous Chinese historical books were written
in the first century before Sanguozhi 三国志. In it we can find the
first sentences : "There is a country called anxi 安息 in the
west of Xiyu 西域 (the West Area). The elders of this country are
said to have heard that " There is a country called Tiaozhi
條支 which takes more hundred days by foot from our country. Furthermore
in the west,the place where the Sun sets takes a hundred days
by boat."
Probably Anxi 安息 is called Persia (ancient Iran). Tiaozhi 條支 is
called Turk or Arabia (or northwest Africa). It cannot be disputed
that only the sea exists west of Tiapzhi 條支 . The area where the
Sun sets is far away from this country, because, as you may recall,
the place where the Sun sets takes more than a hundred days by
boat to get there. Therefore we cannot but regard the area*7) where the Sun sets as the New Continent
or, at least, the east area of the New Continent.
In China, formerly they had believed that the Sun set in Kunlunshan
昆[倫 人hennnasi]山. In the first century B.C., Wudi 武帝, the emperor
of the Han 漢 dynasty, sent Zhahggian 張騫 to Xiyu 西域 (the West Area).
He believed that the old dished view of Kunlunshan 昆倫[人hennnasi]山
was incorrect.
In Shiji 史記, the most famous historical books in China. Simagian
司馬遷, the author, wrote about the emperor's contention proudly.
Han 漢, the new dynasty dispelled the ideas held concerning the
Xia 夏, Shang 商, and Zhou 周 dynasties with their own traditional
beliefs.
This is the same method they used to maintain the belief that
the Sun rose in the east island where Woren 倭人 lived.
But the Wei 魏 dynasty sent its army to the border of Sushen 粛慎
to fight against Gaogouli 高句麗, and its envoy to Woguo 倭国 (ancient
Japan). A commander (Zhangzheng 張政) was also sent to help Beimihu
卑弥呼, the queen of Waguo 倭国 and was made to remain with them for
twenty years. Subsequently, they were taught by Woguo 倭人 (a big
group of ancient Japanese). In the southeast, far from Woguo 倭国,
the land where the Sun shone and men lived actually existed.
Consequently the Wei and Xijin 西晋 new dynasties could correct
"their mistaken notion" of the Xia 夏, Shang 商, Zhou
Shu 周 , Gin 秦, and Han 漢 dynasties.
This is how the "Discovery of the New Continent" was
written in the Chinese historical books Sanguozhi 三国志 in the third
century.
7. The former theory concerning the ancient voyage on the open sea far from land has been changed completely during the last several years in Japan. These changes are as follows:
As a result, traces of an ancient people who used to set out on
the ocean by ship, appeared one after another. They often set
out across the ocean currents.
In both cases of (1) and (2) mentioned above, they crossed a part
of the Kuroshio 黒潮 ocean current. That is, their crossing was
not simply accidental drifts but intentional crossing. According
to recent reports on ancient voyages, it is common sense to think
that:
"They could set out across a part of the Kuroshio 黒潮 ocean
current. Why could' t they reach the west coast of Ecuador and
Peru? They could reach them because of the strong Kuroshio 黒潮
main ocean current."
Formerly many scholars had denied and sometimes decried the reality
of the descriptions of Louguo 裸国 and Heichiguo 黒歯国 (in Worenzhuan
倭人伝). They had judged them to be extreme and irrational, out of
the bounds of possibility. But recently, various facts in the
fields of historical literature and archaeology have been uncovered.
Because of this, men can hardly maintain the old customs of denial
which they had clung to in the past without, of course, being
labeled peculiar bigots.
8. Following are summaries of the above evident:
Of course, the meaning of the brave act by Columbus on human
history cannot be neglected. However,at the same time, we can
hardly dismiss the meaning of real human exchanges in the Pre-Columbus
period.
9. Twenty years ago I regarded the voyages of Worren 倭人 over the Pacific Ocean as a real historical fact. Many scholars laughed at and ignored my theory, however, only two scholars did not. They were Mr. Clifford Evans and Mrs. Meggers Betty J. in the Smithsonian Contributions to Anthropology, Washington D.C. They had profound knowledge through their research and investigation with Emilio Estraba (Ecuador) for many years. They gave me erudite support on my hypothesis which was based on records.
Mr. Evans has died. However, study lives forever. He followed
the road of truth as real cultured adventure. In the near future
their discovery will become evident to everyone. I will dedicate
this essay to them before that day comes. I feel happy and honored
to do this. It is with sincere gratitude that I applaud all scholars
before me for opening the door to a wider and deeper appreciation
of cultural and historical truth.
*1) Worenzhuan
Chinese authorized history books (edited by Chenshou of Xijin
陳寿 of Xijin 西晋 in the third century). They have two prefaces:
one is appended to Wuwan ・ Xianbeizhuan 烏丸・鮮卑伝, the other Dongyizhuan
東夷伝 Worenzhuan 倭人伝 is included at the end of Weizhi 魏志.
*2) located To be
more precise 侏儒国 lies in the southeast of Woguo 倭国. Louguo 裸国
and Heichiguo 黒歯国 are in the southeast of 侏儒国.
*3) Woguo Calendar
It is the ancient calendar which regards one year in the present
calendar as two years.
*4) Xijin dynasty
Chinese dynasty in the third century (265-316).
*5) my book
"There was no 'Jamataikoku 邪馬台国' 1971".
*6) the
strange-faced people
The phrase American Indian is improper as it is generally known
today.
*7) the area
Concerning of the voyage of Columbus, it took about 70 days to
reach the New Continent, according to The Journal of "Christopher
Columbus. "
(Mr. Harada Minoru taught me this correspondence.)
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