Empress Suiko jidai agricultural irrigation waterway found

[Obenjo Kusanosuke]

I forgot to post this on Thursday. Better late than never!
I thought this was pretty interesting.

Retiree sheds new light on ancient waterway
The Yomiuri Shimbun

A 78-year-old retired civil engineer of Nara has shed new light on an ancient waterway by determining that it was built for agricultural irrigation by Empress regnant Suiko between the early sixth and seventh centuries.

Kazuo Takatsu, who authored a research report on the topic, has audited classes at Nara University for the last 15 years since he retired from a midsize construction company. He wrote the report as a result of 10 field trips to the remains of the waterway, while suffering from heart disease.

The report has been acclaimed by archeological researchers since it was published as the opening article in a specialized magazine.

The report is on Furuichi Omizo, the remains of the waterway that lies on boundaries of Habikino, Fujiidera and Matsubara, all in Osaka Prefecture.

The remains are 20 meters wide and five meters deep and stretch 10.5 kilometers. Part of it still exists as an irrigation reservoir.

Since the remains of the waterway were discovered in 1967, experts have disagreed over whether it was used as a canal or an irrigation reservoir. Their opinions on its construction period also range from the fifth century to the seventh century.

According to the report, based on observation of the local geographical features and information provided by local people, the waterway was built horizontally 37 meters point above sea level.

It was designed so that it collected and preserved rainwater falling on the local hills and infiltration water. The large amount of water was then distributed to farms that were developed on lowlands along the waterway.

Based on recent excavation research results indicating that a sixth-century tomb was destroyed to make way for the waterway, Takatsu estimated when it was constructed. He then determined that Empress Suiko had it built based on descriptions in "Nihon Shoki" (The Chronicles of Japan) that said she had ponds and waterways built in 607.

Meanwhile, he rejected a theory that it was a canal, pointing out that since the mid-eighth century, collapsed sections of the waterway had been left unrepaired while other sections were partially buried.

Takatsu, a civil engineer, was engaged in dam and tunnel construction projects at the construction firm.

When he was hospitalized for treatment of cardiac angina after he turned 50, he read books on Ino Tadataka (1745-1818), a geographer/photographer during the Edo period (1603-1867), and Chogen (1121-1206), a Buddhist priest who contributed to rebuilding Todaiji temple during the Kamakura period (1192-1333).

Moved by the achievements they made when they were over 60 years old, Takatsu decided to study history, his favorite subject, after he reached mandatory retirement age.

After he retired from the firm in 1992, he began auditing classes at Nara University near his home. He has studied 45 subjects so far, including archaeology, which he said stirred his interest in the waterway.

He began his fieldwork at the remains in June 2005.

Hospitalized for a month in June 2006 to undergo surgery to treat a cardiac infarction, he continued writing the report.

When he was released from the hospital, he soon resumed his work with assistance from his wife, Katsue, 70. "I was able to write the report with the support of my professor, classmates and family. I want to continue my research," he said.

Prof. Taichiro Shiraishi at the university, an archaeologist who has taught Takatsu, said: "It's the first research on Furuichi Omizo by a civil engineering expert. [He] made clear that a large-scale irrigation project took place during the reign of Empress Suiko. His research has shed light on land development around her time."

(Jul. 19, 2007)
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[nagaeyari]

Great post, thanks!

Ancient Japanese civil engineering projects (like the one talked about in the above article) are fascinating and they tell us so much more about early Japanese society than expected.

At face value, these projects tell us that the Japanese had skilled workers (either Korean immigrants or Japanese) and they strove for improved technology to increase their agriculture production and thereby heighten their standard of living.

If we look at contemporary history as well, we see an even clearer picture of early Japan. The rulers were obviously strong enough to gather a large force of workers and keep them to their task. In the same way that these rulers organized these large-scale public works programs, they were able to construct massive kofun (tombs for the elite) either for themselves or for their ancestors.

The technology and construction techniques were originally imported from Korea and China (called "the continent"). This is not to say that Jomon and Yayoi public works projects were nothing to speak of; however, there is a noticeable importation of building techniques and land surveying from the continent towards the beginning of the Kofun Period. This borrowed continental technology enabled the early Japanese to build both kofun and canals, waterways, bridges, and irrigation systems.

Just like with earlier swords and armor, "counter-response and symmetry" (Farris, Heavenly Warriors) enabled the Japanese to take what they had learned, apply it, and use it for their own benefit.
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