Adoption within the family has occured and if the male line was genetically consistent is just as much a questionmark as in other dynasties. However all emperors had a legal descendance of the first emperor and sometimes were from junior branches adopted by the senior branch.
--Previous Message--
:
: Are there really such religious acts only a
: male is allowed to perform?
: Japan has seen ten reigns of female tennos.
: It has seemed to me that also they performed
: all those religious duties. Any evidence of
: the contrary?
:
: I do not think even any adoption would be
: necessary. IF the ancient male line is
: wanted to be preserved, the succession could
: be arranged through imperial princess(es)
: who marry males with that male-line descent.
: (Japan is not empty of those with that
: descent, tennos of ancient centuries left
: lots of demoted branches afaik. And if
: records of descent were missing in some
: cases, modern genetical tests, of Y
: chromosome, comparing with other males who
: have that attested ancestry, would give
: affirmations enough.) No doubt at least a
: few dutiful, and/or ambitious, imperial
: princesses would agree to such marriages
: (Think about the reward to them personally).
: Children and further male-line issue of such
: marriage would fulfill both criteria.
:
: Which brings the question whether the
: ancient male line is so important to
: preserve. I have understood that the basis
: is in ancient clan culture of Japanese
: society: a clan is dedicated to one,
: ancestral, deity. Membership in a clan is
: basically tied to male line. But since
: almost beginning, adoptions of others than
: male-liners have been acceptable. Thus, male
: line has not continued in many many cases.
:
: The Fujiwara got, in 1600s, a couple of
: branches through adoption from male line of
: imperial dynasty. They were not Fujiwara
: male liners. Still, it was accepted, and no
: revolt or whatnot occurred even if
: Ame-no-Koyane cult was served by persons not
: of that original male line, but biologically
: of Amaterasu male line.
: (And, to require male line when the
: ancestral deity actually was female...)
: Admittedly, I do not know any instance where
: male liner of another clan of different
: male-line descent would have got adopted to
: perform sacred Amaterasu duties. (Tell me if
: there has been...)
:
: Japanese, a clever people, have certainly
: understood the risks of hidden adultery to
: any male line. I would say that they have
: probably been aware of that pesky fact since
: time immemorial.
: Thus, how can there exist a belief that the
: male line has been preserved in any case?
:
: To whom is it important that male line is
: preserved?
: Does anyone know enough about which groups,
: political and others, would require that?
:
: In matter of fact, it would be interesting
: to get know how extensively had the
: "tenno" Y chromosome expanded to
: Japanese population?
: Anything like Genghis effect...
:
: Actually, as far as history is concerned,
: male line descends probably only since the
: 26th monarch.
:
:
:
:
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:
:
: --Previous Message--
: The elevation of the other branches back
: into
: the line of succession could safeguard it
: for generations to come.
: Aiko could still succeed her father (other
: women have done). The religious acts only a
: male Tenno can perform could be done by a
: male representative (Akishino, his son or
: one of the newly reinstated men).
: Aiko would only be succeeded by her own
: offspring if she married within the dynasty.
: Marriage outside of the dynasty would lead
: to loss of her Imperial status like her
: aunt.
:
: The succession of a male line descendant of
: the first emperor would in this way be kept
: in tact, but women would also get the chance
: to reign. Princesses would have to stay
: single or marry within the dynasty but
: still, they could become a reigning empress.
:
: --Previous Message--
: Thanks for the link, but one is bound to ask
: whathappens if the Crown Prince then has a
: son of his own?
:
: I am really quite puzzled by this whole
: thing in that there is a relatively easy
: solution that could satisfy all parties,
: traditionalists and modernists alike.
:
: They could arrange for one of the brothers
: or cousin princes without sons to adopt
: miyakes as their sons. Hopefully, those
: chosen would be about the same age or
: slightly older than the little princess.
: When they grow up a marriage is arranged
: with the most suitable or compatible of
: these adopted sons and the princess. The son
: of this couple, not the princess or the
: miyake, would be made the heir apparent and
: eventually succeed as emperor. The princess
: could be Empress Regent until such time as
: he comes of age.
:
: Any takers?
:
: --Previous Message--
: Yet another idea how to resolve the problem
: revealed today:
:
:
:
:
: http://asia.news.yahoo.com/061005/kyodo/d8kida802.html
:
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