The Arrival of Chinese Characters – Writing as a Gateway to Civilization

Before Writing: The Spiritual Meaning Behind the Golden Seal

In the year 57 CE, Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty bestowed a golden seal upon the King of Na (奴国), a polity in what is now northern Kyushu. Engraved with the characters “漢委奴国王” ("King of the Na state of Wa, vassal of Han"), the Kan no Wana no Kokuō seal is one of the earliest physical evidences of writing on the Japanese archipelago.

However, the seal tells more than just a story of international diplomacy—it suggests that the people of the time may not have recognized characters as something to be read. The seal was likely not used for communication but instead served as a symbol of authority, with its snake-shaped knob (hebyū) resonating with the spiritual beliefs of the Yayoi period, during which snakes were seen as sacred.

Despite the seal’s precise dimensions (2.347 cm), matching the Han dynasty measurement of one cun, no evidence has been found in Japan of the seal’s practical use or any imitations of it. This implies that while Chinese writing was physically introduced in the 1st century, it had not yet become a functional part of local life.

From Ritual to Utility: Three Phases of Script Adoption

1. The Era of Sacred Objects (1st–4th Century)

During this early phase, writing was likely regarded as a mystical force. Characters, such as those engraved on the golden seal, may have served ritual purposes rather than communicative ones. The snake motif on the seal reflects native animistic beliefs, suggesting that writing was seen as an object imbued with power from another world.

2. The Era of Emulation (5th–6th Century)

As political centralization advanced, decorative characters began to appear in elite burial goods. Famous examples include the inscribed swords from the Eda Funayama Kofun (Kumamoto Prefecture) and the Inariyama Kofun (Saitama Prefecture), where Chinese characters were arranged more as design motifs than readable text—tools for visualizing power rather than communicating ideas.

3. The Era of Practical Use (7th Century Onward)

A major turning point came with the spread of Buddhism and the administrative needs of the Yamato state. Prince Shōtoku’s 615 CE manuscript, Hokke Gisho, is considered the first handwritten Japanese text that fully adopted Chinese writing styles. With the demand for sutra transcription, calligraphy and written language became tools of daily and religious life.

Geopolitics and the Gateway of Northern Kyushu

The acceptance of the golden seal by the state of Na was no coincidence. Its location on the strait between Japan and the Asian continent, facilitated by the Tsushima current, made it the natural entry point for continental culture. However, the use of writing was initially confined to select elites.

It wasn't until the arrival of literate immigrants in the 5th and 6th centuries—most notably the Hata and Tōkan clans from the Korean Peninsula—that script culture truly took hold. These groups played vital roles in bureaucratic administration, laying the groundwork for the widespread adoption of writing in Japan.

Conclusion: Writing as Diplomacy, Power, and Identity

The inscription on the golden seal marked Japan's entry into the Sinocentric world order—a symbolic gesture of subordination, but also an internal declaration of authority. The process of accepting written language was not just a matter of cultural transmission—it was a political negotiation, a strategic choice to participate in the diplomacy and structure of East Asia.

The reception and adaptation of Chinese characters in Japan show how writing became both a tool of internal governance and a ticket to international legitimacy. Long before calligraphy became an art, it was a window into civilization itself.