View source for Genkō Bōrui

{{Short description|Genkō bōrui}}
{{Infobox military structure
| name=Genkō Bōrui
| nativename=元寇防塁
| partof=
| location=[[Nishi-ku, Fukuoka|Nishi-ku]] to [[Higashi-ku, Fukuoka]] Japan
| image=Genko Borui Nishijin Fukuoka 02.jpg
| image_size=300px
| caption= A stone defense wall (Genkō Bōrui) at Nishijin, near [[Seinan University]]. Currently, only the top of a few stone walls are exposed to the ground, and most of them have been reclaimed
|map_type = Japan Fukuoka Prefecture#Japan
|map_size =
|map_caption =
|map_relief = 1
|coordinates = {{coord|33|35|08|N|130|18|30|E|type:landmark_region:JP_scale:10000|display=inline, title}}
|type =Fortification line
| height=
| ownership=
| controlledby=
| open_to_public=Yes (no public facilities)
| condition=Ruins
| built=1276-1332
| builder=Kamakura shogunate
| used=
| materials=
| demolished=
| battles=[[Mongol invasions of Japan]]
| events=
| footnotes ={{box|background=white|align=center|wide=yes|border size=3px|border color=brown|text align=center|[[Monuments of Japan|National Historic Site of Japan]]}}
}}
The {{Nihongo|'''Genkō Bōrui'''|元寇防塁|}} was a defensive stone wall, {{convert|20|km|mi}} long, constructed along [[Hakata Bay]] in [[Fukuoka Prefecture]]. [[Japan]] in preparation for an attack by Mongol forces of the [[Yuan dynasty]] after [[Mongol invasions of Japan|the first attack of 1274]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/16721|title=福岡市西新元冦防塁発掘調査概報|last=福岡市元寇防塁調査委員会|date=1970|website=Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan|access-date=2016-09-02}}</ref> The second attack of 1281 was thwarted by a typhoon, or [[Kamikaze (typhoon)|kamikaze]], and the Mongols were forced to withdraw.<ref>''Cyclopedia of Japanese History'' [1994:6–765]</ref> In the [[Edo period]], some of the stones were reused for the construction of [[Fukuoka Castle]], though Genkō Bōrui has remained intact at several points along the Hakata Bay. It was originally called {{Nihongo||石築地|"Ishitsuiji"}}. It was designated a [[Monuments of Japan|National Historic Site]] on March 30, 1931.<ref name="Bunka1">{{cite web |url=https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/401/2619|title=元寇防塁|language=ja |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs |accessdate=December 20, 2023}}</ref>
==History==
The Mongol invasions {{Nihongo||元寇|Genkō }} of Japan in 1274 and 1281 were major military efforts undertaken by [[Kublai Khan]] to conquer Japan.  After the failure of the first invasion, the [[Kamakura shogunate]] initiated a series of projects in 1275 to prepare for the next invasion, which they felt was imminent. In addition to improving the organization of the [[samurai]] of Kyushu, they ordered the construction of a large stone wall<and other defensive structures at many potential landing points, including Hakata Bay. A defensive wall was planned and a tax was levied on the samurai, temples, and shrines, of {{convert|3.3|cm}} of construction stone per [[paddy field]] equivalent to one ''[[koku]]'' of rice.<ref name="kawagoe2006">Shoji Kawazoe, ''Review: What does Genkō Bōrui Tell? '' History of Fukuoka City; Fukuoka (Journal, first issue) 2006, p.5–39<!-- Including the original Japanese title of the document would assist in verification --></ref> Construction began in March 1276. The planned date of completion for most of the wall was August of the same year, but the deadline differed depending on the strategic importance of given locations, and in actuality only a portion had been completed in time for the 1281 invasion. Construction of the defense wall was made by various Kyushu provinces and continued until 1332. These provinces continued maintenance on the wall until the early part of the [[Muromachi period]], although by the latter half of the 14th century it had fallen into disrepair.<ref>Shoji Kawazoe[1979:526–527]</ref>
The portion of the Genkō Bōrui that had been completed before the second invasion prevented the enemy from landing at Hakata and the invaders were forced to anchor their ships at [[Shikanoshima Island]].  The battles occurred over several months between several thousand evenly-matched combatants. [[Takezaki Suenaga]] of [[Higo Province]] joined the battles and had artists draw scrolls concerning the [[Battle of Kōan]]. This second attack of 1281 was finally thwarted by a typhoon, or [[kamikaze]], and the Mongols were forced to withdraw.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/g/j/gjs4/textbooks/480/ch11.htm |title=Chapter 11 |access-date=2012-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120625170127/http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/g/j/gjs4/textbooks/480/ch11.htm |archive-date=2012-06-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In the [[Edo period]], most of the stones were used for the construction of [[Fukuoka Castle]].  It was designated a [[Monuments of Japan|National Historic Site]] on March 30, 1931.<ref name="Kawazoe1979:527">Kawazoe[1979:527]</ref><ref name="Bunka1">{{cite web |url=https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/401/2619|title=元寇防塁|language=ja |publisher=Agency for Cultural Affairs |accessdate=December 20, 2023}}</ref>
Similar fortifications also still exist along a 40-50 kilometer stretch of coastline from Tabira-cho, [[Hirado, Nagasaki|Hirado]] to Hoshika-cho, [[Matsuura, Nagasaki|Matsuura]], [[Nagasaki Prefecture]].
[[File:Takezaki suenaga ekotoba bourui.jpg|thumb|center|600px|A scroll showing a small portion of the Genkō Bōrui at Ikino Matsubara<ref>Kawazoe[1979:526]</ref>]]
==Taxation and transformation==
At first, battle-ready soldiers were excluded from taxation, but this policy was soon discontinued and each province in Kyushu was taxed.  The tax was usually one ''[[cun (unit)|sun]]'' (3.3&nbsp;cm) of the wall's length per 1 ''[[Japanese units of measurement#Area|tan]]'' of rice field; the weapons were one shield, one flag and 20 arrows per 1 ''jo'' (3.314 yards) of stone wall. The tax was in the form of men who constructed the wall and in the form of the items (weapons), but later the tax was paid in money; 114 [[Japanese mon (currency)|mon]] per one ''cho'' of rice field was typical. The taxation continued to the early part of the Muromachi Bakufu.<ref name="Kawazoe1979:527"/>
==Structure==
The Genkō Bōrui was typically {{convert|2|m}} high and {{convert|2|m}} wide. The western end was in Imazu in [[Nishi-ku, Fukuoka]] and the eastern end in Kashii, [[Higashi-ku, Fukuoka]], and about {{convert|20|km}} long. It was packed with small stones inside, the seaside steep and the landside less steep. Shields and flags were placed on the Genkō Bōrui and stakes were planted in the sea at irregular intervals.
==Etymology==
In articles of the ''Fukuoka Nichi Nichi Shimbun'' ("Fukuoka Daily Newspaper") between June 12 and June 29, 1913, [[Heijiro Nakayama]] first used the words ''Genkō Bōrui'' to mean "Mongolian Invasion defense structure"<ref>Kawazoe[2006:6]</ref> and he contrasted the Genkō Bōrui from conventional stone defense by its high elevation and its design as a sand dike covered with stones; a structure which would effectively block an invasion attempt.<ref>Kawazoe[2006:6] citing ''A New Study of Mongolian Invasion Site'' by [[Heijiro Nakayama]].</ref>
==Archaeological excavations==
The Genkō Bōrui was excavated at the locations listed below.<ref name="fukuoka2002">{{Citation|year =2002|title =西新地区元寇防塁発掘調査報告書|trans-title=Nishijin Area Genkō Bōrui Excavation Report|publisher =Fukuoka City Board of Education|publication-place = Fukuoka |language = ja}}</ref>  All locations were along [[Hakata Bay]], within the city of [[Fukuoka]].
In 1958, human bones corresponding to 200 bodies were found in Imazu near the defensive structure, with ceramics considered to have been used by those convened for the construction of the wall.<ref>Kawazoe[2006:17]</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
!Year!!Location!!Remarks
|-
!1968
|Ikino Matsubara near [[Meinohama Station]]||Use of sandstone and granite confirmed.
|-
!1969
|Imazu near [[Shimoyamato Station]]||Basalt and granite were used, differing by location.
|-
!1970
|Nishijin near the center of [[Seinan University]]||Clay and sand in alternate layers.
|-
!1978
|[[Meinohama Station|Meinohama]]||Stone fill; no clay. Width is {{convert|4|m}}.
|-
!1993
|Near [[Hakozaki Shrine]]||Few stones uncovered during railway construction. Nothing more of value found.
|-
!1996
|Momochi near [[Fukuoka Dome]]||Scattered stones were found and investigated during the construction of an apartment building.
|-
!1998
|Ikino Matsubara near [[Meinohama Station]]||Rear consists of alternate sand and clay layers.
|-
!1998
|Nishijin||Inside a [[Seinan University]] building, stone and sand fences apparent.<ref>西新地区元寇防塁発掘調査報告書[2002:1–20]</ref>{{Clarify|date=March 2012}}
|-
!2000
|Near [[Hakozaki Shrine]]||Railway construction led to uncovering and investigation of more of the wall
|}
==See also==
*[[List of Historic Sites of Japan (Fukuoka)]]
==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{Commons category|Genko Borui}}
{{Refbegin}}
* {{Citation|year = 2001|title = 国史蹟 元寇防塁（生きの松原地区）復元・修理報告書|trans-title=Genkō Bōrui of Ikino Matsubara|publisher = Fukuoka City Board of Education|publication-place = Fukuoka|language = ja}}
* {{Citation|editor= Kei Okazaki|year = 1984|title = Ancient Hakata|publisher = Kyushu University Press|language = ja}}<!-- Including the original Japanese title of the document would assist in verification -->
* {{Citation|author = Shoji Kawazoe|year = 2006|title = 市史研究 ふくおか創刊号 元寇防塁が語るもの|trans-title=Fukuoka Journal First Edition, What Genkō Bōrui Tell|publisher= Fukuoka Museum Fukuoka City History Editing Committee|publication-place =Fukuoka|language =ja|pages= 5–30}}
* {{Citation|year = 1994|title = 日本史大事典 6|trans-title=Cyclopedia of Japanese History 6|publisher = Heibonsha|publication-place = Tokyo|language = ja|isbn = 4-582-13106-9|page = 765}}
* {{Citation|author = Shoji Kawazoe|year = 1979|title = 国史大辞典 1|trans-title=Encyclopedia of Japanese History 1 a-i|publisher = Yoshikawa Kobunkan|location = Tokyo|language = ja|page = 526,527}}
{{Refend}}
* [http://sitereports.nabunken.go.jp/en Comprehensive Database of Archaeological Site Reports in Japan], Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
*[https://bunkazai.city.fukuoka.lg.jp/cultural_properties/detail/34 Cultural Properties of Fukuoka Prefecture]{{in lang|ja}}
*[https://www.fukuoka-bunkazai.jp/frmDetail.aspx?db=4&id=4 Cultural Properties in Fukuoka Prefecture]{{in lang|ja}}
*[https://www.crossroadfukuoka.jp/spot/12574 Fukuoka Tourism Web]{{in lang|ja}}
[[Category:Fukuoka Prefecture]]
[[Category:History of Fukuoka Prefecture]]
[[Category:Historic Sites of Japan]]
[[Category:Kamakura period]]
[[Category:Chikuzen Province]]