【Treasures of Fukuoka】No.0 (Extra Edition) Ms. Gold Seal, National Treasure

(This is a fictional story based on historical fact)

I’m Ms. Gold Seal, made in China. I was born in Rakuyo (The place was then called Gokan) about 2000 years ago. I’m a shorty (2.2 centimeters tall), but everyone adores me for my everlasting beauty that hasn’t changed a bit after 2000 years. My father was a very noble person! The Chinese Emperor Guangwu! It was so regrettable that he passed away* right after I was born.

*Chinese Emperor Guangwu passed away in 57 AC, which is the same year he bestowed the seal to the envoys of Na county.

Before my father died, people from an eastern island came to see him. They suddenly said “May I have your daughter?” My father instantly replied “Please treat her nicely”. It sounded as if it was an arranged marriage. It’s killing me inside to say good bye to my beloved brothers and sisters*. It even brought me to tears. But I was also a bit excited about living in a new place.

*There is a theory suggesting that 広陵王璽(こうりょうおうじ), a gold seal found in Jiangsu Province of China in 1981, was created in the same factory where the gold seal 漢委奴國王 was made.

So, I traveled across the ocean and reached the Na County in Japan. There, I engaged in a duty called Fudei, a very important mission that only I could handle. Fudei is a secretarial job, making sure that the contents of parcels and letters will be kept confidential until it reached China. The good times didn’t last long. I was confined on an island called Shikanoshima for some reason. I was so lonely, and had nothing to do but sleep. I finally woke up after 1700 years; it was already the Edo period. It was when Jinbei, a farmer, found me in a rice field. Because of my distinguished cuteness, I was then offered to the lord of Fukuoka. So I lived in the castle of the Kuroda Family for a while. (The most famous person from the Kuroda family is Mr. Kanbei. Do you know him? I’ve never had a chance see him in person).

After the Edo period, I moved to Tokyo. I was selected as a national treasure in 1931, about 90 years ago from now. (It’s something like a beauty pageant.) I received a passionate job offer from Fukuoka in 1978, about 50 years ago. So, I took a bullet train* to return to Fukuoka. It was astonishingly fast! At first, I was working for the Fukuoka Art Museum, but I was relocated to the Fukuoka City Museum 30 years ago. (Even Mr. Yonekura of the Curatorial section, who is now 60 something years old, looked so cute at the time I came here!) Since then, I have been working as an idol of the museum. I’m so popular that I’m always on duty except on the museum’s official day off which is usually Monday. Everyone looks at me by putting their faces close to the showcase, and I feel a bit embarrassed.

*The Sanyo Shinkansen line extended to Hakata in 1975. We don’t know whether the gold seal was delivered by using the bullet train or not.

If you want to know more about Ms. Gold Seal, please check out the following links:

【Treasures of Fukuoka】No. 4 The Golden Seal “Kan-no Wanonano Kokuo 漢委奴国王” National Treasure

http://fcmuseum.blogspot.com/2020/10/treasures-of-fukuokano-4-golden-seal.html

The Fukuoka City Museum at Home! Open 24/7!

http://fcmuseum.blogspot.com/2020/04/the-fukuoka-city-museum-at-home-open-247.html