 Cosmologically, the ancient Japanese explained their origins, in part, in terms that were noticeably Confucian. Both the Records of Ancient Matters (Kojiki) and the Chronicles of Japan (Nihon shoki) open with cosmological narratives accounting for the origins of the world, Japan, and the Japanese people. One noteworthy ingredient in the narratives was that of the “five processes” (C: wuxing; J: gogyō): wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These processes were in effect ontological forces that unfolded in progressive incremental combinations, giving in turn a particular metaphysical character to a time, place, or thing, as well as a discernible dynamic rhythm to change. Not surprisingly, the cosmology of the Kojiki and Nihon shoki reflects the eclectic outlook of Han Confucianism.