Japanese culture learned from our country, and learned the most diligently in the Tang Dynasty——Talking about sending the Tang Dynasty

"Emissary to Tang Dynasty" was an exchange mission that Japan and other countries sent to the Tang Dynasty in order to learn Chinese culture during the Tang Dynasty. They were a pioneering work in the history of cultural exchanges between China and Japan, and an unprecedented event in cultural exchanges.

Counting from the first dispatch of Tang envoys by Emperor Shu Ming of Japan in 630 AD, in the following two hundred and sixty years, Japan sent a total of 19 envoys to China to study. More than five hundred people.

These people stayed in China for several years or even decades. They introduced China's political system, culture, art, science and technology to Japan, which had a significant impact on Japanese society.

1. Origin of the Tang Dynasty Envoys

Historically, Japan sent envoys to China to study, and it did not begin in the Tang Dynasty. As early as the Sui Dynasty, Japan sent several "Envoys to Sui Dynasty" to study in China. In the eighth year (600 AD) of the ancient emperor, Japan sent the first batch of "sent to the Sui Dynasty" to China.

(Sent to China from Tang Dynasty)

" Sui Shu" records: "In the 20th year of Emperor Kaihuang, King Wa was surnamed Amei with the word Doris Bihu and the name A Dai Ji Mi (look at the name of the Japanese emperor), sent the envoy to que. The commander's commander visited his customs, and all said that the king of Japan regards Tian as his brother (the second Hong Xiuquan) and regards the sun as his younger brother. Sit, the sunrise will stop management, and the cloud will delegate my brother. (Great, hand over government affairs to younger brother Sun) Gao Zu said: This is too unreasonable. So the order is changed."

Through the above record us It can be seen that Japan's political system was basically zero at that time. The monarch is so absurd as to hand over government affairs to Brother Sun, which is incredible.

If it weren't for learning the advanced system and culture from China, by the Japanese themselves, it is estimated that it is still a barren land today.

Throughout the Sui Dynasty, Japan sent four batches of "sent to the Sui Dynasty" to China. Japanese history books only record and recognize them twice. Well, for the sake of the pride and face of the Yamato nation, please be happy.

After the Tang Dynasty destroyed the Sui Dynasty, from the beginning of Emperor Taizong, appointing people on their merits, opening up their voices, and treating the world with fraternity.

Li Shimin once said: " has been precious since ancient times, China is cheap and cheap, and I love the same."

All ethnic groups and foreigners are treated equally and live in peace with all ethnic groups for mutual benefit.

Because the Tang Dynasty had a prosperous economy, strong national power and developed transportation, the Tang Dynasty encouraged foreign exchanges and protected foreign businessmen in many ways, attracting a large number of foreign businessmen to trade in China.

While Datang stood on the top of world culture at that time, it also attracted relatively backward countries and nations to come to Datang for learning and exchanges, and to pass the advanced system and experience of Datang back to its own country.

(route to Tang Dynasty)

How many batches of envoys to Tang Dynasty were sent by Japan is still controversial. Generally speaking, it is between fifteen and twenty, but historical circles generally believe that It was nineteen times. Japan's official data "History of Cultural Exchanges between Japan and China" also adopted 19 times.

These disagreements were mainly due to the fact that some of the ambassadors appointed by Japan at that time did not make the trip due to weather or political reasons, and the ambassadors to the Tang Dynasty only went to China to meet the envoys sent by the Tang Dynasty to Japan. These people stayed in Tang Dynasty. It has not been long, and it is still controversial whether it will be included in the scope of the Tang Dynasty envoy.

Second, the mission of sending the Tang ambassador

Japan in the seventh century AD, with social turbulence and weak economy, was still in the struggle between the old and new forces at the end of the slave society. Japan is an island country with scarce resources. How to formulate a reasonable system to feed the Japanese is also an important issue facing the emperor.

Therefore, the prosperous economy, splendid culture and strong national power of the Tang Dynasty across the sea make the Japanese envy, and Datang has a strong attraction to Japan.

The Japanese witnessed that Silla on the Korean peninsula became stronger by learning the system and culture of the Tang Dynasty and developing relations with the Tang DynastyGreat, wiped out Baekje and Goguryeo on the peninsula, and deeply touched the Japanese.

Although the number of Japanese delegations to Tang Dynasty varies, they are mostly ambassadors, judges, and other officials with a brief history, and shipbuilders, doctors, musicians, translators, onmyojis, painters, blacksmiths, and other personnel with special skills. In addition, monks also account for a certain proportion.

These people were all first-rate figures in all walks of life in Japan at that time, and they were tasked with learning the advanced cultural experience of the Tang Dynasty. It was a long way to go.

(Tang ambassador)

The official status of the Tang ambassador is a tribute ambassador. Each ambassador to the Tang dynasty will bring tribute to meet the emperor of the Tang Dynasty, and the Tang dynasty will often give them a large number of items. In terms of value alone, the Japanese tribute is mostly crystal, silk, cloth and the like, while Datang’s rebate is mainly real gold and silver, as well as medicines, color silk and other things, including the musical instruments collected by Shōkurain in Japan today. , Books are gifts from the Tang Dynasty brought back by the envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty.

The Tang Dynasty also set up a special guest office for them, leading them to purchase Tang Dynasty products and exempting them from taxes. It can be said that the tribute to the Tang Dynasty was the beginning of the trade between Japan and the Tang Dynasty.

The mission of sending the Tang ambassador is to establish a diplomatic relationship with the Tang Dynasty. A good relationship with the Tang Dynasty is the first priority for the survival of the Tang Dynasty envoys, and it is also a prerequisite for Japan to learn from the Tang Dynasty's experience and get help from the Tang Dynasty.

After these Tang Dynasty envoys arrived in the Tang Dynasty, they were shocked by the complete political system of the Tang Dynasty and deeply attracted by the prosperous culture of the Tang Dynasty. They participated in various ceremonies of the Tang Dynasty government and joined the Tang Dynasty government. In various workshops, while studying technology with great concentration, they also fully exchanged with other countries' ambassadors to Tang Dynasty, and learned from each other, so that after returning home, they can learn from others and promote the development of Japan. Mu Gongtai, the ambassador to the Tang Dynasty, was an excellent tailor. He studied in Chang'an for 11 years and studied Tang Dynasty clothing in depth. After returning to China, he promoted it, making Japanese clothing imitate the style of the Tang Dynasty and become the ancestor of today's kimono.

Kimono

The Japanese monk in the Tang Dynasty envoy also has another identity as an overseas student. At that time, there were too few people in Japan who knew Chinese characters, and only the monk group's cultural knowledge was acceptable, so the heavy task of learning Tang Dynasty culture fell on the Japanese monks.

These monk students studying abroad have to learn various sub-collections of scriptures and history, as well as astronomical calendars, art of war, music, and law, and then pass them to Japanese youths after returning home. These Japanese monks admired the poetry of Tang Dynasty poets very much, translated many poetry of Tang Dynasty poetry, and set off a wave of Tang poetry in Japan. They also created Japanese kana characters imitating Chinese characters, and their influence on today's Japanese culture is self-evident.

Third, the work and study of the Tang ambassador in the Tang Dynasty

Among the Japanese students, Abe Nakamaro is the most famous and the most contributor. This is an alternative Japanese monk. He has a Chinese name called Chao Heng. He was the first Japanese who passed the Tang Dynasty imperial examination and passed the high school scholarship. He is considered a "Tang Dynasty Master".

Since Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty came to Chang'an in the fourth year of Kaiyuan, Abe Zhongmaru entered the Imperial College of the Tang Dynasty to study the Book of Rites, Zhou Li, etiquette, Book of Songs and other classics. He also became friends with Li Bai, Wang Weiwei and others, and once gave Li Bai a Japanese fur suit, and Li Bai was deeply moved.

Because of Abe Nakamaru's talents, he was appointed by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty as the Crown Prince's official, and guided the studies of Prince Li Ying. Using a Japanese to teach the crown prince, it can be seen that this devil is not an ordinary person. At that time, the noble class commented on him as "beautiful and inexhaustible in the dynasty, and admired as an official in Chunfang", so he was prosperous in his official career. He served as Wei Wei Shaoqing, Secretary Superintendent and Wei Weiqing, and finally became Zuo Sanqi's regular attendant and Annan protector.

Abe Nakamaro stayed in Datang for 37 years and did not return to Japan until the 12th year of Tianbao.

Li Bai specially wrote a farewell poem for him: " Japan Chao Qing resigned from the imperial capital, sailing a round pot. The bright moon will not return to Shen Bihai, and the white clouds are full of sadness."

But he encountered a storm on his way home, and most of the people on the ship were killed and injured.Tang, finally aged in Chang'an, was posthumously awarded the second-tier Luzhou governor after his death.

There are also some Japanese monks who were sent to the Tang Dynasty to study Buddhism in China. They have a special name called "Yiyi Seng". Most of them have completed elementary Buddhist studies in Japan and came to Datang for further studies.

These "inviting monks" visited famous mountains and rivers in China and exchanged Buddhist studies with Chinese monks. When they returned home, they not only introduced Chinese Xiangzong and Zen to Japan, they also established many temples in Japan to spread Buddhism.

Daoji, the patriarch of the Sanlunzong of Japanese Buddhism, was a monk who had studied in the Tang Dynasty and brought a large number of Buddhist classics back to Japan. He also widely used Chinese calligraphy, painting and Chinese medicine in Japan. spread.

Another Japanese monk, Kukai, brought Chinese tea culture back to Japan. Later, the Chinese tea culture was borrowed and inherited by the Japanese and formed the "tea ceremony" in Japan today.

(please benefit monk)

Tell me an interesting story about sending the Tang Dynasty envoy. When sending Tang Dynasty envoys to China, their biggest goal is to bring as many Chinese books back to Japan as possible, because people's memory is limited, and no matter how they study, they can't compare to classic books.

And not every person in the Tang Dynasty has a broad mind. Sometimes the Chinese are reluctant to pass on some lone books and rare books to the Japanese. Therefore, there have been many acts of stealing books among Japanese envoys sent to Tang Dynasty.

Although Mr. Kong Yi has said that "stealing a book is not for stealing", it is not an upright method at all. This also shows how fanatical the Japanese were for Chinese culture at that time.

According to records, there is an isolated Buddhist scripture in a temple in Luoyang. No matter how the Tang envoy could pierce his mouth, the abbot refused to show it. The Japanese had no choice but to figure out a way to steal, but their skills were not good, and they failed to steal three times, so they had to leave in shock.

Later, another high-ranking monk came forward to mediate, and then took out this isolated Buddhist scripture and let the Japanese read it for an hour. As for how much the Japanese can remember, it depends only on good luck.

The Tang Dynasty government treated the Tang Dynasty envoys and foreign students very well. During their lives in the Tang Dynasty, their living expenses were provided by the government, and they included board and lodging and clothing, which was much better than today’s hard-working workers. .

盛世大唐

Some Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty also used their craftsmanship to earn money while studying in the Tang Dynasty. The facial makeup and kites made by the Japanese were even more popular among the Tang people. An envoy who was good at making these items also made a fortune in the Tang Dynasty.

The greatest contribution that the Tang Dynasty sent to Japan was to bring the Confucianism of Chinese culture back to Japan, which made Japan's political system influenced by Confucian culture and established centralized power.

The political system of "Twelve Orders" and the "17-Article Constitution" formulated by Prince Shotoku of Japan are the ideas of "morality" and "benevolence" from Confucianism. After that, Emperor Kotoku made major reforms based on the Tang system, formulated the legal system, and brought the prefecture system to Japan. Since then, Japan has ended the Hongmeng era and entered a feudal society.

Fourth, North Korea’s ambassador to the Tang Dynasty

In addition to Japan’s ambassador to the Tang Dynasty, Silla on the Korean peninsula also sent a large number of ambassadors to the Tang Dynasty.

North Korea has a long history of sending learners to the Central Plains. During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, many Koreans went to China to study. Silla is closer to the Tang Dynasty geographically, and the transportation is more convenient, and the relationship between Silla and Tang has always been very good, so the Tang Dynasty from Silla has been sent more and more frequently. According to the "East History Compendium" record: "Since Xinluo took care of himself in the Tang Dynasty, he often sent students to study in Taiyuan... Students who came and went to follow each other" , using "shoulder shoulder to shoulder" to describe the number of people, it can be seen that Frequent communication.

(Tang envoys from various countries)

According to statistics, Silla sent envoys to the Tang dynasty at least 150 times. The number of official-funded foreign students who followed the Tang envoys to the Tang Dynasty is as large as the number of self-financed students.

Public-sponsored students are also called Su Sanhe, they return to Silla after studying abroad to take up official positions; self-sponsored students are rich families in Silla who admire the culture of the Tang DynastyAlthough they can’t directly become officials after they return to China, their experience of studying in the Tang Dynasty is an important weight for them to become officials in the future. Without the experience of studying in the Tang Dynasty, their career development will be affected.

Xinluo sent Tang Dynasty envoys to the Tang Dynasty mainly to study Confucianism and the art of warfare, in order to prepare for future official positions.

They can also participate in the imperial examinations of the Tang Dynasty. Among them, Yuanjie, Wang Juren, Jin Fanxun and others have high school scholars, and even Cui Zhiyuan from Silla also served as a Hanlin bachelor in the Tang Dynasty. Luo people are proficient in Chinese culture.

Since Silla is different from Japan, Silla almost existed as a vassal state in the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, Silla’s envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty are part of its national system. After being approved by the two countries, the system of sending Tang Dynasty envoys is very perfect.

At that time, Xinluo was learning the knowledge of the Tang Dynasty, learning Chinese characters, and writing in Chinese. The political system was also a complete imitation of the Tang Dynasty. Therefore, Xinluo was more willing to send Tang ambassadors, or Silla was more dependent on sending Tang ambassadors. The situation at that time was that the Tang Dynasty was willing to train talents for Silla for free, and Silla was also willing to accept it.

(meeting the Tang Dynasty envoy)

And Japan is different from Silla. Japan is not a fan country of the Tang Dynasty. The two countries are equal countries. Japan only admires Chinese culture and is in communication. The two sides are equal. Therefore, the Silla's envoys sent to Tang Dynasty were basically reused after they returned to China, and the Japanese envoys sent to Tang Dynasty still had to be under the powerful warlords after they returned to China. Most of their work was technical work, responsible for promoting and promoting Chinese culture, rather than becoming the core of the government.

V. Conclusion

Objectively speaking, in the era of underdeveloped navigation technology, Japan sent Tang Dynasty envoys to overcome sea storms and came to China not far away to study Chinese politics, culture, and economy. At the same time, they promote the trade between China and Japan. They have contributed to the exchanges between the two countries. It can be said that without the envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty, there would be no Japanese culture today.

China and Japan have experienced an era of mutual learning and peaceful coexistence, as well as an unpleasant era. I hope that the Japanese can look back on the history of their interaction with China, be grateful, and completely abandon unrealistic ambitions. Japan and Japan make efforts for common prosperity and development. After all, you are our apprentices, and you will never be able to defeat Master.

References: Zheng Min: "A Brief History of the Japanese Mission to the Tang Dynasty"

Dai He: "The Contributions of Japanese Scholars to Japanese History and Culture"

Wang Rong: "Abe Nakamaro and Kibe Mabei" 》