The history of early Japan can only be glimpsed from the history books of China and the ancient documents of East Asian countries.
The book "The Birth of Japan" starts from the name of the "Japan" country and tells the story of the birth of Japan as a country according to the development context of "Japan" to "Japan".
The Birth of Japan
(Sun) by Takashi Yoshida
Nova Press
During this period, the dispatch of Sui (Tang) envoys, the discovery of gold mines, the introduction of the surname system, the establishment of the legal system, the introduction of Buddhism, the creation of kana scripts, and other major events have played a non-negligible role in promoting the course of Japan's history. Among them, Japan's exchanges with China and the countries of the Korean Peninsula are particularly important – both cultural trade exchanges and disputes and wars. The characteristics of the early Japanese state and the individuality of the Japanese nation were shaped by this complex international relationship, and the contradictions between Japan and its neighboring countries today are also deeply buried in this ancient history.
In particular, it is worth noting that there are many interesting points that are presented in this book.
For example, it regards the discovery of gold mines in Japan as a particularly important historical node in the birth of Japan. As a precious metal that was extremely scarce in East Asia, the discovery of gold not only brought a large number of gold prospectors ("Watanabes") to Japan, but also provided an indispensable trade item for Japan's early trade with the Asian continent. This mineral resource is like a stimulant, which has greatly promoted the development of Japan.
For example, the general view tends to be that the most important study of China in history by Japan, the dispatch of Tang envoys, was An active learning behavior of Japan, and the extremely developed Tang Dynasty made Japan take the initiative to open its own country to "Tangization". The book "The Birth of Japan" points out that Japan's "Tangization" in the 7th century AD is actually a process similar to the "forced" process of learning from the West in modern times.
Envoy ship to Tang Dynasty China in Japan
Prior to this, the Japanese army had just fought the Battle of Baicunjiang in Korea with the Tang army, which not only ended in a major defeat and loss for the Japanese side, but also completely ended the inherent pattern of the Korean Peninsula. The successive demises of Silla, Baekje, and other countries with close ties to Japan made the Japanese rulers realize that if they did not learn from the Tang Dynasty, they would face a similar fate. Therefore, the ensuing "Tanghua" movement in Japan was actually a more drastic and even somewhat hasty reform than the Meiji Restoration.
Many systems of the Tang Dynasty, including the legal system, were introduced into Japan for promotion before they had time to understand their true meaning.
Umbrella was brought to Japan from Chang'an by the Envoys of the Tang Dynasty who studied in the Tang Dynasty?
This has caused a very interesting phenomenon: unlike the Sinicization of Korea, Vietnam and other countries that last and are thorough and continuous, Japan's "Tangization" is often superficial, surging in a short period of time, and then after a long period of time according to its own understanding of digestion and absorption, this model is the author's so-called "national weathering under the influence of Tang Wind", Chinese elements exist all the time, but in Japan's unique water and soil distortion and mutation, forming Japan's unique "national style". This model is difficult to find similar examples in other East Asian countries.
(Qilu Evening News Qilu one-point reporter?) Wang Yu)