When it comes to the Tang Dynasty's foreign exchanges, "sending Tang envoys" is a historical term that cannot be ignored. So, what is the Tang Dynasty Envoy? Why did Japan, which shares the grain with china, become the East Asian country that retains the most Tang Dynasty culture?
What is a Tang Dynasty Messenger?
In a literal sense, the envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty were emissaries sent from abroad to the Tang Empire to study and communicate. Sending envoys to the Tang Dynasty is a witness to the friendly exchanges between China and Japan, as well as a witness to the great influence of China's Tang Empire on neighboring countries.
Prince Shengde (7 February 574 – 8 April 622) was a Japanese thinker and politician of the Asuka period
In 581, Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty. Under the tutelage of Emperor Wen of Sui, the Sui Dynasty soon unified the country. When the Sui Dynasty ruled China, Japan was still ruled by Prince Shengde. Prince Shengde admired the advanced political and economic culture of the Sui Dynasty very much, so he sent emissaries to the Sui Dynasty to study, develop and develop friendly relations with the Sui Dynasty. This is the predecessor of the Tang envoys, the Sui envoys.
In 618, the Sui Dynasty collapsed amid the cries of a peasant uprising, and Li Yuan declared the emperor to establish the Tang Empire. Under the vigorous efforts of several generations of emperors, the Tang Empire soon became the most powerful empire in the entire Asian region, with great influence on Asian countries, including Japan. Beginning in 630 AD, Emperor Shuming of Japan sent the first batch of envoys to China to send Tang envoys.
Above_ Inscription on the State of Japan - The Epitaph of the Tang Dynasty Envoy Imasei
The members of the Tang Dynasty envoys covered all levels of Japanese society, including the political envoys, deputy envoys, judges, and recorders, painters and musicians at the artistic level, craftsmen in technology, as well as yin and yang masters and main gods used for sacrifice and religion.
These learners from all levels of Japanese society came to China to seriously study the advanced political, economic, and cultural systems of the Tang Empire and apply what they learned after returning home. A deep friendship was forged between the Envoys of the Tang Dynasty and Chinese intellectuals and officials. For example, Abe Zhongmalu had a very good relationship with the Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai.
Above_ Abe Nakamaru (698–770), courtesy name, Abe clan, Han name Chaoheng (also known as Chao heng), character Juqing. (Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty)
So why has Japan become the country in East Asia that has absorbed and preserved the Tang dynasty culture the most and is also the most comprehensive?
First, after the establishment of the Tang Dynasty, Japan successively sent 18 batches of Tang envoys to the Tang Dynasty to learn and bring back to China the political, economic, cultural, and life aspects of the Tang Dynasty, which had a far-reaching impact on the development of Japanese society and laid the groundwork for Japan to retain the complete Tang culture to this day.
From the early Tang Dynasty to the late Tang Dynasty, Japan sent 18 batches of Tang envoys to the Tang Empire, and the content of these 18 batches of Tang envoys had a profound impact on the historical trend of Japan:
First, Japan studied the political system and canonical laws of the Tang Dynasty and promoted political reform in Japan. The envoys sent by the Tang Dynasty to Chang'an were eager to study and read a lot of books, and after returning to China, they imitated the Tang system and established Japan's own central system. Japan also translated the education system of the Tang Dynasty, and opened various schools to cultivate talents and teach Chinese. In 818, Emperor Saga of Japan issued an edict requiring officials and people to learn the etiquette of the Tang Dynasty, and the clothes worn by his citizens imitated the clothes of the Tang Dynasty.
Above_ A Chinese-printed Dravidian sutra hidden in the Million Pagoda was found in Nara, Japan
Second, Tang Dynasty culture had an extremely profound impact on Japan. The Envoys brought back a large number of Buddhist scriptures from the Tang Dynasty and translated them into Japanese, and the whole of Japan was proud to recite and spread Tang poems, and even Bai Juyi became an influential Tang Dynasty poet in Japan.
After returning to China, the Japanese who studied in the Tang Dynasty used Chinese characters to create kana characters, and the calligraphy, painting, sculpture, music, dance and other arts learned by the Tang envoys from China had a profound impact on the development of Japanese culture and art.
Today' Japanese folk sumo wrestling and Go were also imported from the Tang Dynasty, and the head shape of Japanese geisha can also find the shadow of the female head shape of the Tang Court. Japanese kimonos and Tang costumes are inextricably linked. Even japan's ancient cities of Kyoto and Nara have inexplicable similarities with China's Tang Chang'an City and Luoyang City.
Above_ The picture of the twelve single clothes in Japan, from which you can see the "shadow" of the Tang Dynasty costume
Second, in 907 AD, the Tang Empire collapsed. Although the Tang Dynasty has become history, the Japanese nation still retains the culture of the Tang Dynasty out of respect and reverence for the Tang Empire. Although china and Japan fought many wars after the fall of the Tang Dynasty, these wars did not affect the inheritance and respect for the Tang Dynasty and Tang Dynasty culture in Japan. This heartfelt respect and recognition of the Tang Dynasty is the direct reason why Japan has preserved Tang culture to this day.
What kind of eyes does Japan use to look at the historical Chinese dynasties? If Japan despises the Qing Dynasty and has a level view of the Ming Dynasty, then Japan casts absolute respect and envy for the Tang Empire. Japan's absolute respect for the Tang Empire came not only from the advanced political and economic culture of the Tang Empire, but also from the military duel between Japan and the Tang Empire, the Battle of Baijiangkou.
It was this naval battle that made Japan worship the Tang Dynasty from the bottom of its heart, learn from the Tang Dynasty, and recognize the Tang Dynasty. Until the fall of the Tang Dynasty, Japan recognized the Tang Dynasty as the most powerful and respectable dynasty in Chinese history.
The Battle of Baekjeongguchi, also known as the Battle of Baekcheongang, was a water battle that took place between August 27 and August 28, 663 between the combined forces of the Tang Dynasty and Silla and the combined forces of the Uighurs and Baekje at the mouth of the Baekgang River (present-day the mouth of the Jinjiang River in Korea).
In 663 AD, due to the fall of Baekje, the Japanese and Baekje restoration armies marched to the Korean Peninsula. Liu Renluo commanded the Tang army to engage in a fierce battle with the Japanese army. After fierce fighting, the Japanese army that attacked Baijiangkou was almost completely annihilated, and Japan was convinced of the Tang Empire after being "violently beaten" by the Tang Empire. With the Tang Dynasty under Emperor Gaozong of Tang, the territory area continued to expand, and the military strength and national strength continued to increase, Japan not only resumed sending envoys to the Tang Empire and humbly studied the "old tradition" of the tang Empire's politics, economy, and culture, but also learned the honorific title of Tang Gaozong, "Emperor of the Tang Dynasty", so that the name of the supreme ruler of Japan was changed from the king to the emperor.
From the Battle of Baijiangkou to the late Tang Dynasty, Japan sent more than 10 groups of Tang envoys to the Tang Empire to study in China, even if the Anshi Rebellion caused the Tang Empire's national strength to decline greatly, Japan's desire to learn from the Tang Empire did not weaken in the slightest.
After the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion in the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Chunjin of Japan also planned to send troops to the Tang Dynasty and fight against the Anshi rebels with the Tang Empire. Japan's respect for the Tang Empire was unmatched by the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty, and even the future Republic of China.
Above_ Tang swords collected by Shosoin, Japan
Of course, Japan's respect for the Tang Empire also has something to do with Japan's national character. The Japanese nation is a relatively "extreme" people, and if Japan defeats any country in a war, it will bully that country even more. For example, in the sino-Japanese war in modern times, the defeat of the Qing Dynasty, Japan expanded its aggression against China until the all-out war of aggression against China in 1937.
If Japan is defeated by a country in a war, Japan is convinced of that country. For example, when Japan returned home from a major defeat in the Battle of Baijiangkou, the whole country learned the political, economic, and cultural culture of the Tang Dynasty in all aspects. After the end of World War II, the U.S. military defeated Japan, and Japan learned all about the political economy and culture of the United States, and became a staunch ally of the United States against the Soviet Union in the Asia-Pacific region.
It is precisely because of Japan's continuous respect for the Tang Empire that Japan has retained the culture of the Tang Empire without any cover to this day, and when we travel to Japan, we can find the shadow of the Chinese Tang Empire in all aspects of Japanese society.
Author: Zhenguan Correction/Editor: Lilith
Resources:
[1] Old Book of Tang, New Book of Tang
[2] "Sending Tang Envoys in Chang'an" by Tang Qun and Han Yangmin, Shaanxi People's Education Publishing House
The text was created by the History University Hall team, and the picture originated from the Internet and the copyright belongs to the original author