【Editor's Note】
On September 29, 1972, China and Japan signed the Sino-Japanese Joint Declaration, normalizing diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Fifty years of cold and warm ups and downs, half a century of vicissitudes and great changes. Common memories, special connections, continuous relays, and moments of Sino-Japanese friendship in the past, watching the actions and thoughts in the torrents of the current era.
The Paper, together with the China Public Diplomacy Association, launched a special report on "50 People in 50 Years" to dialogue with the shapers, pioneers and practitioners of China-Japan relations in the past 50 years, and look forward to the "next 50 years" of China-Japan relations under the future global changes.
In the Nara Basin, the birthplace of Japanese civilization, the large number of kofun tombs found here highlight its importance in Japan's ancient history. The Yamato Kingdom, which arose here at the end of the 3rd century AD, basically unified Japan in the late 4th and early 5th centuries. Until the Yamato Kingdom moved its capital to Heian Kyo (present-day Kyoto) in 794 AD, Nara was the political, economic, and cultural center of Japan.
During the Nara era, Japan absorbed the culture and system of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, and after more than a thousand years, the shadow of the Tang Dynasty can still be seen in contemporary Nara. Strolling through Nara, the streets are in the shape of a checkerboard, and you can see low-rise houses with wooden walls and tile roofs everywhere, quiet and simple, and revealing a bit of Tang Dynasty charm. The Tang Zhaoti Temple, built by the Tang Dynasty monk Jian Allah, who traveled to Japan to promote the Dharma, was listed as a "National Treasure of Japan" by the Cultural Department of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, and is also known as the "Temple of Sino-Japanese Friendship".
Tang Zhaoti Temple in Nara, Japan Visual China Map
"I want to say thank you to China." Masao Arai, governor of Nara Prefecture, Japan, said "thank you" in Japanese and Chinese separately in japanese. In his view, the cultural heritage passed down from the Tang Dynasty of China to Japan forms part of the foundation of Japanese culture.
From the 1990s to the present, Masago Arai has visited many parts of China and has been wearing a bracelet obtained from the Daming Temple in Yangzhou, which he regards as a talisman. As for the history of Sino-Japanese exchanges, he started from the 3rd century AD, while writing down the dynasties and major figures on the paper, Beimihu, Prince Shengde, and the high monk Jian Zhen... He frequently lamented the breadth and profundity of China's history, and stressed that the history of Sino-Japanese exchanges and the cultural heritage passed down from one another deserves in-depth exploration by future generations.
However, Nara Prefecture has not been indulging in the glory of the ancient capital and is discussing the current challenges and challenges with local governments in many East Asian countries, including China's Shaanxi Province. Masao Arai said: "The era of peace in which everyone works together to create wealth and promote economic growth is coming. ”
Chang'an City and the Ancient and Modern City of Peace
The Paper: Nara is as important to Japanese history as Xi'an is to Chinese history, what is the historical connection between the two ancient capitals?
Masago Arai: Speaking of the fate between China and Japan, back in ancient times, China was like the center of the world to Japan, or it can be said that it was like the existence of the sun, and Japan's exchanges with China were extremely important. According to Chinese historical records, in the 3rd century AD, Beimihu (known as the Queen of the Kingdom of Wu in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms) sent an envoy to Cao Wei; In the 5th century, the Five Kings of Wu were envoys to the Southern Dynasty of China; Beginning in the 7th century, Prince Shengde sent Sui envoys to China to study. I think this series of histories of dealings with China became part of Japan's origins or foundations. Including Buddhism, Chinese characters, laws, etc., were all introduced to Japan from China, and the Japanese official revision history "Nihon Shoki" was also compiled with reference to Chinese classics. To some extent, all of the above can be seen as the result of the localization of Chinese civilization in Japan.
Nara has been associated with China for a long time. From Fujiwara-kyo to Heijo-kyo, the capital city is located in the area of today's Nara, and it is all built in imitation of the Chinese capital, especially the pattern of Theagi-kyo is to imitate the Tang Chang'an Castle, which is equivalent to 1/4 of the Chang'an Castle. The Great Pole Hall in Pingcheng Palace was also built under the influence of Chinese Taoism, and the construction and style were all learned from China. Nara is proud to preserve these monuments, and most of these have learned from their Ancestors in China, and they want to say "thank you" to China, which is very grateful.
Masago Arai was interviewed by a reporter from The Paper, and the paper was pictured
The Paper: The development of Pingcheng Capital and Chang'an City to nara and Xi'an today, both places have changed, and many historical sites have been preserved, how to view the changes and changes between the two places?
Masago Arai: Today's Xi'an has changed a lot, very different from Nara. Taking Xi'an as a microcosm, China, which was once centered on agricultural civilization, has undergone great changes under the tide of globalization, and even foreigners in China are not easy to be detected, everyone wears similar clothing, eats the same food, young people listen to the same music, and the so-called foreigners' sense of identity has become weaker. In fact, during the Tang Dynasty in China, it was tolerant of foreigners, and Japan sent Tang to make Abe Nakamaru achieve some success in China. Foreigners can also do great things in the complex Chinese system, which is the embodiment of the character of a globalized country.
Nara has largely maintained the urban style of the past, and in the temples of Nara, Chinese Buddhist scriptures from China are still recited through Japanese pronunciation markers. The design of Japanese kimonos was also influenced by Tang Dynasty costumes. Imported "Tang objects" from the Tang Dynasty were a higher level of cultural heritage for Japan at that time, and they also became part of the foundation of Japanese culture. Our older generation can also appreciate China's deep historical heritage, understand that Nara's temples and other cultural heritage are closely related to Chinese history, and hope that Japanese young people can also deeply understand the connection.
Young Japanese people are now more concerned about the level of national security, especially the media continue to play an uneasy atmosphere, which is in line with the fear of war in East Asia. In fact, even family members will have disputes and will be reconciled, and the same is true for countries, so it is better to live freely and naturally, and try to find common ground when facing differences. Different places in China's southeast, southeast, and northwest feel very different, which shows that this is a very inclusive country, and tolerance is perhaps the most important thing, even if the opinions are different, it can be accepted, which is very important. In contrast, in the japanese exchanges between people, such as in the countryside, people are in a very small range, and if there are people with different opinions around them, they often become uneasy and gradually exclude this different opinion. People should be tolerant of dissent and think about how to understand each other.
The Paper: Since the 1990s, you have visited China many times, and many Chinese friends have frequently visited Nara and met with you, especially in 2008, when then-Chinese President Hu Jintao exchanged views with you in Nara. What are some memorable episodes of interacting with Chinese friends?
Masao Arai writes on paper the names and travel routes of his companions on his trip to Tohoku in the 1990s
Masao Arai: When I was the head of the Coast Guard in the 1990s, I traveled from Beijing to northeast China for three or four days with chinese Ministry of Public Security personnel and teachers from Tsinghua University. We got along very well and we exchanged ties with each other.
At that time, I went to the northeast for the first time and learned that Shenyang was the birthplace of the Qing Dynasty. What was even more impressive was that the people in the northeast had a lot of alcohol, and although I did not drink well, I talked with everyone at the banquet. Unfortunately, I have lost contact with my chinese best friends who were traveling with me and would love to see them again.
During my time in the Senate and as governor, I traveled to China many times, and the deepest place of friendship was Yangzhou City, where I went to the Daming Temple in Yangzhou and talked to the monks in the temple, and I was given a bracelet, which I wear every day until now, like a kind of amulet to me. In my room, there are scrolls written by the senior monks of Daming Temple, which contain the Chinese character "Absurd" from my surname, which reads "The Power of Honghuang".
It also has to be mentioned that in 2008, when the then President of China, Hu Jintao, came to Nara, he was a very gentle person, he would listen patiently to each other's words when he was with his wife, and he was meticulous in his work, even if he treated the governor with great respect, which was very valuable. I remember that in front of the ruins of Heijo Palace in Nara, Japan's then Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Tetsuzo Tomba and I accompanied President Hu on a tour, when Minister Dongchai said that he hoped to build a railway from the heijo palace to the outside world, and President Hu encouraged, "Let's make this Minister Dongchai's lifelong career effort." "After the death of Minister Dongchai, I took this as my own work.
Explore the true value of cultural heritage
The Paper: Nara's "Ancient Capital Nara Cultural Heritage" and "Kii Mountain Shrine and Shrine Road" have been selected as World Cultural Heritage Sites. Xi'an also has 7 cultural heritage sites, including the Mausoleum of the First Emperor of Qin and the Terracotta Warriors, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and the ruins of the Daming Palace in Tang Chang'an City. What experience does Nara have in the protection of cultural relics, and how does it communicate with Xi'an?
Masago Arai: Nara is most proud to preserve the 1,300-year-old relics intact. The Shoso-in Temple in Nara Todai-ji Temple contains cultural relics from thousands of years ago, including scriptures handed down from China and ancient trade items, which are valuable cultural assets. Japan has always cherished the cultural relics in Shoso-in Temple, as well as other temples and ancient buildings such as Horyu-ji Temple, and has a strong sense of protection, so it has become a cultural heritage that has survived to this day. There were many large temples in China in the past, but because of the change of dynasties, all of them have not survived to this day, which is really helpless.
I think that we still need to look back at history, to explore what the true value of cultural heritage is, why it has been transmitted to Nara and become a part of history, and this essential question needs to be continued to be excavated. In Xi'an, the Terracotta Warriors are lamentable and can't help but wonder how this relates to the artifacts that have been passed down from China to Japan. On the other hand, China also has many historical relics related to Japan, and if we can deeply understand this connection in the past, we can more clearly understand the actual situation of Japan's exchanges with China in the past.
In Xi'an, the excavation and display of cultural relics has progressed rapidly. Nara and the Shaanxi Cultural Relics Bureau have conducted long-term exchanges in the protection of cultural relics and cooperated in the protection of large-scale relics of the two countries. Archaeologists in Nara Prefecture also regularly travel to relevant universities in Shaanxi Province for study and exchange. However, the epidemic has caused the interruption of offline exchanges, and it is hoped that normal exchanges can be resumed after the epidemic subsides, and Sino-Japanese exchanges in cultural relics protection and historical exploration are very important.
In fact, in addition to cultural relics, the field of exchange and learning with China is increasing, such as traditional Chinese medicine, although it is a Chinese way of pharmaceuticals, which actually incorporates a variety of medicines, and to some extent there are some similarities with the healthy lifestyle of the Japanese, which many Japanese people, including me, are keen on.
The Paper: Nara Prefecture is one of Japan's sightseeing business cards, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists, what is the unique charm of Chinese tourists?
Masago Arai: Among the foreign tourists who visit Nara, the proportion of Chinese is the highest, and I think one of the reasons is that nara temples have preserved many cultural relics and monuments passed down from ancient China. In China, temples, grottoes and other monuments may be seen in more remote places, while in Nara, you can see them in the streets of the city, which may be different. When looking back on the imprint and history of Chinese culture in Nara, Chinese tourists will have a feeling of relaxation. Nara also offers a wide variety of local cuisines, including Chinese cuisine, French cuisine, and Italian food, which is one of the factors that have become popular sightseeing spots. Unlike the bustle of the metropolis, it has a rural atmosphere and is a place where you can feel the history quietly and peacefully.
For the Japanese, Nara has many Buddha statues from China, all of which are highly completed and extremely solemn, which is rare in other places. By looking at buddha statues, they think about their personal inner circumstances. At the same time, when visiting Nara, you can also feel that even if the times change, human beings themselves have not changed.
When Governor Masago Arai (left) of Nara Prefecture visited Tsinghua University in the summer of 2019, President Qiu Yong met with guests at the Industrial Hall, where the two sides discussed and signed a memorandum of cooperation on jointly promoting Sino-Japanese friendly exchanges and cooperation.
The Paper: In the summer of 2019, you visited Tsinghua University and signed a memorandum of cooperation with Tsinghua University on behalf of Nara Prefecture, what progress and plans did the two sides make in academic and talent exchanges?
Masao Arai: It may be incredible that Nara Prefecture can sign a memorandum of understanding with a large university like Tsinghua University. Tsinghua University has made continuous progress in academic research, which May not be comparable to Nara universities, but the field of mutual exchange is extensive, and we hope to promote mutual understanding between the two countries. If we can decide what attitude to adopt on the basis of understanding, there will not be so many contradictions, and the politics of not being able to advance understanding is the worst.
I am curious about the current thinking and dynamics of young Chinese people, but it is difficult to understand. The rapid development of electronics in China is shocking, not only in scale, but also in content. The clever Chinese lot, constantly having new ideas and creations. Japan, on the other hand, is good at some of its usual affairs, but it is lacking in coming up with new ideas.
Common issues facing East Asian cities
The Paper: Nara Prefecture has established friendly relations with Shaanxi Province in China, Chungcheongnam-do Province in South Korea, Berne Oblast in Switzerland, and Samarkand in Uzbekistan.
Masago Arai: Nara has some experience in terms of local exchanges between different countries. In 2010, local governments of Many East Asian countries, including Japan, China, and South Korea, jointly established the "East Asian Local Government Conference", nara is one of the initiators of the conference, the first meeting was held here, and next year it will be held in Linyi City, China. Representatives of local governments from various countries gathered to discuss some of the problems shared by various localities, discuss solutions and encourage each other. I believe that if local governments live in harmony, East Asia will become a region of peace. Although it is only an exchange between local governments, we will find that the issues of concern are strikingly similar. First, aging is the most serious problem facing East Asian societies, followed by local revitalization, unlike in large cities, how small towns develop, agriculture and tourism are promoted.
In addition, Nara Prefecture has also established the East Asia Summer School at prefectural universities, in which young people from China, Japan, and South Korea participate, covering many fields such as history, science, and diplomacy, and young people in the workplace of various countries have a common direction. For more than 1,300 years, Nara has laid the foundation through active exchanges with China, the Korean Peninsula and other East Asian regions, especially learning from the civilization of the Tang Dynasty, and wanting to give something back with gratitude. The peaceful scene in East Asia 1300 years ago is expected to continue.
The Paper: At present, there are sometimes intensified disputes between East Asian countries, sometimes harmonious and friendly, and ups and downs, what are your thoughts on this?
Masao Arai: There is a solution to the confrontation between Asian countries, and the management system of each country is different, but looking at the world, East Asia is a region that is moving toward prosperity, China is getting stronger and stronger, and so is ASEAN. Japan is a long-standing prosperous country, and it needs to rely on political strength to pay attention to this prosperity without war. Prosperity and peace are not exclusive; on the contrary, peace is an essential element of prosperity, and wealth disappears after the loss of peace. There were times of territorial seizures and wars in the region, and now we put the economy first and strive to make the economy a factor in keeping peace.
Therefore, even if there are contradictions due to differences, the relations between the two countries should not be undermined. Antagonisms and disputes are not terrible, and there are always disputes between European countries, but they are a manifestation of democracy. It is also very important that peace and equality within the country widen, and if the gap between the rich and the poor widens, the poor handling will be reflected externally.
In order to promote the understanding between China and Japan, we should avoid emotion, no matter how much time it takes, we must seriously convey ideas to each other, and it is better to speak with actions. The media of the two countries should also play less of an uneasy atmosphere and convey more of the real situation and ideas of their countries to each other, so that it is easy for the people of both sides to find resonance and promote understanding.
The Paper: The future of Sino-Japanese friendly exchanges is pinned on the younger generation, what are the messages for the young people of the two countries?
Masago Arai: The era of peace in which everyone works together to create wealth and promote economic growth is coming, so young people in any country must work hard, and it is your duty to get rich. Seeking to get rich is a good mindset and can also bring peace.
【Biography】
Masago Arai was born in 1945. He is currently the governor of Nara Prefecture, Japan, and has been re-elected three times. Previously, he served as Head of the Japan Security Agency, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Culture, Education, Sciences, and Political Affairs of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Since becoming governor of Nara Prefecture in 2007, he has worked to expand exchanges between Nara and many places in the fields of culture, tourism, academia, and youth in foreign relations.