The Nara period is one of the epoch divisions of Japanese history, and the era when the capital was located in Heijo-kyo (now Nara City, Nara Prefecture) is also known as the Heisei Period. According to the era distinction of the era name, it is considered to be the balance era. This was the period when Japanese Buddhism aimed to protect the country, and the balance culture blossomed.
I. Overview
Broadly speaking, it was 84 years from the time emperor Yuan Ming moved the capital to Pingchengjing in 710 (and 3 years of the copper calendar) to the time when Emperor Huanwu moved the capital to Heian Kyo in 794 (the 13th year of the Yan calendar). In a narrow sense, it is also 74 years from 710 to 784 (the 3rd year of the Yan calendar) when Emperor Huanwu moved the capital to Nagaoka kyo.
Because Kyoto is located in Heijo-kyo, which is known as the "Capital of Nara", it is called the "Nara Period" or "Heijo Period". Between 740 and 745, Emperor Seimu briefly moved the capital to Kyojin-kyo (Kizugawa, Kyoto Prefecture), Namba-kyo (Osaka- City, Osaka Prefecture), and ShiikaraKu-gu (Shiga Prefecture, Kaga City, Shiga Prefecture).
Characteristics of the times
Fujiwara Nobitsu (Kikuchi Eisai painting, Meiji era)
Fujiwara Nobi and others played an important role in moving the capital to Heijo-kyo. Pingchengjing was built in imitation of the Chinese capital Chang'an. It is a political city where politicians and bureaucrats make up the majority of its inhabitants.
The Great Treasure Ordinance, which was written and implemented before the relocation of the capital to Heijo-kyo, was changed in many ways to meet the actual conditions in Japan, and after repeated experiments, it was an era when the goal was to be an authoritarian state centered on the law state and the emperor, and centralized power. At the same time, it is also an era of vigorous development of balance culture.
In 710, the capital was moved to Pingchengjing. During this period, the state was ordered to control the people through household registration and accounting, and to stipulate rent, mediocrity, and conciliation of military service. Envoys to the Tang Dynasty were dispatched many times, and mainland cultural relics, including the Tang Dynasty, were introduced. Kokubun-ji temples were established throughout the country, and the Buddhist tianping culture flourished. The oldest surviving historical books and literature, such as the Kojiki, the Nihon Shoki, and the ManyoShu, have appeared. In this era, there were many political struggles in the central government, and there were constant wars with Ezo in the northeast region.
It is ideal that the throne should be inherited by the direct descendants of Emperor Tenmu and Emperor Shōgun, and intermarriage between close relatives has recurred from the point of view of maintaining the emperor's sanctity. As a result, most of the emperors of Emperor Tenmu and emperors who held the throne were frail and sick, and died prematurely. This instability of succession to the throne by the descendants of Tianwu and Zhitong directly led to various political struggles in the 8th century, which eventually led to the severance and self-destruction of Tianwu and Zhitong's direct lineage.
Politically, the capital was moved to Heijo-kyo in 710 to the early period in 729, and the fujiwara four brothers monopolized power until 764 (8 years of Tenpō Hoji) Andihara Nakamaru Rebellion was the middle period, which could be subdivided into the later period after the reign of Emperor Toku and Michikyō.
2. The completion of the Legal State and its transformation
In the first half of the Nara period, prince Shibu and others wrote that the Daiho Ordinance, which was completed and implemented in 701 (the first year of the Daiho Dynasty), was the Basic Law.
In 718 (2 years of pension), Fujiwara Nobi and others re-selected the pension law. Mainly to revise the words and sentences, etc., it is basically based on the Great Treasure Law, but its implementation is relatively late, under the leadership of Fujiwara Nakamaru in 757 (the 9th year of the Tenpyeong Treasure Character).
The power of the Emperor under the legal system
During the Nara period, the Emperor of Japan lived through the 38th to 50th generations. The Emperor under the Legal System has the following powers.
Abolish the power of the nobility and officials to hold official positions and ranks, the power to appoint foreign officials, the power to grant and appoint officials, all the powers of command and order over the Five Guards and the soldiers of the Legion, the right to pardon and amnesty in the law of criminal law, the use of edicts against foreign emissaries and emissaries sent to foreign countries, and the right to decide on the succession to the throne.
Around 762 (the 6th year of the Tianping Baozi), The Three Ships of Tamkai compiled the Hanfeng Titles of the emperors of previous dynasties. From this, it is believed that the "Emperor" was created in the era of Emperor Tenchi or Emperor Tenmu (7th century), and traces it back to the previous posthumous name.
Central bureaucracy, taxation and local administrative organization
Through the formulation of the Great Treasure Law, a law system of the state was formed. The central bureaucracy consisted of the Two Officials and Eight Provinces, the Bomb Zhengtai, and the Five Guards Province. The local administrative organization is unified by the state, the county and the country. Li was later called a township. In addition, kiuchi is divided into seven provinces, namely Tokaido, Higashiyama Province, Hokurikudo, Yamanami province, Sanyo Province, Nankaido, and Saikaido, and is divided between 66 countries and Iki Island and Tsushima Island. The Legion was deployed in various countries and placed under the jurisdiction of the National Division. In addition, the system of public land citizenship under which Tian Yo Min belongs to the state was introduced, and ban tian was issued according to household registration. Taxes consist of rent-to-rent and miscellaneous services.
In 742 (The 14th year of The balance), the Ōzaifu was abolished. The following year, ZhenxiFu was established in Chikushi, and in 745 (The 17th year of Tenpyeong) Dazaifu was restored.
In the tohoku region, Taga Castle and the Dewa Fence were set up, and the conquest, development, and relocation of Ezo were promoted.
Agricultural land expansion policies and laws of the state
The law decreed that the state needed stable tax revenues in order to maintain a highly systematic bureaucratic organization. On the other hand, in japan's bantian acceptance law, there is no clear provision on the determination of reclaimed land. Therefore, the imperial court, centered on King Nagaya, formulated a plan for the reclamation of Ryota Million Towns in 722 (6 years old), and in 723 (7 years old) implemented the 3rd Generations Law to promote the reclamation of fields. The law stipulates that the construction of new irrigation facilities, the cultivation of farmland between three generations, the use of the original pond ditch is limited to one generation, allowing the ownership of reclamation.
The peasants' desire to reclaim the land did not increase, and the reclamation did not make the expected progress, and in 743 (the 15th year of Tianping), the Tachibana brothers' regime implemented the "Private Property Law of the Reclamation of The Land forever" with the purpose of further promoting the reclamation of the land. This is an application to the Kokuji Division, obtaining a reclamation permit, and if it is reclaimed within a certain period of time, the permanent ownership of the land within a certain limit.
Although these two decrees had the character of overthrowing the foundations of the commons citizenship system, it was also true that their motivation was to rebuild the legal system by securing Ban tian (Kou Fen Tian). Land ownership by nobles, nobles, monasteries, and shrines that had the money to reclaim land continued to increase since then. In particular, the great nobles and monasteries enclosed vast tracts of land, employed ordinary peasants and tramps, and expanded private land. This is the origin of the manor, and because it is accompanied by tax obligations, it is mainly the thing that mainly loses the rent, and is called the early manor (reclamation land system manor).
Third, the construction of Pingcheng Jing and the same Kaijue
In the second year of Emperor Yuanming's reign, in the first month of 708 (Gyeongun 5), the yuan was changed to "Wasong Copper" in the form of tribute to natural copper in Musashi Province, and in February of the following year, currency and capital were minted. On February 11, the Department of Money Minting was established to be in charge of minting money, and on February 15, an edict was issued to move the capital to Pingcheng.
Pingcheng moved the capital with the surname of Tachibana
According to the Edict of The Relocation of the Capital of Pingcheng, the new capital is "Fang Jin, the land of Pingcheng, the four birds and leaves...", "the corresponding place of the four gods". Fujiwara Kyo is located on terrain that slopes from south to north. Fujiwara Palace is located in a lower location than the place where the courtiers live, and the places overlooked by the courtiers are also considered to be avoided, and as a real problem, poor drainage has become a difficult point.
But not only that, Fujiwara Kyo was built during a period when communication with the Tang Dynasty was severed, so it is believed to have been designed according to the ancient book (Zhou Li), which is unprecedented compared to the Chinese capital at that time.
In fact, these problems were only clarified after the Tang Dynasty, who returned to China more than 30 years later, made Awata Makoto participate in the government. At the same time, the culture and national strength of the Tang Dynasty, the great appearance and prosperity of the capital Chang'an, etc., the gap between Fujiwara Kyo and Chang'an was so large that it was considered to be the main reason for the decision to move the capital.
The foundation of this was the construction of a magnificent capital city, and foreign envoys and the people of the frontier such as Ezo and Hayato not only demonstrated the virtues of the emperor to the local nobles and people, but also aimed at the small "Chinese Empire" of Dongyi while establishing centralized rule in the country.
In September, Emperor Yuanming personally inspected Pingcheng and appointed 17 people, including the chief of the Heijo Kyo Division. In October, an emissary was sent to Ise Jingu Shrine to inform shintostem, and in November, grain and cloth were distributed to houses that had been forcibly relocated due to the reservation of Heijo Shrine, and in December, the prefectural festival was held to start construction.
In this year (and the year of the Copper Yuan), Fujiwara Fujiwara, who led the relocation of the capital, was promoted to the rank of Shoji and Right Minister, and inuyasha Michiyo, the wife of Inuyasha, was given the surname "Tachibana Suyu" along with the pearl on the wine glass at the Great Tasting Festival of the Female Emperor. In the case of place names and job-related names in general, it is rare to name them after plants, and the princes she gave birth to took the name of orange as the name, becoming the de facto ancestor of the orange clan. In addition, King Katsuragi, who was thus renamed Tachibana Brothers, and Hikariko (Hikari Empress), who later became empress, were half-siblings of Michiyo's mother.
The restored Heijo Palace Grand Pole Hall
The construction of Heijo-kyo was completed in a very short period of time. The capital was moved to Pingcheng in March of the 3rd year (710) after the start of the project, and the reason why most of the buildings, including the temple, were moved from Fujiwara-kyo. According to recent understanding, the size of the new capital Heihei Castle Kyo is almost indistinguishable from the old capital Fujiwara Kyo, but the size of Fujiwara Kyo is larger, only about a quarter compared with Chang'an Castle.
Heisei Kyo is characterized by the setting of the "Outer Kyo", which protrudes from the left kyo, which is not completely rectangular. Instead, "Waikyo" became the center street of nara city today. The buildings located in Heijo-kyo have not only Tang-style buildings, but also many high-floor buildings with excavated columns, and the roof is a traditional Japanese building with a cypress roof since the previous generation.
and Tong Kai jue and the deposit of money to claim the throne
and the same Kaijue silver money
and the same kaiju copper coin
Although the construction of the capital was advanced in a short period of time, the minting of money was also very fast. In February 708, the minting of money began, in May of the same year began to issue and Tongkaiju silver coins, and in August began to issue copper coins. Silver coins were issued earlier, and are thought to be due to the tradition of silver as a flat weight currency.
Just as Heijo Kyo was the development form of Fujiwara Kyo during the reign of Emperor Tong, he was also a form of development of rich money, and it was also a coin that imitated the Tang Dynasty.
Coins were used to pay for the construction of the palace, such as money paid to people working in the construction of the new capital. In order to make it circulate, the government issued a decree on the use of money in October of the 4th year of Hetong (711), stipulating that those who saved a certain amount of money could obtain rank.
Outside of the region centered on Kyo and Kiuchi, the exchange of rice and cloth as goods currency is widely carried out.
The deposit of money is an official system, which leads to the death of the currency and hinders the smooth progress of currency exchange.
After that, the government continued to mint copper coins, and by the time of the Qianyuan Dabao in the 10th century, the state had minted copper coins 12 times. This is known as the "Twelve Dollars of the Dynasty".
On the other hand, the same as the hetong Kaiju minting and copper first year (708) issued a ban on private minting of money. In order to prevent officials from creating privately minted money for the purpose of obtaining ranks, those who make privately minted money are punished with deprivation of official positions and "beheading" (capital punishment of beheading).
Political struggle and the shaking of imperial power
The Change of The Longhouse King and the Establishment of the Bright Son
At the beginning of this era, Fujiwara Bubi, the son of Nakato kamakura, appeared and took power, working on the establishment of the legal system, while also approaching the imperial family, laying the foundation for the development of the Fujiwara clan.
He was ruled by Prince Takashi and grandson of Emperor Tenmu. He was promoted to the position of Right Minister, a powerful and powerful man, but before and after, the wandering and flight of peasants who had suffered from burdens increased, and social instability became more and more obvious, and the government, in order to ensure financial resources, implemented the Three-Life Law in 723 (7 years of old age) to encourage reclamation.
Beginning with the ascension to the throne in 724 (the first year of the Kamikaze), the fujiwara brothers of Fujiwara Miyako, who was mother to Fujiwara Miyako, his daughter Fujiwara, entered politics.
In 729 (the 6th year of the Kamikaze), the fujiwara brothers slandered The Nagaya King, who had been promoted to the position of Left Minister, by "tilting (killing) the state (the Emperor) with the Left Way", forcing him to commit suicide (the change of the Nagaya King), and eventually gaining power. After the "change", the Fujiwara clan succeeded in making Hikariko, the daughter of no match, the first empress of her vassals (Empress Guangming).
The Tachibana Brothers regime and Emperor Shomu
After the fujiwara brothers died in 737 (9th year of Tenpyeong) due to the popularity of smallpox, the imperial Tachibana brothers had Shimomichi Makoto (later Yoshibei Makoto) and the monk Xuanfang participate in the planning and take power. In 740 (12th year of The balance), Hiroshi Fujiwara, the eldest son of Uwai, raised an army in Kyushu in the name of removing Makoto and others, but was defeated and died (Fujiwara Hiroseki Rebellion). This rebellion caused serious destabilization in the central government, and Emperor Seimu traveled to Kyohito on the back of the mountain, Namba in Settsu, and Shikaraku in Omi. The successive construction projects caused by the relocation of the capital have shaken people's hearts and minds, and coupled with the continuous plague and natural disasters, social unrest has increased.
Todaiji Temple (National Treasure)
Todaiji Temple: Lushena Buddha (National Treasure)
Emperor Shengmu, who had always believed in Buddhism, issued an edict establishing Kokubun-ji temple in 741 (Tenpyeong 13) and an edict establishing the Great Buddha of Lushena in 743 (Tenpyeong 15) in order to quell social unrest. As a result, the Great Buddha of Todaiji Temple was formed, which was completed in 752 (the 4th year of Tenpyeong Katsuho), and a grand eye-opening offering was held with the presence of the female emperor Xiaoqian and Emperor Shōmu Taishang.
The growth of the Nakamaru regime
Not long ago, Empress Guangming gained the trust of Fujiwara Nakamaru (a child of Takechi Maru) of the Fujiwara Nan family, organized the Ziwei Nakadai, seized real power from the Tachibana brothers in 755 (7 years of Tenpō Katsuho), and excluded the brothers' son Tachibana Nara Maru from the Tachibana Mari in 757 (the first year of the Tenpyeong Treasure Character).
Nakamaru held dictatorial power and installed Emperor Junjin as a puppet. After changing his name to Tang Feng Huimei and promoting Chinese style politics based on Confucianism, this time the monk Dao mirror, which was favored by Emperor Xiaoqian, began to emerge. In order to get rid of the Dokō, Shimasa launched a rebellion in 764 (Tenpō Hoji 8) and was defeated and died (Fujiwara Nakamaru Rebellion). As a result, Emperor Junhito was deposed and exiled to Awaji.
Usa Hachiman Shinjo Incident Emperor Kazumihito
Daojing became a Zen master of the Taizheng Chancellor in 765 (the first year of the Tianping Shen protector), and became the pope in 766 (the second year of the Tianping Shenmu). Appoint a clan or confidant monk as a high-ranking official, show power, build a large temple and a million pagodas, etc., in an attempt to stabilize the regime through Buddhism.
Emperor Tokuku (reinstated by Emperor Takaaki) and Dokō issued an oracle to Usa Hachimangu, intending to make Dokyō the heir to the throne, but in 770 (the first year of The Takakame), Emperor Tokugawa stepped down after his death (the Usa Hachimangu Shinto Incident) with the obstruction of Fujiwara Hyakugawa and Kazuki Kiyomaru.
Fujiwara Nagato of the Fujiwara Kita family, who supported Emperor Mitsuhito, and Fujiwara Ryoji, Hyakukawa, and others of the Fujiwara style family jumped forward.
Emperor Mitsuhito is not a descendant of the previous Emperor Tenmu, but a descendant of Emperor Tenchi. Emperor Mitsuhito cut down officials, worked on fiscal austerity, strictly supervised the Kokuji and County Divisions, and sought to straighten out local politics. However, in 780 (11 Years of Takakame), the Iji-Maru Rebellion in Mutsu Kingdom increased resistance in the Tohoku region.
From Nagaoka Kyo to Heian Kyo
In 784 (the 3rd year of the Enneagram), Emperor Huanmu built a new capital (Nagaoka Kyo) on the land of Nagaoka in the yamagata kingdom, but the head of the project, Fujiwara Uzumaki, was assassinated. After the arrest of Emperor Huanwu's younger brother Prince Hayayoshi, a new capital was built in 794 (13th year of the Ennari calendar). Changed the mountain back country to a mountain castle state, named the new capital Heian Kyo and moved the capital. After the capital was moved, the era known as the Nara period came to an end and the Heian period began.
5. Balance culture
The government sent students and monks to study in the Tang Dynasty and introduced various cultural relics. In addition, exchanges with the Korean Peninsula are also frequent. These trading objects can also be glimpsed in the treasures of shosoin. In 716 (linggui 2), Abe Nakamaru (who died in the Tang Dynasty), Jibei Zhenbei, and monk Xuanfang studied in the Tang Dynasty. They brought a wide variety of cultures to the archipelago at that time.
Compilation of the Chronicle of Customs and the Manyo Collection
The Ancient Chronicle, completed in 712 (and the 5th year of copper), is based on the Imperial Chronicle and the Old Dictionary circulated by the court, and is recited by Emperor Tianwu Andian Ari, and is recorded by Emperor Tai'an Wanlu during the reign of Emperor Yuanming. From myths and legends to the story of Emperor Tuigu, many songs are included. Verbal Japanese is marked with the sound and training of Kanji.
In contrast, in 714 (and the 7th year of the Copper Year), Kiyoshito Miyake Fujimaru compiled a history of the country, compiling the history from the Shindai to the Emperor with Prince Shōjin as the center, and in 720 (4 years of retirement), he wrote the 30 volumes of the Nihon Shoki and 1 volume of the Series Chart. This is a genre that imitates Chinese history books, recorded in Chinese chronicles. Thereafter, until the Records of the Three Dynasties of Japan, the Han Dynasty was compiled into the "History of the Six Kingdoms", collectively known as the "History of the Six Kingdoms", and the Nihon Shoki was the first of them.
In 713 (and the year of copper 3), the government ordered countries to compile the Terroirs. This is a geographical record that includes the products of the countryside, the nature of mountains and rivers, or their origins, old legends, etc. In addition to the "Izumo Kingdom Terroir" that has been handed down almost completely, some of the terroir records of the Tokiriku, Bunmo, Bungo, and Hizen Kingdoms have each survived. This is a precious document that shows the appearance of ancient places.
In terms of literature and art, in 751 (the third year of Tenpyeong Katsuho), he edited the oldest surviving collection of Chinese poetry, "HuaiFengzao", which includes works by Prince Otomo, Prince Otsu, Emperor Bunmu, Ande King Nagaya, and others from the second half of the 7th century. Mifune Tamkai and Ishigami Izakami were the most representative Han poetry literati of the mid-Nara period, and it is speculated that one of them was involved in the editing of the "Wai Feng Zao", but there is no conclusive evidence.
In the world of waka, singers such as Yoshira Yamagami, Akato Yamabe, Otoko Ieyasu, and Otoshi Sakagami appeared successively from the Waka period to the Balance Period. The Manyo Collection is a collection of about 4,500 songs up to 759 (Tenbō Hoji 3), interspersed with songs by Emperor Shōryō. In the Asuka era after Emperor Shumei and Emperor Tuigu, many works of Japanese songs, famous singers, court works, not only Togaku songs and defensive songs, but also works expressing the simple feelings of local peasants were also included. And there are a lot of great songs in it. The use of Manyo kana, which skillfully combines the sounds and precepts of Kanji to write Japanese, is also a major feature.
Buddhism flourishes
Restoration model of the Great Buddha Hall at the time of the creation of Todaiji Temple
Japanese Buddhism in the Nara period, combined with the idea of protecting the country, gradually developed under the protection of the state, and festivals and prayers held to protect the country were very popular.
The government built a large temple in Heijo-kyo, and in 741 (Tenpyeong 13), Emperor Seimu issued an edict to the whole country, ordering the establishment of a kokubun-monastic temple and a nun's temple throughout the country. In addition, As the founder of the mountain, Liang Ben built today's temple. In 743 (Balance 15), he vowed to build a golden bronze statue of The Buddha (the Great Buddha) and prayed for the peace of the country. The construction of the Big Buddha began at the Purple Xiangle Palace.
In 752 (Tenpyeong Katsuho 4), Emperor Shōmu Taishang, Empress Dowager Guangming, and Emperor Hyohon, daughter of Shōmu, who had abdicated and abdicated, went to Todai-ji Temple to open the eyes of the Great Buddha. Emperor Takaaki then established The Great Temple.
Monks study Buddhist teachings at the Seven Great Temples of Nandu (Daan Temple, Yakushi Temple, Wongheung-ji Temple, Kofuku-ji Temple, Todai-ji Temple, Nishidai-ji Temple, and Horyu-ji Temple). The Nandu Six Sects (Sanjing Sect, Chengshi Sect, Dharma Xiang Sect, Jushe Sect, Huayan Sect, and Vinaya Sect) were formed. Large-scale copying of scriptures is also underway, especially the work of copying all the sutras vowed by the Empress of Light, which is a great undertaking with the creation of the Great Buddha and the construction of the Kokubun Temple.
Daanji Main Hall (National Treasure)
Yakushi Temple: East Pagoda and West Pagoda (National Treasure)
The main hall of Elysium (National Treasure)
Kofuku-ji Temple: Five-Storied Pagoda and Dongjin Hall (National Treasure)
Horyuji Temple (National Treasure)
Saidaiji Temple (National Treasure)
Toshodai-ji Temple (National Treasure)
"Statue of a True Monk" placed in Tang Zhaoti Temple (National Treasure)
The development of Buddhism was largely due to the efforts of scholarly monks such as Daoci (Sanjingzong) and Xuanfang (Dharma Xiangzong), who studied with the Tang envoys.
In January 754 (the 6th year of Tianping Shengbao), the sixth voyage arrived in Pingchengjing, reciting the precepts and many classic Tang Dynasty monks, the Great Buddha's eye-opening offerings to Bodhi Xianna from India, Bodhi Xianna from the Kingdom of Zhangpa (Linyi) who came to Japan at the same time, Tang Dynasty monks Daoxuan, in addition, the activities of many Silla monks and other monks of foreign origin also played a great role.
On the one hand, the imperial court protected Buddhism as the state religion, and on the other hand, it was strictly controlled by decrees such as the "Monks and Nuns' Order", which restricted the procedures and qualifications for becoming monks and restricted the spread of Buddhism among the people.
However, there are also monks who, like Xingji, violated the ban and preached to the people, and although they were suppressed, they devoted themselves to social undertakings such as irrigation equipment, the installation of preaching houses, and road construction, and received popular support. In the end, the government took a fancy to Xingji's popularity and appointed him to devote himself to the construction of the Great Buddha, and obtained the position of Grand Monk Zheng.
Other figures who have carried out social undertakings include Michiaki (the founder of the Hosho sect), who is said to have built the Uji Bridge by Yuki's teacher, the Empress of Light who set up the Miseda-in Temple and the Shikin-in Temple to help the poor, and the Keira Hiroshi who raised many orphans.
6. Foreign relations
In 618, the Tang Dynasty replaced the Sui Dynasty to unify China, established a large empire, and ruled a vast area of East Asia, which had a huge impact on the surrounding regions. Exchanges with West and Central Asia were also active, and the capital Chang'an prospered as an international city. The first half of Xuanzong's reign is known as the "Reign of Kaiyuan". Neighboring countries also communicated with the Tang Dynasty, sharing Chinese characters, Confucianism, Chinese translation of Buddhism and other cultures, forming an East Asian cultural circle.
Dongyi Small Empire
In Japan's legal state system, the emperor is juxtaposed with the Emperor of China, and like the Tang Dynasty, it has an imperial structure that regards Japan as Chinese. This is the scope of the country's ruling power "within", that is, the distinction between "outside" and the outside, the distinction between the "outside" and the outside, the Tang "neighbors", the Joseon state (in this era, Silla and Bohai), the "Zhubo" Ezo, Hayato, and Austronesians "Yidi" stipulate that it should be called "the small empire of Dongyi".[7][8] Whether this is conceited and targeted after being prescribed as a law, especially whether relations with the Tang Dynasty and the Joseon states are in line with the actual situation, is another question.
Todaiji Shoso-in Temple has many relics related to Emperor Shengmu and Empress Guangming.
Relations with the Tang Dynasty
The Japanese envoys, which began with inuami's Mida shovel in 630, were dispatched almost every 20 years during the Nara period. Among the envoys headed by ambassadors, there were also international students and learned monks, and often about 500 people crossed the sea in four boats.
Although Japan was not enthroned by the Tang Dynasty, it was essentially a tributary state subordinate to the Tang Dynasty. The emissaries attended the pilgrimage of the first month and congratulated the emperor. At that time, there were still many immature aspects of shipbuilding and navigation, and there were many incidents of shipwrecks at sea. The envoys of the Tang Dynasty risked bringing back a large number of books, excellent textiles, silverware, pottery, musical instruments, etc., as well as the advanced political system of the Tang Dynasty and the rich culture of the international color, which brought great influence to Japan at that time. Among them, the greed for knowledge is even more amazing, and the history of the Tang Dynasty records that all the items rewarded by the emperor were sold, and books were purchased at this cost and piled back. Not only cultural relics, but also international students and monks who have mastered knowledge have also returned to Japan to play a guiding role. In particular, Yoshibe Makoto and Genfang, who returned to Japan, were later used by Emperor Shengmu and became active in the political world.
Relationship with Silla
Silla (57 BC – 935 BC) was a country in the southeastern part of the ancient Korean Peninsula. In 503, the official name of the country was "Silla". After the juxtaposition with Goguryeo in the north of the Korean Peninsula and Baekje in the southwest of the peninsula, by the middle of the 7th century, the region south of the central Korean Peninsula was almost unified, becoming the ancestor of the peninsula after Goryeo and Lee Korea. Due to civil unrest and famine, the country's strength weakened, and finally surrendered to Goryeo and perished.
After the Battle of Baekchongang, Silla unified the Korean Peninsula, and at the same time there were many envoys coming and going. However, from the end of the 7th century to the 8th century, during the establishment of the legal system of Japan's "neighboring countries" (Tang, Silla, and Bohai as "Kingdoms"), Chinese consciousness increased, and Silla was regarded as a "kingdom" and as a subordinate state. As a result, there are frequent conflicts (Tamura Round Sumi). Therefore, the route of the Tang envoys was also changed many times.
Silla was at war with the Tang Dynasty over the issue of the reunification of the peninsula, and in order to contain the Tang Dynasty and prevent Japan from side with the Tang Dynasty, Silla continued to send envoys.
Because it was a war with the Tang Dynasty, until the beginning of the 8th century, the form of tribute on the Japanese side was tolerated. After the establishment of the Bohai State, the relationship between Silla and the Tang Dynasty improved. Because there was no need to maintain relations with Japan through tribute, it began to advocate reciprocal diplomacy. Japan has not acknowledged this. After relations between the two countries deteriorated, Silla built a castle (723, Maughwah-gun Castle) in order to prevent the Japanese attack. In order to strengthen its armaments, Japan also set up a thrifty envoy for a time.
In 737, discussions began about the conquest of Silla. During this period, the smallpox epidemic in Japan, the four Fujiwara brothers led by the core figure of politics, Fujiwara Takeshi Maru, and the high-ranking nobles died one after another, and the talent who could participate in politics was sharply reduced, because the country fell into chaos, so it did not become a reality.
In 755, the Anshi Rebellion broke out, and the Tang Dynasty fell into chaos. Fujiwara Nakamaru prepares to launch a war against Silla against the backdrop of strengthening relations with the Bohai state that threatened Silla. (The premise was to fight together with the Bohai state, but it was rejected by the Bohai side.) The war was postponed and eventually failed to materialize due to the fall of Nakamaru. )
Although no such conflict occurred, there was no need for Silla to maintain diplomatic relations at Japan's request to stop sending envoys and ended diplomatic relations in 779.
Disputes were raised with the above claims. As for the Japanese side's request to send the national letter in the form of a vassal title and a table above, Silla did not send the state letter to the king of Silla until the end of the severance of diplomatic relations.
During Silla's pressure from the Tang Dynasty, "Silla envoys" allowed tribute to Japan, but after the middle of the eighth century refused Japanese tribute requests. The king of Silla did not send a single letter of state to Japan, raising questions about whether Silla recognized Japan's tributary system, or whether Silla's envoys were falsely claiming tribute (Hori Minichi) in the area.
In addition, Kawamoto's Jianyuan predates Japan by more than 100 years, and Silla only recognizes tribute to the Chinese emperor. Considering the Chinese consciousness, there are certain problems with the above statement.
On the other hand, Silla was committed to private trade, and the exchanges with Japan were greater in quality than those of the Tang Dynasty, and many of the treasures of the Tang Dynasty and the South collected by Shosoin were now brokered by Silla merchants. By the end of the 8th century, the official dispatch of Silla envoys was interrupted, but the activities of Silla merchants were more active.
Relations with the Bohai State
The so-called Bohai State refers to the country that once existed from the present-day northeast of China to the northern part of the Korean Peninsula and now the coastal areas of Russia. Founded by Da Zuorong, prospered by trade with the surroundings, it was called the "Shengguo of Haidong" (New Book of Tang) by the Tang Dynasty, and finally destroyed by the Khitan (Liao).
In 713, he had close envoy exchanges with the Bohai state, which was founded in northeast China, with the Jingju people as the main body and the old Goguryeo (Hun) people. In order to oppose the Tang Dynasty and Silla, the Bohai state sent Bohai envoys to Japan in 727 (the 4th year of the Divine Turtle) to seek diplomatic relations. Caught between Tang and Silla, coupled with the rebellion of the Black Water Jing dynasty under his rule, and other domestic and foreign crises, as the successor of goguryeo, the "kingdom of Bo", compromised with Japan, which demanded a tribute form, and allowed it to serve as a tributary envoy. In the national book from the Bohai state, the crisis situation in the Bohai country is inversely proportional to the addition and subtraction of sentences that cater to the Japanese or Chinese consciousness.
The Japanese side regarded the Bohai state as the return of Goguryeo, the "kingdom of Bo", welcomed its tribute, and out of its confrontational relationship with Silla, attached great importance to its exchanges with the Bohai state and sent envoys to bohai. Japan, like Silla, required the bohai to send the letter of state in the form of a vassal and a table above (in the form of a petition to the monarch).
Unlike Silla, the Bohai State sent the National Letter to Japan in the form of "Kai". The Bohai State was the first country in Asia to use the "enlightenment" for communication between individuals for official instruments between states. "Qi" is not the form used in the state letter, but a letter asking about the living between individuals, which is consistent with the general purpose of the state letter, and is originally an upward letter, so it expresses a solemn attitude towards the other country. The conversion of this personal correspondence into a national letter is considered to be the wisdom of the Bohai state.
Although Japan has repeatedly criticized the form of "subject to the upper table", the Bohai state has always rejected the form of "subject to the upper table". Eventually, the Japanese also recognized kai as a "convention." There are reports in the "Continuation of japan" that the Bohai state sent the state letter in the form of the above table, but the report only focused on the Treasure Turtle period, and it is believed that the Kai from the Bohai state is regarded as the above table.
After relations with the Tang Dynasty improved, the military role of the Bohai envoys declined, the proportion of trade became heavier, and the frequency of coming to Japan increased. The early Heian period was completely degendited.
In 824, the right minister Fujiwara Ogata even said: "Bohai envoys are merchants, and should not be treated as diplomatic envoys in the future." ”
On the other hand, although the letter sent by Japan to the Bohai Kingdom is in the form of the Emperor's Consolation Edict, it always begins with the same as the one for Silla, "The Emperor Respectfully Asks the King of Bohai" or "The Emperor Respectfully Asks the King of Bohai County.". This format is modeled after China, which is submitted to peer countries or to countries that should be particularly respected. In the final analysis, the idea of bohai and Silla as vassal states was not actually carried out according to Japan's ideas. The vassal relationship between the states was established through the "canonization" of official positions, but there was no canonization relationship between Japan and Silla and Bohai. Such relationships are naturally adopted in a solemn form.
Relationship with hayabusa and the South Island
In southern Kyushu, unique tomb systems such as underground horizontal cave tombs, slab stone sarcophagus tombs (underground slab stone chamber tombs), and earthen tombs appeared in the kofun period, and people in this area were called bear raids in ancient times, and began to be called Hayato in the late 7th century.
Although it was gradually influenced by the Yamato regime from the end of the 5th century onwards, it was still a region under the rule of the law system at the point when the Daiho Law was implemented.
In 699, Sanno Castle and Inaji Castle were built, and the state began to rule against the background of military power. In 709, the tributary system of "Hayato" was introduced, indicating that the imperial court was subjugated by the foreign "Yidi" along with Ezo. It is given an important role in the national liturgy. However, resistance to rule was also very strong, especially in 720, when the newly established Osumi Kingdom was killed seven years earlier. In response, the law government sent a large army with the Great Companion Brigade as a general, and it was not until the following year that it was suppressed (Hayato Rebellion). As a result, the first creation of the book was carried out in 722, after which the Hayato had no organized resistance. However, the Hayato of the Nara period was always the object of tribute, and banda in Osumi and Satsuma was the 800th year of the Heian period (19th year of the Extended Calendar).
On the other hand, from the present-day Southwest Islands, as early as the first half of the 7th century, there were emissaries who "paid tribute" to the Yamato regime.
In 698, the envoy was sent to the South Island. In the second year, Tsugashi (Tanegashima), Hakuhisa (Yakushima), Satomi (Amami Oshima), and Dogan Island (Tokunoshima) came to pay tribute. In 702, The island of Tomi was established as an administrative organization.
The South Island brought specialties such as luminous shellfish and akagi as handicraft materials, and the South Island also brought ironware.
In the ruins of Ōzaifu, a wooden shogun written with the words "Hidemi Island" (Amami Oshima) and "Iran Island" (Okinagarabe Island) was unearthed, and traces of the making of shellfish were found in the ruins of Kominato Haganek in Amami City, Amami Oshima Island. By the 9th century, as in the case of "there is no enemy without a state, and there is no gain in the loss", the concern for the legal state gradually faded.
Relationship with Ezo
From the perspective of the successive central governments beginning with the Yamato court in Japan, Ezo is the name given to the people who lived in the eastern part of the Japanese archipelago (present-day Kanto and Tohoku regions of Japan) and the north (present-day Birchta and Hokkaido).
There are still various theories about what kind of people the people known in history are, but in any case, for the legal state based on Chinese thought, it is only "the concept of external people under their own control."
An expedition by Abebirov and others in the mid-7th century. To the areas of present-day Akita and Tsugaru, as well as to its north. However, in the early 8th century, only the present-day Shonai prefecture of Yamagata Prefecture and the south of central Miyagi Prefecture were stablely incorporated into the Vinaya Prefecture. At that time, castles and fences (known as the facilities of the castle fence officials) were built, and the inhabitants of the surrounding areas known as the fence households immigrated here from the Kanto and Hokuriku regions to cultivate here.
The ruins of Koriyama (Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture) are considered to be the central official ya at that time. Before and after moving the capital to Pingcheng, the government adopted a rapid expansion policy. In 708, dewa county was established in Echigo Province, and in 712, It was established as a feather country. He also transferred the people of the countries of Donghae and Dongshan Province to the city gate. Used for farming and defense.
In contrast, Ezo rebelled in 709 and 720, and in 720 Mutsu was killed by Hiroto Kami-Maono. The government sent large armies to suppress it, built new counties and fences, and built Taga Castle as the overall facility.
On the other hand, on the sea side of the Sea of Japan, in 733 the Izuba Gate was moved to the present city of Akita (later Akita Castle).
Later, the government appointed the head of Ezo as the county chief, and indirectly ruled over the tribal groups. In addition, individual subjects were taken prisoner and emigrated to the nations. In this way, the southern part of the northeast region was gradually incorporated into the legal system, while the northern part of the northeast region remained outside the domination of the legal state. However, cultural and economic exchanges continued, and the last kofun of the Ruben culture, which was influenced by the Izuwa area kofun, was built, and wakaeju was also unearthed in Keiting City.
The Fujiwara Nakamaru regime also actively pursued a policy toward Ezo. In 757 (the first year of the Tenpyeong Treasure Character), Nakamaru's son Asahi became Mutsumori and built Momo castle and Yukatsu Castle on land outside the new power.
In addition, in 762, Taga Castle was renovated to transform it into a magnificent facility suitable for entertaining Ezo. In 774 (the 5th year of The Treasure Turtle), Momoi Castle was attacked by Ezo and abandoned.
In 780 (11 years of Takakame), Mutsu Iji killed the envoy Kihiro jun and set fire to Taga Castle. From then on, we entered an endless war known as the Thirty-Eight Years' War. The war did not end in the Nara period until the appearance of Sakaidamura Maru. Later, the Ezo War, which Fujiwara Osamu accused of being "caused by the military today," "played a great role in strengthening the emperor's political authority."
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