Envoy to Silla - Kenshiragishi

In ancient times, official envoys were sent from the Japanese government to Silla. Records show that there were 46 envoys sent from 571 (the 32nd year of Emperor Kinmei's reign) until 882 (the 6th year of the Gangei era).

When Geumgwan (Southern Gara), the central power of the Kara states in southern Korea, submitted to Silla in 532 and Anna in 562, Japan's Yamato government continued the previous era's policy of promoting Mimana, engaging in diplomatic negotiations through envoys, demanding tribute from Silla, and taking strong measures such as planning an expeditionary force.

In 646 (the second year of the Taika era), the government of the Kōtoku era shifted to an equidistance diplomacy with East Asia, including Silla, but diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea were interrupted by the Battle of Baekgang in 663. In 668 (the seventh year of Emperor Tenchi), diplomatic relations were restored and envoys were frequently exchanged, but at that time there had been a 30-year gap in relations between Japan and the Tang Dynasty, so in addition to students and monks from the Tang Dynasty passing through Silla, there were also many students and monks who went to Silla, and the direct impact of the envoys to Silla and their envoys on Japan's politics, systems, and culture as it worked to complete its ancient nation-state status was enormous.

In the 720s, at the start of the Nara period, Bohai, north of Silla, established diplomatic relations with Japan. As Silla, like Japan's ruling class, began to feel more and more Chinese, diplomatic relations between Japan and Korea cooled. From 759 (Tenpyo Hoji 3), Japan partnered with Bohai and attempted to attack Silla, but envoys sent to Silla were frequently rejected by Silla from 753 (Tenpyo Shoho 5). The last official exchange between the two countries was in 779 (Hoki 10), when envoys from both countries traveled back and forth to send Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty. However, documents and treasures in the Shosoin Repository attest to the fact that a large amount of Silla culture and artifacts were brought to Japan during this time.

[Yasutami Suzuki]

"The Background of Tenpyo Culture" by Yasutami Suzuki (included in "Japanese History 1: Ancient Times", 1977, Yuhikaku Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代、日本の政権から新羅に派遣された公式の使節。記録に明らかな使節は、欽明(きんめい)朝の571年（欽明天皇32）以降に限ると、882年（元慶6）まで46回を数える。

　朝鮮南部の加羅(から)諸国の中心勢力である金官(きんかん)（南加羅）が532年、安羅(あんら)が562年、新羅に服属すると、日本の大和(やまと)政権は前代以来の対任那(みまな)政策を継承して、使節による外交折衝を展開し、新羅の「朝貢」を要求し、征討軍を計画するなど強硬策をとった。

　646年（大化2）孝徳(こうとく)朝の政権は新羅を含む東アジアの等距離外交に転じたが、663年百済(くだら)の役（白村江(はくそんこう)の戦い）によって日羅間の外交は中断した。668年（天智天皇7）国交を回復し、頻繁に使節を交換しあったが、当時、日本と唐との関係は30年間空白であったので、唐留学生・僧が新羅を通ったほか、新羅への留学生・僧も多く、古代国家の完成に向かう日本の政治、制度、文化などに直接与えた遣新羅使および新羅使節の影響はきわめて大きいものがある。

　奈良時代に入った720年代、新羅北方の渤海(ぼっかい)が日本と国交を結び、新羅も日本の支配層と同様に中華意識を強めるようになると、日羅の国交は冷却した状態を生じた。759年（天平宝字3）から日本は渤海と提携して新羅征討を企てたが、遣新羅使も753年（天平勝宝5）以降しばしば新羅に拒絶された。779年（宝亀10）日本の遣唐使の送付のために両国使節が往来したのを最後に実質的な公的交渉は終わった。しかしこの間、日本に新羅の文化・文物が多数もたらされたことは正倉院の文書や宝物に証される。

［鈴木靖民］

『鈴木靖民著「天平文化の背景」（『日本史1　古代』所収・1977・有斐閣新書）』

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