Envoys to the Sui Dynasty

In the early 7th century, when Prince Shotoku was regent, Japan sent official envoys to the Sui dynasty (581-618). Starting in 600, there were six envoys sent around the time up until 614. However, two envoys sent in 600 (8th year of Empress Suiko, 20th year of Kaihuang of Sui) and 610 (18th year of Empress Suiko, 6th year of Daye of Sui) are not recorded in the Nihon Shoki, but are recorded in the Toiden and Yangdi Chronicles in the Sui Shu, respectively, which has led to many doubts about the historical accuracy of the envoys, and there are also theories that there were three, four, or five envoys sent. Also, the document states that the envoy sent in 600 was "surnamed Amei, written as Tarishihiko," and there have been various theories about who this person was. Some say that it is a confusion between Empress Suiko and Emperor Jomei (Emperor Okinagatarashihihironukanosumeramikoto), others say that it is a confusion between Empress Suiko and Ono no Imoko, who descended from Emperor Kōshō's son, Ame no Tarashihiko Kunioshihito no Mikoto, or that it was Prince Shotoku. However, "Tarishihiko" is a term that generally refers to emperors at that time, and considering the achievements of the prince, it seems appropriate to interpret it as Prince Shotoku.

In 607 (the 15th year of the reign of Empress Suiko, the 3rd year of the Daye era of the Sui Dynasty), Dairai Ono no Imoko and others were sent as envoys, accompanied by several dozen monks with the purpose of learning Buddhism, but the letter of the Emperor that was submitted read, "The Emperor of the land where the sun rises sends a letter to the Emperor of the land where the sun sets. Are you well?", which was written in a manner of equal courtesy to the Sui Dynasty, and this is said to have angered Emperor Yang, who said, "There are some letters from barbarians that are disrespectful, so we should not listen to them again." The following year, 608, Imoko returned to Japan with Sui envoy Wenlin Lang Pei Shiqing, and in the same year, he traveled to Sui again as an envoy. At this time, Takamuko no Kuromaro, Somin, Minamibuchi no Shoan and others accompanied him as students and scholars. For over twenty years, they worked to acquire new knowledge about the systems and cultural artifacts of the Sui and Tang dynasties, and after returning home, they contributed to the development of Japanese culture and political reform.

The last Japanese envoy to the Sui Dynasty was sent in 614 by Inugami Mitasuki and his companions, but this mission was continued by Japanese envoys to the Tang Dynasty.

[Yasutami Suzuki]

"A Basic Study of the Japanese Envoys to the Sui Dynasty, by Yoshitane Sakamoto (included in "Ancient Japanese State and Religion, Vol. 2", 1980, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

7世紀初頭、聖徳太子(しょうとくたいし)が摂政(せっしょう)のとき、日本から隋（581～618）に派遣された公式の使節。600年に始まり614年まで前後6回に及ぶ。ただし、600年（推古天皇8、隋の開皇20）と610年（推古天皇18、隋の大業6）の2回の使節派遣などは『日本書紀』にその記載がなく、それぞれ『隋書(ずいしょ)』東夷伝(とういでん)・煬帝紀(ようだいき)に記されており、遣使の史実性に疑義がもたれている例が多く、ほかに3回説、4回説、5回説がある。また、600年の遣使は「姓は阿毎(あめ)、字(あざな)は多利思比孤(たりしひこ)」が使者を派遣したとあり、この人物をだれに比定するかについて従来より諸説がある。すなわち推古天皇(すいこてんのう)と舒明天皇(じょめいてんのう)（息長足日広額天皇(おきながたらしひひろぬかのすめらみこと)）とを混同したとする説、小野妹子(おののいもこ)が孝昭天皇(こうしょうてんのう)の皇子天帯彦国押人命(あめのたらしひこくにおしひとのみこと)を出自とするということからそれと推古天皇との混同説、あるいは聖徳太子とする説などがある。しかし「タリシヒコ」は当時の天皇一般を表す語で、太子の事績などからやはり聖徳太子と解するのが妥当であろう。

　607年（推古天皇15、隋の大業3）の遣使には大礼(だいらい)小野妹子らが派遣され、このときは仏法を習得することを目的として沙門(しゃもん)数十人も同行したが、提出した天皇の国書に「日出ずる処(ところ)の天子、書を日没する処の天子に致す、恙(つつが)無きや云々」と、隋と対等の礼で書かれてあったために「蛮夷(ばんい)の書、無礼なる者有り、復(ま)たもって聞する勿(なか)れ」と煬帝を怒らせたという。翌608年、妹子は隋使文林郎裴世清(ぶんりんろうはいせいせい)とともに帰国、同年再度使節として渡隋。このとき、高向玄理(たかむこのくろまろ)、僧旻(そうみん)、南淵請安(みなみぶちのしょうあん)らが留学生(りゅうがくしょう)、学問僧として同行した。彼らは二十数年間にわたり隋唐の制度・文物についての新知識の習得に努め、帰国後、日本の文化の発達や政治改革等に貢献した。

　遣隋使は614年の犬上御田鍬（耜）(いぬがみのみたすき)らの派遣を最後とするが、この事業は遣唐使に継承されていくことになる。

［鈴木靖民］

『坂元義種著『遣隋使の基礎的考察』（『日本古代の国家と宗教　下』所収・1980・吉川弘文館）』

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