Invasion of the Toi

An incident of invasion by foreign enemies in the mid-Heian period. Toi means barbarians in Korean, but in Japan it refers to the Jurchen people who lived in the Primorsky region. In March 1019 (3rd year of Kannin), the Jurchen attacked Goryeo in over 50 ships, invading Iki and Tsushima, then invading Ito District in Chikuzen Province (Fukuoka Prefecture), and plundering Shima and Sawara Districts. In Iki, many people, including the governor Fujiwara Masatada, were killed or captured, and it is reported that only 35 people remained. The size of the pirate ships was 12 to 8.9 fathoms. Each ship had 30 to 40 yds. The number of crew members on each ship was 30-40 or 50-60. 10-20 troops, each with a bow and arrow and a shield, would land and race across the mountains and fields, slaughtering and eating horses and cattle, killing captured elderly and children, driving adult soldiers back into the ships, burning houses, and stealing grain. Over 400 people were killed and over 1,000 were captured. In response to this, Fujiwara Takaie, the then-Gonsochi (commander-in-chief) of Dazaifu, took the lead, sending messengers to Kyoto to report the situation, while dispatching Dazaifu officials to the guardhouse to defend the country. The bandits failed in their attempt to burn down the guard post, and their attempt to burn down Hakozaki Shrine was also repelled, and thanks to the valiant fighting of the local residents, they retreated from the waters near Japan about one week after the invasion of Tsushima. The bandits were repelled thanks to the efforts of the government officials under Takaie and the local brave warriors, but the Imperial Court did not seem to be very keen on awarding rewards based on merit, as the fighting had ended before an order was issued to give rewards to those with outstanding military merit. The deployment of government officials and the fighting activities of the local residents during the defensive process are known, and through this incident we can learn about the true state of the military system in the mid-Heian period.

[Morita Tei]

"The Aristocracy of the Dynasty" by Naotsugu Tsuchida (1965, Chuokoron-Shinsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の外敵侵入事件。刀伊とは朝鮮語で夷狄(いてき)のことであるが、日本では沿海州地方に住んでいた女真(じょしん)族をさす。1019年（寛仁3）3月高麗(こうらい)を襲った女真人が50艘(そう)余の船に分乗し、壱岐(いき)、対馬(つしま)に襲来し、ついで筑前(ちくぜん)国（福岡県）怡土(いと)郡を侵し、志麻(しま)郡、早良(さわら)郡を略奪した。壱岐では守(かみ)藤原理忠(まさただ)以下多数が殺害されたり捕らえられて、残る者わずか35人と報告されている。賊船の大きさは12尋(ひろ)ないし8.9尋。一船に檝(かじ)30～40。乗船員数は一艘につき30～40ないし50～60。弓矢をもつ者と盾をもつ者とが組んで一隊となり、10～20隊もが上陸して山野を駆け巡り、馬牛を斬殺(ざんさつ)して食い、捕らえた老人子供は殺し、壮年は船に追い込み、人家を焼き、穀物を奪い、殺された者400余人、捕らえられた者は1000人を超えたという。これに対し大宰府(だざいふ)では当時赴任していた権帥(ごんのそち)藤原隆家(たかいえ)が中心となり、京へ飛駅(ひえき)使を立て通報する一方で、大宰府官人を警固所に派遣し防戦にあたった。賊は警固所を焼こうとして失敗し、筥崎宮(はこざきぐう)を焼こうとした試みも撃退され、現地住人らの奮戦もあり、対馬侵奪以来ほぼ1週間で、日本近海から退散した。賊を撃退できたのは隆家以下の府官人および現地の勇士の健闘によるが、朝廷では、戦功抜群の者に褒賞(ほうしょう)を与えるという指示が出される以前に戦闘が終了していたことを理由に、与える必要がないという公卿(くぎょう)の意見もあり、論功行賞にはあまり積極的でなかったようである。防戦過程において府官人の出動状況や現地住人の戦闘活動のほどが知られ、この事件を介し平安中期軍制の実態を知ることができる。

［森田　悌］

『土田直鎭著『王朝の貴族』（1965・中央公論社）』

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