Fujiwara no Kiyokawa - Fujiwara no Kiyokawa

Japanese: 藤原清河 - ふじわらのきよかわ

Years of birth: Years of birth and death unknown. An official from the Nara period. The fourth son of Fujiwara no Fusasaki, his mother was the daughter of Katano Ason. His real name was Kiyokawa, and it is said that he went by the name Kawakiyo when he went to China as a Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty. In 740 (Tenpyo 12), he was promoted to the fifth rank, and thereafter served as Chuei Shoyu, Daiyotoku (Yamato) no Kami, and Councillor, before being appointed as a Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty in 750 (Tenpyo Shoho 2). His deputies were Otomo no Komaro and Kibi no Makibi. When he departed from Japan in 750 (Tenpyo Shoho 4), Kiyokawa wrote the following poem: "The plum blossoms of Mimoro, which I worship at Kasugano, are in full bloom, so I will wait for you until you return." In January of the following year, he paid his respects at the Imperial Court in Chang'an. Emperor Xuanzong at that time ordered Abe no Nakamaro (whose Tang name was Chaoheng), a student studying in China at the time, to guide Heqing, Komaro (also called Hu Man) through the treasury in the Daming Palace, and to have Heqing, Komaro (also called Hu Man) and others visit the Three Teaching Hall, the King's Teaching Hall, the Imperial Revealing Scripture Hall, and other places. Furthermore, Emperor Xuanzong is said to have commissioned paintings of Heqing, Hu Man, and Mabi, as envoys who were to uphold the rites. At this time, Heqing was given special promotion, Hu Man was appointed as the Silver and Green Guanglu Daifu Guanglu Qing, and Mabi was appointed as the Silver and Green Guanglu Daifu Secretary Superintendent and Wei Qing. Heqing also requested the visit of Ganjin from Longxing Temple in Yangzhou, and agreed to accompany Ganjin on his return to Japan. The second ship carrying Ganjin, carried by Hu Man, arrived safely in Japan in the 6th year of Tenpyo Shoho, but the first ship carrying Heqing ran aground and was wrecked at Agonabashima (Okinawa), and was returned to China due to adverse winds, drifting ashore in Bianzhu Province, southern China. All the passengers on board were killed, but Heqing escaped and eventually died in the Tang Dynasty. The Japanese government subsequently attempted to welcome Heqing back, dispatching Gao Gendo in 759 and again sending a Japanese envoy to the Tang Dynasty in 776, but failed. However, his daughter, Ki Niang, whom he had with a Tang woman, was able to return to Japan.

(Kiyoaki Kito)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
奈良時代の官人。藤原房前の第4子で,母は片野朝臣の娘。本名は清河で唐へ遣唐使として渡った際は河清を名乗ったという。天平12(740)年,従五位に叙せられ,以後中衛少輔,大養徳(大和)守,参議を歴任し天平勝宝2(750)年,遣唐大使に任命された。副使は大伴古万呂と吉備真備。天平勝宝4年日本を出発するに当たり,清河は「春日野に斎く三諸の梅の花栄えてあり待て還り来るまで」と詠んでいる。翌年1月の長安における朝賀に拝朝した。そのときの皇帝玄宗は,当時入唐していた留学生阿倍仲麻呂(唐名は朝衡)に命じて大明宮中の府庫を案内させ,河清,古麻呂(胡万とも)らに三教殿,君主教殿,御披釈典殿宇などを見学させたという。さらに玄宗は,礼を守る使臣だとして河清,胡万,真備らの画を描かせたという。このとき河清を特進に胡万を銀青光禄大夫光禄卿,真備を銀青光禄大夫秘書監および衛卿に任じた。河清はまた,揚州竜興寺の鑑真の渡来を請い,帰国に際して鑑真を伴うこととした。鑑真を乗せた胡万の第2船は,天平勝宝6年無事日本に到着したが,河清の乗った第1船は阿児奈波嶋(沖縄)に着いたものの座礁して難破し,逆風のため唐国にもどされ,唐国の南辺驩州に漂着した。同船者はすべて殺害されたが,河清のみ免れ,ついに唐国にとどまって没した。日本の政府はその後,河清を迎えようとし,天平宝字3(759)年高元度を派遣し,また宝亀7(776)年にも遣唐使に付託したが果たされなかった。ただし,唐の女性との間にもうけた娘の喜娘らは帰国できた。

(鬼頭清明)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

<<: Kiyosuke Fujiwara

>>: Fujiwara no Kamatari - Fujiwara no Kamatari