Fujiwara no Tsunetsugu

Japanese: 藤原常嗣 - ふじわらのつねつぐ

Year of death: 23 April 840 (27 May 840)
Year of birth: Enryaku 15 (796)
A nobleman in the early Heian period. Son of Chunagon Kazuno Maro and Sugano Ikenari's daughter Joshi. In 834, he was appointed as an ambassador to Tang China, and it was said that the appointment of an ambassador by a father and son was the only one of its kind. In 835, he finally made it to Tang China on his third attempt. It is well known that when the ship he was on (the first ship) was damaged during the voyage, he demanded a second ship from the deputy envoy Ono no Takamura, leading to a conflict and Takamura's refusal to voyage, but perhaps this was also due to Tsunetsugu's pride. According to Ennin's "Nitto Guho Junrei Koki," the voyage was extremely miserable, and when they nearly got lost, everyone, including the ambassador, stripped naked and tied themselves in loincloths to run around the ship. Upon arriving in China, Tsunetsugu abandoned the fragile Japanese ship and purchased a Silla ship to return home to Japan. This was Japan's last ship to Tang China. He published poems in the "Keikokushu" and was also involved in the compilation of the "Ryo Gikai."

(Takinami Sadako)

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

Japanese:

没年：承和7.4.23(840.5.27)
生年：延暦15(796)
平安前期の公卿。中納言葛野麻呂と菅野池成の娘浄子の子。承和1(834)年遣唐大使に任じられ,父子2代にわたる大使任命は「唯一門のみ」と評された。同5年,3度目の出発でようやく入唐を果たしている。渡航に当たり,乗船(第1船)が破損したため,副使小野篁の第2船を要求して対立し,篁の渡航拒否を招いたことは有名だが,これも常嗣の矜持の然らしむるところであったか。同行した円仁の『入唐求法巡礼行記』によれば,渡航は悲惨をきわめ,遭難しかけた折には大使以下みな裸になり褌で体をくくって船中を逃げ回ったといい,常嗣は中国に着くや脆弱な日本船を破棄し,帰国用に新羅船を購入している。これがわが国最後の遣唐船となった。『経国集』に詩を収める。『令義解』の編纂にも携わった。

(瀧浪貞子)

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

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