Minamibuchi no Shoan

Date of birth and death unknown. A scholarly monk from the first half of the 7th century. Also known as Ayahito Seian (Aoan), he was a member of the Yamato no Ayauji clan who lived in Minamibuchi in the upper reaches of the Asuka River. In 608 (the 16th year of the reign of Empress Suiko), he traveled to China as a Kenzui envoy together with Ono no Imoko, Takamuko no Kuromaro, and the monk Min, and in 640 (the 12th year of the reign of Emperor Jomei), he returned to Japan via Silla together with Genri and the others. During his 33-year stay in China, he witnessed the transition of the dynasty from Sui to Tang firsthand, and it is said that this experience had a great influence on him after he returned home. Prince Nakano Oe (Emperor Tenji) and Nakatomi Kamako (Fujiwara Kamatari) are said to have learned the "teachings of Zhou Kong" (Confucianism) from Shoan, and on their way there and back they are said to have made plans to defeat Soga no Iruka and the Emishi. However, there is no evidence that Shoan himself participated in the coup that overthrew the Soga Honshu sect, and he may have already died by that time. Within Ryufuku-ji Temple in Inabuchi, Asuka Village, Takaichi County, Nara Prefecture, there is a mound said to be Shoan's grave.

[Muneyoshi Sato]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

生没年未詳。7世紀前半の学問僧。南淵漢人(あやひと)請安（青安）ともいい、飛鳥(あすか)川上流域の南淵に居住した東漢氏(やまとのあやうじ)の一族。608年（推古天皇16）に小野妹子(おののいもこ)、高向玄理(たかむこのくろまろ)、僧旻(みん)らとともに遣隋(けんずい)使として中国に渡り、640年（舒明天皇12）に玄理らとともに新羅(しらぎ)を経て帰国した。この33年に及ぶ中国滞在中に隋から唐への王朝の交替を直接に見聞し、この経験が帰国後に大きな影響を与えたといわれる。中大兄皇子(なかのおおえのおうじ)（天智(てんじ)天皇）や中臣鎌子(なかとみのかまこ)（藤原鎌足(かまたり)）らは、この請安に「周孔の教」（儒教）を学んだといい、その往復の途次に蘇我入鹿(そがのいるか)・蝦夷(えみし)討滅の計画をたてたという。しかし、請安自身がこの蘇我本宗滅亡のクーデターに参画した形跡はなく、あるいは当時すでに死去していたのかもしれない。奈良県高市(たかいち)郡明日香(あすか)村稲淵(いなぶち)の竜福寺内には請安の墓と伝える塚がある。

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