Chapter 4 Chapter 3 Ono Meizi and Pei Shiqing——The Mutual Visits of Chinese and Japanese Envoys in the Sui Dynasty

In the middle of the 4th century, the Yamato court largely unified the Japanese archipelago, and the King of Japan (King of Japan) sent envoys and tributes to the Chinese Southern Dynasty regime many times and asked for titles.In 589 AD, the Sui Dynasty unified China and ended the nearly four centuries of separatism and turmoil in China since the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The society, economy and culture developed rapidly.At that time, Japan was under the regent of Prince Shotoku.He worked hard and determined to reform.In order to directly absorb China's advanced culture, he sent envoys to China four times. This was the beginning of formal exchanges between China and Japan as the central governments of two unified countries, and it was also the Japanese ruler who took the initiative to send large missions. The beginning of directly absorbing China's advanced civilization.Among them, Ono Meizi, the Japanese envoy to the Sui Dynasty, and Pei Shiqing, the Sui envoy to Japan, can be regarded as two representative figures in the history of Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges in the Sui Dynasty.

During the period of Emperor Tuiko, Prince Shotoku was regent. In 600 AD, the first Sui envoy was sent to China to meet Emperor Wen of Sui Dynasty and learn the rules and regulations of Sui Dynasty.Shortly after sending the Sui envoys back to China, Prince Shotoku implemented political reforms, formulating the "Twelve Ranks of Crown Ranks" system of rank and title and 17 political and moral codes "Seventeen Articles Constitution" that officials and nobles must abide by.In order to further study Chinese culture, strengthen the centralization of power in Japan and revitalize Japanese Buddhism, Prince Shotoku decided to send a second mission to the Sui Dynasty headed by Ono Meizi.

Sister Ono is said to be a descendant of Emperor Koaki, the fifth emperor of Japan, and a descendant of a wealthy family.His ancestors got this surname because they lived in Ono Village, Shiga County, Omi.At that time, he was the fifth rank of the twelfth official rank, and was appointed as the envoy of the Sui Dynasty. An Zuo Fuli, a descendant of Chinese immigrants, was the general manager (translation), and led dozens of entourages and monks to form the second dispatch. Sui Mission.Ono Meizi set off on July 3, 607 AD with the letter of credence drafted by Prince Shotoku himself.After the mission arrived in China, the Minister of Honglu Temple wrote the letter of credence to Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty.At the beginning of the letter of credence, it is written: "The emperor at the sunrise sends a letter to the emperor at the sun, and he is safe" ("Sui Shu·Waguo Biography"), which reflects Prince Shotoku's desire to establish equal diplomacy with China, but it violates the rule of heaven. Emperor Sui Yang, who regarded himself as a country and was very happy with his achievements.After reading it, he was very displeased, and said to the minister of Honglu Temple: "Do not read the rude books of the barbarians!" That is, such rude letters, don't show them to me in the future.However, considering the overall situation, Emperor Sui Yang did not immediately destroy or return the credentials, but still ordered the Minister of Honglu Temple to entertain Japanese guests, and decided to send a delegation of 13 officials headed by Wen Linlang Pei Shiqing to Japan for a return visit.

Pei Shiqing, born in a family in Guanzhong, served as Wenlin Lang during Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty, in charge of compiling literature and history, and was quite talented.When he was sent to Japan as an official in charge of foreign affairs, he was the guest of Honglu Temple.In April 608, accompanied by the returning Japanese envoy from the Sui Dynasty Ono, he set off from the coast of Shandong, crossed the Yellow Sea, went south via the Korean Peninsula (Baekje), passed the sea north of Jeju Island, and then passed Tsushima, Iki Island, arrived at Chikushi in Kyushu, was welcomed by the official Jishi Yucheng sent by Prince Shotoku, and then sailed eastward through the Seto Inland Sea by boat, and arrived at Namba Port (now Osaka) on June 15.There are 30 colorfully decorated boats lined up at the port of entry, with drums and horns blaring to welcome the envoys of the Sui Dynasty grandly.Surrounded by Japanese officials, Pei Shiqing and his party were welcomed into a new hotel specially built for Chinese guests.

Sister Ono returned to Beijing first to return to her command, and reported that the letter of credence returned by Emperor Sui Yang had been taken away while passing through Baekje.The ministers discussed that losing the letter of credence should be convicted and punished, but the emperor considered that doing so would have a negative impact on the envoys of the Sui Dynasty, so he forgiven Miss Ono. On August 3, Japanese imperial court officials brought 75 well-dressed horses to welcome Sui envoys into Asuka (now Nara). On August 12, Emperor Tuigu personally summoned Pei Shiqing and his party, and the prince and other ministers were all dressed up to attend.Gifts from the emperors of the Sui Dynasty were placed in the center of the hall.Pei Shiqing paid homage to the letter of credence presented to Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty. The letter of credence stated: The emperor greeted the Japanese emperor and learned that Japan "cares for the people, makes the territory peaceful and happy, and the customs are harmonious" and "pays tribute from afar". Therefore, I sent Pei Shiqing, the patron of Honglu Temple, and others to pay tribute and present gifts. ("Nihon Shoki" Volume 22) the emperor said happily, "I heard that there was a Great Sui Dynasty in Haixi, a country of propriety and righteousness, so I sent tribute." He also hoped to be enlightened by Chinese civilization. ("Sui Shu·Wa Guo Zhuan") Subsequently, another feast was held to entertain the Sui Dynasty missions.

In September 608, when Pei Shiqing returned to China, the Japanese imperial court sent Ono Meizi as the official envoy, Kishio as the deputy envoy, and Anzuo Fuli as the general officer. As the third envoy to the Sui Dynasty, they brought the letter of credence drafted by Prince Shotoku to the country. China.At the same time, eight foreign students including Gao Xiangxuanli, Nanyuan Qingan, Seng Min, and academic monks were sent to visit China. In the spring of 609, Japan sent a Sui mission to the capital of the Sui Dynasty for the third time.At that time, the Sui Dynasty was at its most powerful. Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty toured the west and defeated Tuyuhun, Gaochang Kingdom in the Western Regions and other 27 countries paid tribute.Therefore, when Miss Ono sent the Sui mission to the court for the third time, although the letter of credence drafted by Prince Shotoku still had the equivalent title of "Emperor Dongtian respects Emperor Baixi", the mission was still entertained.Ono Meizi made arrangements for overseas students and academic monks, and returned to China in September 609, but Tong Shimao did welfare but stayed in China and refused to go back.Sister Ono was promoted to the official position because of her meritorious service to Sui twice, and became the first-ranked virtuous person in the crown.

In 615, Prince Shotoku sent Yatabezo, who was in the third rank of Dairen, as the main envoy, and Inugami Mida, who was in the fifth rank of Taili, as the deputy envoy, leading the fourth Sui mission to China.At this time, the Sui Dynasty was in dire straits due to Yangdi's expedition to Goguryeo and the dispatch of troops to collect food. The people were in dire straits, and there were uprisings in various places. The country gradually declined and the political situation was unstable. Most of the eight foreign students and academic monks who were sent to China by the Sui Mission for the third time to follow Ono Meizi stayed in China for 20 to 30 years, and did not return to China until the early Tang Dynasty.Most of these people are descendants of Chinese immigrants. They are of good quality and have studied abroad for a long time. They lived in the Sui and Tang Dynasties when various laws and regulations of Chinese feudal society were perfected. The rise of such historical changes.After they returned home, they played a great role in promoting the reform of Japanese society.For example, in Japan in 645, the most important reform in ancient Japanese history was the Taika Reform.The initiators and organizers of this reform, Prince Nakayoshi and Nakamitsu Kamazu, once asked Nanyuan, who had returned from studying in China, to learn about Confucianism, Confucianism and the political system of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, and formulated a reform plan based on Japan's national conditions. They launched a palace coup. , eliminated the power of the Suga clan, and established a new regime in Dahua.Gao Xiangxuanli and Seng Min, who had returned from studying in the Sui and Tang Dynasties with Sister Ono for the third time, were hired as the consultants of the new government "Doctor Guo" and became the think tanks of Dahua's new policy reform. The centralization system played an important role in the process of establishing a unified feudal country headed by the emperor.

The cultural exchanges between China and Japan in the Sui Dynasty promoted the rise and development of the Asuka culture of the Japanese Tuigu Dynasty, which is an ancient Japanese culture centered on Buddhism and imitating the culture of mainland China.At that time, a number of famous large-scale temples such as Yuanxing Temple (Asuka Temple), Horyu Temple, and Shitennoji Temple were built.The layout, structure, form and style of Buddhist temple buildings, as well as the manufacturing techniques of Buddha statues and handicrafts, all reflect the direct influence of the architecture and craftsmanship of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties and Sui Dynasties in China.Ono Meizi and other envoys sent to the Sui Dynasty also "returned after obtaining scriptures" from China, bringing back various books, especially Confucian classics, Buddhist scriptures and various Buddhist propaganda materials, which were valued and imitated by the Japanese government and the public.For example, the "Sanjing Yishu" written by Prince Shotoku, based on Chinese Buddhist scriptures, also expressed his own unique insights, showing the author's deep understanding and development of Buddhist scriptures. This is one of the earliest Japanese handwritten works in existence. .Prince Shotoku also edited historical books such as "Tianhuang Ji" and "Kokuki" with Soga Mako. This is the beginning of ancient Japan's imitation of Chinese history.In the Asuka era, the Japanese government and the public imitated the costumes and cultural relics of the Sui Dynasty in China, and social customs took on a completely new look.