104 japan
In the 10th month (Oct./Nov.) of 659, envoys from Wo State were
received at the T’ang court together with Ainus. The Ainu envoys had
four-feet long beards. Being superb archers, they could unfailingly hit
a gourd on the head of a man standing several ten paces away (Hsin
T’ang shu 220:12a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5025; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 324:
46b; 326:58b).
663 saw a brief clash between the Chinese and Japanese, when
Japanese troops supported an uprising in Paekche and were defeated
(Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6337).
On Feb.10, 666, Emperor Kao-tsung performed the feng sacrifice
and on Feb.12 the shan sacrifice at Mount T’ai. Envoys from the Wo
State, Koguryo, Silla, and Paekche were present (Chiu T’ang shu 5:1a;
Tzu-chih t’ung-chien p.6344; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 325:50b).
In the 11th month (Dec./Jan.,669) of the Chinese year 668, envoys
from the Wo State offered gifts. In the 3rd month (Mar/Apr.) of 670,
envoys from the Wo State congratulated on the defeat of Koguryo
(in 668) (Hsin T’ang shu 220:12a; T’ang hui-yao 99:13a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei
p.5026;Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 324:46b).
In the 10th month (Oct./Nov.) of 702, the high official Mabito
Awada arrived with regional objects from the Jih-pen State. The
Empress Wu gave him a banquet and appointed him to the nominal
office of Supernumerary Gentleman in Charge of Provisions (Chiu
T’ang shu 6:8a; 199:14a; T’ung-tien 185:56a; Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026;
Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 324:46b).^8
In the 2nd month (Mar./Apr.) of 706, envoys arrived from the
Jih-pen State (Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5026).
In the 10th month (Nov./Dec.) of 717, Mabito Awada from Jih-pen
came on a second mission to the T’ang court. Emperor Hsüan-tsung
ordered a Secretarial Receptionist to call on him at the guest quar-
ters of the Herald. The envoy requested instruction in the Confucian
classics, whereupon a teacher was provided. The assistant envoy
Nakamura did not return to Japan with the mission. He changed his
family and given names to the Chinese Chao Heng and was succes-
sively appointed to the nominal offices of Rectifier of Omissions of
the Left and Companion of a son of Hsüan-tsung. After a long stay,
he temporarily went back to Japan (Hsin T’ang shu 220:12a; Ts’e-fu
yüan-kuei p.5026; Wen-hsien t’ung-k’ao 324:46b).
(^8) By Chiu T’ang shu 199A:14a and Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei dated 703, and by Wen-hsien
t’ung-k’ao 701.