korea 119Paekche were opposed to Koguryo. In 648, Paekche was opposed to
Silla. In 651, Paekche was opposed to Koguryo and Silla. In 668, Silla
was opposed to Koguryo. This enabled China to act as a mediator
and, by shifting its support, influence events. But the chief ally of
the T’ang was Silla. This is another classical case of two states co -
operating against a potential or real enemy situated between them. It
was with the help of Silla that the T’ang was able in 660 to destroy
Paekche and in 668 Koguryo. This proved to be a serious mistake
as it enabled Silla to unify Korea and thereby politically to shut out
China from Korea.
Sui shu 81:4b claims that after the war of 598, Kao Yüan sent mis-
sions annually to the Sui court, yet only one is recorded for the rest of
the Sui dynasty. The historian may have exaggerated in order to put
the best face on the Chinese defeat of 598, but we cannot be sure. By
the same token, New Year congratulations by Koguryo are recorded
for 643, 644, probably 646, 648, and 652. Did it not congratulate
at other times? Probably yes. In 20 cases, the months are recorded
when the Koguryo missions were received at the Chinese courts. 5 of
these were in the 12th month and 8 in the 1st month. Those who
were received in the 12th month surely stayed over the New Year,
and those who were received in the 1st month surely had arrived in
the 12th. That adds up to 13 New Year congratulations. It should
also be noted that the numbers of missions by 20-year periods show a
very even distribution, indicating routine. The statistics may therefore
be reasonably correct.
The following table shows the recorded 26 missions by 20-year
periods from Koguryo to Sui and T’ang:
587-606: 5
607-626: 7
627-646: 9
647-666: 5
Apart from ceremonial functions, the envoys from Koguryo had no
doubt many sensitive matters to discuss which concerned them and
the Chinese, but, as all other envoys, they also engaged in high-level
government, and no doubt also private, trade. Unfortunately the sources
only twice give specific information. In 644, Koguryo offered silver
and in 646 two beautiful women (rejected). For the rest, the sources
simply state that the missions brought regional objects.