korea 139On May 16, 932, Silla offered regional objects to the Later T’ang
court. The chief envoy was given the nominal title of Master of Writing
of the Ministry of Works, and his deputy that of Junior Inspector of
the Court Architect (Hsin Wu-tai shih 6:10b; Wu-tai hui-yao 30:11a-11b;
Ts’e-fu yüan-kuei p.5035).^34
It can be seen that during its last enfeebled years, Silla reached out
to Later T’ang, Wu-yüeh, and the Khitan, but all to no avail. In 935,
it was overrun by Later Paekche, and the last king fled to Koryo.
Like Koguryo and Paekche, Silla was deeply influenced by the
Chinese civilization. Students enroled at the National Academy in
Ch’ang-an. In 840 alone, 105 students returned to Silla (T’ang hui-
yao 95:20a). Chin Ch’un-chiu, the future Muryol Wang, attended a
discussion at the National Academy in 649. In 686, Silla requested
and received the Rites of T’ang and other texts. In 728, it arranged for
Korean scholars to study the classics in China. In the middle of the
7th century, Silla adopted T’ang court dress. And these are only the
instances mentioned in the Chinese sources. There must have been
many others.
Also, like Koguryo and Paekche, Silla was not a Chinese vassal. It
was, in fact, an ally, against Paekche in 660 and against Koguryo in
645-747 and in 668. Even after Silla had unified Korea in the 670’s,
common interests still forced the two states to cooperate, now against
Po-hai, and the Khitan.
The Chinese historians liked to believe that Silla princes were in the
Chinese capital as hostages. The commentator of the Tzu-chih t’ung-
chien (p.6799) Hu San-hsing (1230-1287) claims that the Chin Ssu-lan,
who in 733 was to attack Po-hai on behalf of the T’ang, had come
to Ch’ang-an as a hostage.The T’ang hui-yao (95:19a; 20a) refers to
hostages in 812 and 840. It is a fact that Silla princes were at times in
the capital, in addition to those just mentioned another in 674, another
in 806, another in 816, another in 825, and still another in 837. But
to call them hostages must surely be wishful thinking, certainly by the
ancient historians and perhaps by the T’ang government. China did
not have the power to demand nor Silla the need to provide hostages.
The princes came to Ch’ang-an on their own initiative or at the behest
of their fathers; they were given nominal appointments to the imperial
guards and may have done some studying, but they must have been
(^34) By Wu-tai hui-yao dated 933.