Did anyone from China go to Japan before Jian Zhen's eastward journey?

China's official records about Japan can be traced back to the Korean Peninsula in the Han Dynasty.

The earliest verifiable regime known on the Korean peninsula is the Jizi regime, which was established under the leadership of Shang Zhouwang's uncle Ji Zi. It is said that sealing North Korea is also one of the strategies to expel Shang adherents.

This Korea was a very long-lived regime, which lasted until the early Han Dynasty. In the chaos at the end of Qin Dynasty, a Yan man named Wei Man took refuge in North Korea and gradually gained the trust of the North Korean monarch. Finally, he launched a rebellion to drive away the monarch and established Wei Man Korea himself. In fact, Jizi Korea only ruled the northern part of the Korean peninsula. In the south, there was once a big tribal alliance called "Chen Guo", which was divided into several big tribes in the early Han Dynasty, and Mahan was the strongest.

According to Du You's Tong Dian in the Tang Dynasty and Dong Yi Zhuan in the later Han Dynasty, ji zi, the Korean monarch, captured Mahan after he fled south, and Mahan regained his independence after his death. When the war broke out at the end of the Qin Dynasty, a large number of Qin people took refuge in the southern part of the Korean peninsula, and 54 tribes of Mahan ceded the eastern territory to them to live in. Finally, these immigrants from China formed 65,438+02 tribes, collectively known as Chen Han. It is said that a person who immigrated from China to the Korean Peninsula founded the 12 tribe in Han Ge. Mahan, Chen Han and Han Ge are the "three Koreas" in the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. Because Mahan is the most powerful, and Sanhan lives on the land of the kingdom, Sanhan * * * respectfully calls Mahan "Chen Wang".

During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, because Wei and North Korea blocked the tribute to the Han Dynasty in a small country in the south, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty sent him to negotiate with him. Who knows that after he returned to China, he actually killed all the court officials sent by Wei and North Korea to see him off, and then reported to Emperor Wu that he had won a great victory, successfully deceived the reward of Emperor Wu and appointed him as a captain in Liaodong. As a result, Wei's North Korea forged a deep hatred with him and soon found a way to kill him. "What events were involved" annoyed Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, so in the autumn of that year, that is, in the second year of Yuanfeng (BC 109), the Han Dynasty sent 50,000 troops to attack Weishi Korea in two ways. In the summer of 108 BC, the king of Wei Korea was killed by lords and vassals, and Wei Korea perished. Since then, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established the management of "Four Han Counties" in the northern part of the Korean Peninsula, namely Le Lang, Lintun, Xuantu and Fan Zhen. The jurisdiction of "Hans County" also nominally includes the "Three Hans" in the south.

Because of the establishment of Hans County, the communication between China and the Korean Peninsula is closer. At the same time, it also represents a big step closer to the distance between China and the Japanese archipelago. As we all know, the distance between the Korean peninsula and the Japanese island is much closer than that of Chinese mainland. According to textual research, there may have been non-governmental exchanges between the two places during the Warring States Period. It is precisely because of this that the tribes and small countries that existed on the Japanese archipelago at that time began to realize that there was a powerful country on the other side of the sea-the Han Dynasty.

China's official history first mentioned that Japan was Hanshu? Geography: "There are Japanese in the Sea of Le Lang, divided into more than 100 countries. When you are old, come and see the clouds." It can be seen that during the Western Han Dynasty, China had clearly known the approximate location of the Japanese archipelago, and at that time, many small countries in Japan had taken the initiative to pay tribute to the Han Dynasty. "The History of the Later Han Dynasty" said: "Since the destruction of Korea by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, the post has been connected to 30 countries of the Han Dynasty." It can be seen that the establishment of the four counties of Han Dynasty is an important condition for Japanese people to understand the situation of Han Dynasty in China and come to pay tribute.

In the second year of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty, that is, in 57 AD, a great event happened in the diplomatic history of China and Japan. This year, a Japanese monarch sent envoys to pay tribute to the Han Dynasty. Because the country claimed to be located at the southernmost tip of Japan, many scholars now suspect that it may be located in Kyushu Island, Japan. Therefore, Emperor Guangwu of Han Dynasty awarded the title of "Japanese slave king" and gave a gold seal to "China slave king" (this seal was unearthed in Fukuoka City, Japan on 1784 and has been preserved in Fukuoka Museum to this day). It is worth mentioning that the Japanese should mean obedience, not too derogatory. And "Japanese slave country" and "Japanese country" have long been synonymous with Japanese country. This memorial event is widely regarded as the beginning of official communication between China and Japan.

In the early years of Emperor Yong Yuan of Han 'an, Wang Shuaisheng of Japan offered slaves again 160. It can be seen that Japanese countries have always been very enthusiastic about the Han Dynasty during this period.

Let's talk about the development of Japanese civilization. In fact, the stone civilization appeared in Japan around 35000 BC.

From 65438 BC+04000 BC to 400 BC, it was the period of rope-grain culture, which was named the rope-grain age because the Japanese could already make rope-grain pottery at this time.

From the end of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty to the Han Dynasty, Japan was in the "Yayoi Age" in the third cultural period. In the Yayoi era, Japan's productivity technology has been greatly improved, iron, copper, agriculture and handicrafts have been greatly improved, a large number of tribal alliances and primary state power have emerged, and identity classes have emerged, and the gap between the rich and the poor has become increasingly obvious. Japanese culture can be said to have a qualitative leap. The reason behind all this is probably that Chinese mainland immigrants brought advanced technology during the Qin and Han Dynasties. Xu Fu, a household name in China, is said that the elixir can only stay in a place called Xuzhou overseas, and gradually formed a settlement with tens of thousands of families. Geographically, Weizhou is probably the coastal area of Japan. There is also a saying that Xu Fu is the ancestor of the Japanese royal family, that is, the first generation of emperor Emperor Jimmu. However, there is no actual evidence for this statement, and according to Japanese history books such as "Japanese National History" and "Ancient Stories", the first year of Emperor Jimmu was 660 BC, and Xu Fu went to sea during the Qin Shihuang period, which is not consistent. ?

Tracing back to the records of Japanese countries in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty, it is mentioned that among hundreds of Japanese countries, there is a powerful country similar to the "leader"-Xiematai. The most famous evil horse Thailand should be its female ruler "Ji Mizi". The queen of "Ji Mizi" in China's history books should be from the late Eastern Han Dynasty. The chaos in Japan during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. "himiko" Queen is said to be able to communicate with ghosts and gods, so she was made Lord of * * * *. The queen's lifestyle is really mysterious. She lives in a heavily guarded palace with thousands of maids waiting on her. Few people can see himiko except a "male brother" who is responsible for conveying the queen's orders.

What's more strange is that Empress Jimiko lived a long life. During the Three Kingdoms period, she still lived in Wei Mingdi. Not only that, in 238 AD, during the period, Ji Meizi sent doctors to sell rice, and others went to Wei to pay tribute, although the tribute they brought was only some local cloth, six male slaves and four female slaves. But Wan Li, a small distant country, came to pay tribute and was favored by Wei Mingdi. Therefore, Wei Mingdi not only returned a large number of gifts (three bronze inscriptions, five first-class foil, fifty white silk, eight hundred gold, two five-foot knives, one hundred bronze mirrors, fifty pounds of real pearls and one red lead), but also awarded the title of "Pro-King Wei Ri" to Ji Meizi, and gave her a gold ribbon. It is difficult for doctors to promote Mi, who became a good corps commander, and Niu Li became a good captain and gave Yin Qing the money.

In the first year of Zhengshi, Wei took the magistrate Gong Zun and sent Wei Tijun and others to Xiematai with letters, conferred the title of pro-Wei Rijun on Ji Meizi, and rewarded the queen of Ji Meizi. Himiko went to the table and thanked Di Wei for his imperial edict. Four years later, Ji Meizi sent eight doctors to Wei, including Yi Shengchun and Ye Xie Dog, and presented slaves, native textiles and other tributes. At the beginning of August, because another big Japanese country, the dog slave country, was at odds with the evil Matai country, Ji Meizi sent someone to Wei to talk about things. Wei, because Ji Meizi has always been obedient and quick-witted, sent letters to countries in Malaysia and Taiwan, making it difficult for old friends to climb the mountain and spread stability everywhere. However, the dispute between the dog slave country and the evil horse country has not stopped.

At this time, Ji Meizi suddenly died, and the evil horse Thailand made a man king, which led to national chaos. Finally, Yi He, the head of Ji Meizi at the age of 13, was appointed as the new queen, and Zhang Zheng informed Yi He of the will of Wei Emperor on behalf of Wei State. A group of people sent Zhang Zheng back to Wei, paying tribute to 30 men and women, 5,000 holes in Bai Shu, two big sentences and two beads, and 20 essays. After that, Xie Matai and China maintained a very good relationship. Even after Emperor Wu of Jin ascended the throne, Xie Matai sent messengers to congratulate him. In the second year of Taishi (266), the emissary of Bad Matai came to Korea again, and since then, Bad Matai has disappeared from China's history books. ?

However, traditional Japanese historians, such as Japanese History, Ancient Stories and other famous Japanese historians, all associate Queen Jimiko in China's history books as a famous "magic queen" among the Japanese population.

According to the records of Japanese history, this magical queen was the queen of Emperor Chuai, the 4th emperor of Japan. Emperor Chuai died because he didn't conquer the Korean peninsula against God's will. Later, Yamato was regent by the magical queen, sent troops to conquer Silla Kingdom in the southeast of the Korean Peninsula, and won a great victory. Other countries on the Korean peninsula, such as Baekje and Koguryo, also came to pay tribute to this magical queen. After the magical queen returned to China, she gave birth to a child, the later emperor Shen Ying.

However, China's history books say that Empress Kimiko will never marry. Moreover, the accession of Yi and Empress is nowhere to be found in Japanese history. Even the evil Matai exists in Kyushu (because more than 30 bronze mirrors of the Eastern Han Dynasty have been found in Kitakyushu areas such as Fukuoka and Nagasaki) and on the island. Therefore, since modern times, there have been endless disputes about Ji Mizi and the magical queen, and there is not enough evidence to judge the truth.

The topic dates back to the Jin Dynasty, from the second year of Emperor Wu of Jin Dynasty (266) to the ninth year of Emperor Yi of Jin 'an in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (AD 4 13). 147, China and China were isolated. During this period, Japanese tributes were never mentioned in Japanese history books. Perhaps this is due to the omission of historical records, but even if Japan does not come to congratulate North Korea, it is understandable.

First of all, the Western Jin Dynasty entered an eventful autumn in which kings scuffled and foreign enemies invaded after ten years of Yuankang. The central government moved many times, and the rule of Emperor Hui Jin was abolished immediately. This situation is obviously not suitable for holding diplomatic activities again. Secondly, in the Sino-Japanese communication from the Western Han Dynasty to the Western Jin Dynasty, the Korean Peninsula played the role of a transit station. Because there is no land route from Japan to China, we can only go by sea. However, even the envoys who sent envoys to the Sui and Tang Dynasties hundreds of years later went through many difficulties and obstacles when they came to China, let alone the rulers. So at that time, the best route for Japanese to pay tribute to China was to sail to the Korean Peninsula, and then from Korea to China.

As mentioned earlier, after the demise of Wei's Korea, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established "Hans County" to manage the Korean Peninsula, and later merged Hans County into Lelang County and Xuantu County in 82 BC. From the Qin Dynasty, there was a country called Fuyuguo in Jilin Province in the northeast of China. About two years after the establishment of Emperor Zhao of Han Dynasty, Zhu Meng, the illegitimate son of Fuyu King, led some people south to establish a country-Koguryo because he could not bear the persecution of his father and brother. Because the establishment of Koguryo was within the jurisdiction of the original "Four Counties of Han Dynasty", the Han Dynasty established the "Koguryo County" to manage the internal affairs of the Koguryo Kingdom while recognizing its title. In the first year of Yan Yuan in the Western Han Dynasty (BC 12), the Koguryo rebellion was suppressed. Wang Mang, who was in power at that time, ordered that Koguryo be demoted to "Hou Li's next sentence".

It was not until the reign of Emperor Guangwu of the Eastern Han Dynasty that Goguryeo came to pay tribute again and the title was restored. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Goguryeo was not satisfied with being a county under Xuantu County in the Han Dynasty, so she gradually encroached on the territory of the Han Dynasty. By the time of Emperor Han 'an, most of Xuantu County was annexed by Koguryo. Until the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Gongsun family, the satrap of Liaodong, divided a part of Lelang County into a belt county and conquered local tribes to strengthen their rule. After Sima Yi destroyed the Gongsun family, four counties of Xuantu County were re-established in name. The situation in Liaodong has been improved.

The main influence of Koguryo before the Western Jin Dynasty was in the northeast of China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula. The southern part of the Korean peninsula is mainly ruled by three Han tribes. As the saying goes, the general trend of the world will be combined for a long time, and it will be combined for a long time. At this time, some tribes of the three Koreas began to rise and unify. According to the records in the Three Kingdoms, the most powerful Mahan tribe is Baekje, which was founded in 18 BC. The most powerful tribe in the Chen-Han period was called Jilin (later renamed Silla after taking "newcomers gradually learn from Germany, and Luo people are everywhere"), which was established in 59 BC.

However, The History of the Three Kingdoms is based on Silla, which probably advanced the founding time of Silla? . Because China's "History of the Three Kingdoms" and "History of the Later Han Dynasty" have already mentioned Koguryo, and there are records of Baekje in the Song Dynasty and South Shu Qi, but Silla's records have not appeared. Because these three countries should appear in Koguryo, Baekje and Silla. (At the end of the 3rd century, another tribal alliance in Han Ge developed into a "Six Gaia Alliance" headed by Jin Guan Gaia, and the development of Han Ge was far behind. Moreover, the "Big Gaya" among the six Gaya is probably an autonomous organization established by Japanese immigrants from the main island to the Korean Peninsula? . At the end of the 4th century and the beginning of the 5th century, the Gaya League collapsed under the oppression of Koguryo, and was finally completely annexed by Silla in 562, so we will not mention Han Ge for the time being. )?

Koguryo, Baekje and Silla flourished during the China Dynasty, but in the late Western Jin Dynasty, the Central Plains was invaded by Hu people on a large scale, and the world was in chaos. It is difficult for the Western Jin government to maintain order on the Korean Peninsula. So Goguryeo took the lead and attacked Liaodong counties in China. In the first year of Jianxing (AD 3 13), Lelang County fell into Koguryo's hands. Three years later, Daifang County, the last stronghold of the Jin Dynasty on the Korean Peninsula, fell. At this time, there was no administrative organization of the rulers on the Korean peninsula.

However, Koguryo and Baekje countries have been fighting for Le Lang and their homeland 100 years, and the situation on the peninsula is in chaos. After the blockade of the Korean Peninsula, the nearest route of Japanese tribute to China became a dead end. The inconvenient transportation may be the external cause of Japan's lack of tribute records from the Western Jin Dynasty to the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty. As for the internal causes, the Yamato nation, which rose in Feng Jingen in the first half of the 4th century, began a unified war. Small countries in Japan have their own problems, so naturally they will not pay attention to tributes.

Although the official diplomacy between China and Japan was almost interrupted at this time, people-to-people exchanges have made great progress several times.

The first time was when the royal family of the Han Dynasty traveled eastward to Japan. According to Japanese history books, such as Records of Japan, Continued Records of Japan and Records of Newly Written Surnames. Liu, the great grandson of Emperor Xian of Han Dynasty, saw the political chaos in the Western Jin Dynasty and foresaw the impending chaos, so he led 2040 people to Japan and arrived in Japan on September 5, 2009. After Liu arrived, he was given as the ambassador of the Eastern Han Dynasty by the emperor and was ordered to settle in Guiqian Village, Dahe County. Liu's royal family has made great contributions to the development of Japanese culture. Emperor Xionglue sent Liu to the sea and brought back four female workers from Wudi, China to make Hanfu. So that until the Tokugawa shogunate period, the studio dedicated to making clothes for generals and their families was also called "Wu Fujian".

Later, before the Japanese emperor ascended the throne, he only put down the rebellion of the prince with Liu. Even after monopolizing Japan, the Danbo family, at the top of the Millennium medical scientists, is a descendant of Liu. The Liu family obtained a large number of fiefs in Japan, and gradually bred more than 40 families, including Dazang, Danbo, Sakamoto, Harada and so on, and made great contributions. Now there is also "A Zhi Palace" dedicated to Liu in Nara, Japan.

The second time is mainly seen in the Biography of Sui Shu Dongyi: East to the State of Qin, whose people are the same as Huaxia. It can be seen that there was a "Qin State" in Japan that was close to the customs of China. According to the records of newly written surnames, the grandson of Qin Shihuang15th generation who moved to the Korean peninsula also led many Baekje countries to settle in Japan in 14, and was the ancestor of the post-Qin family in Japan. The "State of Qin" in the books of Sui Dynasty should be the settlement of these people.

Although Koguryo and Baekje annexed their hometown in Liaodong in the Western Jin Dynasty. However, the Murong family, which was very influential in Liaodong at that time, surrendered to the Eastern Jin Dynasty and even sent envoys to Jiankang for knighthood many times. Mu Rongchui was even named "viceroy, viceroy, viceroy, viceroy, viceroy, viceroy, viceroy, viceroy, viceroy, zhongmu, Liaodong Gong" by the Eastern Jin court for many times. Therefore, Koguryo and Baekje countries still respect the Eastern Jin court. Take Baekje as an example. He sent envoys to the Eastern Jin Dynasty six times, and the Eastern Jin Dynasty also sent envoys to pay a return visit twice. The resumption of diplomatic relations between Japan and China is closely related to the ties between the Korean Peninsula and the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

During the reign of King Koguryo, Koguryo gradually overwhelmed Baekje. Wang Zhen captured Fuyu and Liaodong, defeated and annexed Baekje 58 cities, and helped Silla drive away the Japanese attack in 400 AD. Koguryo reached its peak, and the situation on the peninsula gradually became tripartite confrontation, and the situation was much more stable.

In the second year after Tai Hao's death, in the 9th year of Jin 'an Emperor Yi in the Eastern Jin Dynasty (4 13), Goguryeo took Japanese envoys to the Eastern Jin Dynasty. The book Chronicle of Jin 'andi records: "It is the age, and Koguryo, Japan and Southwest Yi are the main contributors." This is the beginning of Japan's resumption of contact with China. It was also the only official exchange between China and Japan in the Jin Dynasty. At this time, the Yamato court has basically completed reunification, so this Japanese country should be Yamato.

From the end of the Eastern Jin Dynasty to the period of Liu and Song Dynasties, it is recorded in the Book of Songs that the five kings of Zan, Zhen, Ji, Xing and Wu ruled Japan, that is, the era of "the five kings of Japan". In the second year of Emperor Wu of the Southern Dynasty (AD 42 1), King Zan of Japan paid tribute to the Song Dynasty for the first time? . Song Wudi was very satisfied. According to the Book of Song Dynasty, Song Wudi wrote a letter saying, "I commend Wanli for his sincere and decent tribute, and I can give him a big gift." In the second year of Yuanjia in Song Wendi (AD 425), King Zan of Japan paid tribute again. After the death of King Zan of Japan, his brother Jane acceded to the throne. "Too good, Jane elder brother, the force. He claimed to be Commander Anta, Japanese Governor-General, Baekje, Silla, Na Ren, Qin and Han Dynasties, Han Mu, the military of the six countries, General Anton and the king of Japan. " Wang Zhen claimed to be the commander-in-chief of various regimes in the southern part of the Korean peninsula, and asked Song Wendi to acknowledge his statement. It can be seen that at the beginning of reunification, the great power regime has targeted the goal of external expansion on the Korean peninsula. The Korean peninsula has indeed become an important part of Sino-Japanese diplomacy in the next few thousand years.

Although Wang Zhen claimed to be the commander-in-chief of the southern countries of Korea, Song Wendi only named him "General Anton, King of Japan", and all other positions required by the King of Japan were not allowed. Wang Zhen, Japan also asked for 13 Japanese officials? Days, expeditions, champions and auxiliary generals are all allowed. In the 20th year of Yuanjia (AD 443), King Ji of Japan, who had just acceded to the throne, paid tribute to Emperor Song. Emperor Song still named him General Anton and King of Japan. In the 28th year of Yuanjia (A.D. 45 1 year), King Ji of Japan sent envoys to ask for sealing, and the Song Emperor began to make envoys to Japan, Silla, Gaul, Qin and Han Dynasties, General Anton and other military commanders as before, denying the Japanese king the military power to govern Baekje. In fact, King Baekje was conferred the title of "General Town East" by the then Song Emperor, ranking above the king of Japan.

After Wang Ji's death, his son Wang Xing succeeded to the throne and continued to pay tribute to the Song Dynasty. In the sixth year of Emperor Xiaowu of Song Dynasty (AD 462), Emperor Xiaowu issued an imperial edict to reward Wang Shixing of Japan: "Wang Shixing of Japan, loyal to the monarch, served as a vassal in the distant sea, devoted himself to the realm of peace and devoted himself to tribute. The new heir should be knighted, but General Anton and the King of Japan. " After Wang Xing's death, his younger brother, Wu Jiwei, continued to maintain his ambition for Baekje, claiming to be the commander-in-chief of Japan, Baekje, Silla, Gaul, Qin and Han Dynasties, General Anton and King of Japan. But in the Song Dynasty, he was still not allowed to command Baekje. In the Song and Ming Dynasties (AD 478), the Japanese said in the Song Dynasty, "The country is remote, and I am a vassal abroad. I have worshipped you since the past, and I have never found peace after wading through mountains and rivers.

Jian Zhen's eastward journey means that monk Jian Zhen went to Japan to teach Buddhism. Jian Zhen went to Japan six times, assiduously spreading various cultural achievements of the Tang Dynasty, and brought a large number of books and cultural relics with him. It is of great historical significance to promote the cultural exchange and development between China and Japan and make Buddhism spread more widely.

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