<Articles>Emperors of the place of the Rising Sun and of the place of the Setting Sun : of the credentials of the Japanese king

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Other Title
  • <論説>日出処天子と日没処天子 : 倭国王の国書について
  • 日出処天子と日没処天子--倭国王の国書について
  • ヒ シュッショ テンシ ト ニチボツ ショ テンシ ワコクオウ ノ コクショ ニ ツイテ

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The remarks in Sui-shu, Wo-Kuo-chuan, 隋書倭国伝 that'the Japanese King sent a letter to the Chinese Emperor saying "the Emperor of the place of the rising sun presents a letter to the Emperor of the place of the setting sun, inquiring after the health of the latter" and the Chinese EmperorYang-ti 煬帝 was not pleased with it' have led Japanese historians to suppose that Japan tried to assume an equal, or more than equal, diplomatic status with China, and Yang-ti was not pleased this Japanese attitude. In this traditional interpretation is found the so-called 'Japanese historical view' in which 'the place of the rising sun=east=Japan' and 'the place of the setting sun=west=China' are taken as the self-evident truth. The Chinese idea, however, could be identified with that of our country. According to the Chinese idea, 'the place of the rising sun' and 'the place of the setting sun' mean the utmost parts of the world. 'The Emperor of the Middle Kingdom' Yang-ti ruling the world did not regard himself as 'the Emperor of the place of the setting sun'; and the Chinese idea would not recognize the chiefs of other races as 'the Emperor'. The Japanese credentials had no common sense for the Sui 隋 dynasty; but, as the Japanese King sent a messenger and 'payed a tribute', the dynasty sent P'ei-shih-ch'ing 裴世清, the messenger of 'süan-yü 宣諭'.

Journal

  • 史林

    史林 51 (3), 332-359, 1968-05-01

    THE SHIGAKU KENKYUKAI (The Society of Historical Research), Kyoto University

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