隋唐時代における對外使節の假官と借位

Abstract

This article examines previously unexplored aspects of the system of honorific titles 假官 "borrowed" ranks 借位 (known as ci zifei yudai 賜紫緋魚袋) accorded those on foreign missions in light of historical records. The following conclusions have been made on the basis of this examination. In the case of the Sui dynasty, in contrast to the early period, during the reign of Wendi, when the main honorary title was Sanqi changshi 散騎常侍 (Cavalier Attendant-in-ordinary) and junior third rank was granted, during the later period of the reign of Yangdi the reality of the system of honorary titles is generally unclear. However, judging from the various accounts of the offices of Pei Shiqing 裴世清, who was dispatched to Japan, it appears that an office in the Honglusi 鴻臚寺 (Court of State Ceremonial) was temporarily awarded to someone sent on a diplomatic mission in the later period. During the Tang, there are at first examples of Sanqi changshi being provisionally awarded to those sent on foreign missions, but during the period from Wuhou to Xuanzong, it appears that the honorific title was gradually fixed at one in the diplomatic office of Honglu (the Honglu Qing 鴻臚卿 or Honglu Shaoqing 鴻臚少卿). This can be deemed the main characteristic of the system of honorific titles for those sent on missions in the first half of the Tang. There was a change in the honorific titles for those on foreign missions following the Xuanzong era. They were now chiefly a variety of posts, which were judicial offices 憲職, in the Yushitai 御史臺 (Censorate). With the exception of the Zhongshi 中使 (Imperial Commissioners), almost all members of missions (including the Liaozuo 僚佐, low-level staffers) also held judicial posts in the censorate. Even the members of foreign missions who held as their main posts the honorific titles of Sanqi changshi or Hongluqing came to hold judicial offices at the same time. Judging from the fact that the court rank of the original posts of the members on foreign missions were higher than the ranks of the honorific judicial posts they received, it is clear that the chief purpose of the shift of the provisional offices for members on foreign mission to judicial posts was not intended to raise their ranks, but it should be understood as aimed at enhancing the prestige of the mission by borrowing the prestige of judicial offices. This is the most important characteristic of the honorific titles for those on foreign missions during the latter half of the Tang. Furthermore, judging from the situation of the changes in posts after their return from abroad, honorific titles for those on foreign missions were ultimately only a provisional device for officials when they were abroad and were unrelated to domestic transfers and changes of office. Once they returned from abroad, the title lost all validity. On the other hand, in addition to honorific titles, ci zifei yudai, the grant of the purple or scarlet pouch for a fish-shaped talisman, was also awarded to those on foreign missions in the latter half of the Tang. This seems likely to have been a continuation of the system of jiezi 借紫 ("borrowed" purple) and jiefei 借緋 ("borrowed" scarlet) for those on foreign missions that was found in the ordinances of the Kaiyuan era. In other words, considering the extraordinary gap between the court rank of the main post of those sent on a foreign mission and the court rank associated with the ci zifei yudai, the system of the ci zifei yudai, like that of honorific titles, seems to have been one of provisional ranks that was in effect only while the official was abroad and designed to raise the status of those on the mission.