<論説>日出処天子と日没処天子 : 倭国王の国書について

Abstract

『隋書』倭国伝の倭王の国書「日出ずる処の天子、書を日没する処の天子に致す、恙無きや……煬帝これを覧て悦ばず……」によって、わが国と隋朝との「対等の国交」、または「対等以上の国交」を説き、この日本の態度を煬帝が「悦ば」なかったのであるとする解釈が行なわれた。この従来の理解には「日出ずる処・東・日本」、「日没する処・西・中国・隋」を自明の命題とする「日本史観」ともいうべきものが感じられる。しかし中国の理念はわが国とは同じくない。中国観念からすれば「日出ずる処」「日没する処」は天下のさいはてであった。天下に君臨する「中国天子」煬帝は自らを「日没する処の天子」とは考えていない。また中国観念からは異民族の君長を「天子」と認めることもできなかった。隋朝からすれば倭王の国書は非常識なものであったが、倭王が遣使「朝貢」したので「宣諭」の使節裴世満を派遣したのである。

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'.