遣唐使(けんとうし)

けんとうし
noun
envoy to Tang China
academic
1. envoy to Tang China; Japanese embassy to Tang dynasty China
Official diplomatic missions sent from Japan to Tang dynasty China between the 7th and 9th centuries. These missions played a crucial role in importing Chinese culture, political systems, Buddhism, and technology to Japan.
遣唐使(けんとうし)は中国(ちゅうごく)の文化(ぶんか)を日本(にほん)に伝(つた)えた。
The envoys to Tang China brought Chinese culture to Japan.
遣唐使(けんとうし)の航海(こうかい)は命(いのち)がけだった。
The voyages of the Tang envoys were life-threatening.
894年(ねん)に菅原道真(すがわらのみちざね)の進言(しんげん)で遣唐使(けんとうし)は廃止(はいし)された。
In 894, the Tang envoy missions were abolished on the recommendation of Sugawara no Michizane.

Cultural note

The 遣唐使(けんとうし) missions (630-894 CE) were Japan's primary means of importing Chinese civilization during the Nara and early Heian periods. Envoys brought back the 律令(りつりょう) legal system, Buddhist scriptures, art, architecture, and writing systems. The missions were dangerous — many ships were lost at sea.

Related words

  • 遣隋使(けんずいし) — the earlier missions to Sui dynasty China
  • 菅原道真(すがわらのみちざね) — the scholar who proposed ending the missions

Common collocations

general
Added 2026.3.11 23:09 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
16000/16307_kentoushi