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Fujiwara no Umakai was a diplomat during the reign of Empress Genshoand and a minister during the reign of Emperor Shomu. In the Imperial court, Umakai was the chief of protocol (Shikibu-kyo).<br/><br/> In 716, together with Tajihi no Agatamori, Abe no Yasumaro and Otomo no Yamamori, Umakai participated in a Japanese diplomatic mission to Tang China in 717-718. Kibi no Makibi and the Buddhist monk Genbo were also part of the entourage.
Mahito took part in the planning of the Taiho Code alongside Prince Osakabe and Fujiwara no Fuhito, and in 701 was promoted to head of the Ministry of Popular Affairs. Mahito was also appointed as chief diplomat on a mission to Tang China, receiving a ceremonial sword from Emperor Tenmu as a symbol of his command.<br/><br/> In 704, the mission returned to Japan, along with some Japanese who had been captives since the Battle of Baekgang in 663. Mahito was rewarded with land in Yamato Province.
In 717-718, Kibi was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China (Kentoshi) along with Abe no Nakamaro and Genbo.<br/><br/> Kibi stayed in China for 17 years before returning to Japan. He is credited with bringing back a number of things, introducing the game of Go to Japan for the first time, as well as the art of embroidery.
In 757 Yakatsugu was appointed governor of Sagami province, in 759 the governor of Mikawa province, and in 761 the governor of Kazusa province.<br/><br/> In 761 he was also appointed vice-envoy to Tang dynasty China, but in the next year was replaced by Fujiwara no Tamaro without making the journey.
<i>Bugaku</i>, a court dance accompanied by <i>Gagaku</i> music, is a Japanese traditional dance blending Buddhist and Shinto elements that has been performed to select elites mostly in Japanese imperial courts for over twelve hundred years.<br/><br/> In this way it has been an upper class secret, although after World War II the dance was opened to the public and has even toured around the world in 1959. The dance is marked by its slow, precise and regal movements.<br/><br/> The dancers wear intricate traditional Buddhist costumes, which usually include equally beautiful masks. The music and dance pattern is often repeated several times. It is performed on a square platform, usually 6m by 6m.<br/><br/> Representing one of twenty standard characters that appear in Bugaku dance performance, <i>sanju</i> masks are a fine example of the exaggerated realism that captures a symbolic emotion or expression for dramatic stage effect. The earliest Bugaku masks were made by imperial craftsmen in dry lacquer.
In 717-718, Abe no Nakamoro was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China (Kentoshi) along with Kibi no Makibi and Genbo. They returned to Japan; he did not.<br/><br/> In China, he passed the civil-service examination. Around 725, he took an administrative position and was promoted in Luoyang in 728 and 731. Around 733 he received Tajihi Hironari, who would command the Japanese diplomatic mission. In 734 he tried to return to Japan but the ship to take him back sank not long into the journey, forcing him to remain in China for several more years. In 752, he tried again to return, with the mission to China led by Fujiwara no Kiyokawa, but the ship he was traveling in was wrecked and ran aground off the coast of Vietnam, but he managed to return to Chang'an in 755.<br/><br/> When the An Lushan Rebellion started later that year, it was unsafe to return to Japan and Nakamaro abandoned his hopes of returning to his homeland. He took several government offices and rose to the position of Governor-General of Annam between 761 and 767, residing in Hanoi. He then returned to Chang'an and was planning his return to Japan when he died in 770.
In 833, Emperor Nimmyo named Tsunetsugu the Imperial ambassador to China. He was the last envoy from Japan to China during the Heian period.<br/><br/> The diplomatic mission left Kyushu in 838; Tsunetsugu returned to Japan in 839. The mission party included the Buddhist monk Ennin.
In 717-718, Abe no Nakamoro was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China (Kentoshi) along with Kibi no Makibi and Genbo. They returned to Japan; he did not.<br/><br/> In China, he passed the civil-service examination. Around 725, he took an administrative position and was promoted in Luoyang in 728 and 731. Around 733 he received Tajihi Hironari, who would command the Japanese diplomatic mission. In 734 he tried to return to Japan but the ship to take him back sank not long into the journey, forcing him to remain in China for several more years. In 752, he tried again to return, with the mission to China led by Fujiwara no Kiyokawa, but the ship he was traveling in was wrecked and ran aground off the coast of Vietnam, but he managed to return to Chang'an in 755.<br/><br/> When the An Lushan Rebellion started later that year, it was unsafe to return to Japan and Nakamaro abandoned his hopes of returning to his homeland. He took several government offices and rose to the position of Governor-General of Annam between 761 and 767, residing in Hanoi. He then returned to Chang'an and was planning his return to Japan when he died in 770.
In 833, Emperor Ninmyo named Tsunetsugu the Imperial ambassador to China. He was the last envoy from Japan to China during the Heian period.<br/><br/> The diplomatic mission left Kyushu in 838; Tsunetsugu returned to Japan in 839. The mission party included the Buddhist monk Ennin as well as Ono no Takamura.
In 717-718, Abe no Nakamoro was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China (Kentoshi) along with Kibi no Makibi and Genbo. They returned to Japan; he did not.<br/><br/> In China, he passed the civil-service examination. Around 725, he took an administrative position and was promoted in Luoyang in 728 and 731. Around 733 he received Tajihi Hironari, who would command the Japanese diplomatic mission. In 734 he tried to return to Japan but the ship to take him back sank not long into the journey, forcing him to remain in China for several more years. In 752, he tried again to return, with the mission to China led by Fujiwara no Kiyokawa, but the ship he was traveling in was wrecked and ran aground off the coast of Vietnam, but he managed to return to Chang'an in 755.<br/><br/> When the An Lushan Rebellion started later that year, it was unsafe to return to Japan and Nakamaro abandoned his hopes of returning to his homeland. He took several government offices and rose to the position of Governor-General of Annam between 761 and 767, residing in Hanoi. He then returned to Chang'an and was planning his return to Japan when he died in 770.
Sugawara no Michizane (August 1, 845 – March 26, 903), also known as Kan Shojo or Kanke, was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan. He is regarded as an accomplished poet, particularly in Chinese poetry, and is today revered as the god of learning, Tenman-Tenjin, often shortened to Tenjin.<br/><br/> He was appointed ambassador to China in the 890s, but instead came out in support of abolition of the imperial embassies to China in 894, because of the decline of the Tang Dynasty.