The Japanese First Encounter with the Balhae's Mission (3)

      The prewar imperial historical view in Japan wanted Muye's intension to be to pay tribute to Japan.  Obviously, it wasn’t.  He valued the proprieties, but was seeking for the equal diplomatic relations.

     The Japanese central government conferred Gao Je-deog and 7 others Japanese ranks with formal clothes correspondent to the ranks.  They held a grand party with Japanese high-ranking officials attending.  As entertainment for the party, they held archery completion between the Balhae mission members and Japanese archers, and performed gagaku, the ceremonial music and dances of the Imperial Court of Japan.

     Although main and major members were killed by Emishi, the mission brought the letter and presents to Kyoto.  The 8 survivors might have been looking after their ship while the others landed.

     It has been proved that they brought local products other than fur.  In 1988, the residence vestige of Prince Nagaya (684-729) was excavated.  They found thin wooden strips dated from 715 to 729.  In 729,  Prince Nagaya was cornered into suicide.  2 of the wooden strips had the Chinese characters for the "Balhae mission" and “trading”.  As Balhae’s first mission arrived in Japan in 729, and the second arrived in 739, the “trading” mentioned in the strips should have been carried out by the first mission.  They did trading as well as giving presents to the Emperor of Japan.