| (1) Studying Abroad and
Activities of the Remaining People |
Overseas activities of the
Korean people developed more during the period of
Unified Shilla and Parhae than during any other
traditional period.
Shilla and Parhae sent many of
their students to Tang to import its culture.
The
Tang and Shilla governments paid for the educational
expenses of many of the students who came from Shilla.
These foreign students were called "boarding-students"
and could stay in Tang for 10 years in order to finish
their studies. There are many students who passed the
civil service examination of Tang. Shilla's Kim
Un-gyong, Kim Ka-gi, Ch'oe Ch'i-won, Ch'oe Sin-ji, and
Parhae's Ko Won-ko, Oh Kwangch'an were among such
students. Some of them became Tang officials.
High
monks such as Uisang and Wonch'uk also studied in Tang.
Upon returning home, Uisang founded the Hwaom-jong
(Avatamsaka) in Shilla, and Wonch'uk rose to fame as a
high monk in Tang. Hyech'o made a pilgrimage to India
and documented his travels in a report called "A Journey
to Wang'o ch'onch'uk-kuk" which told of his adventures.
This journal became an important document in historical
studies of India and Soyok.
On the other hand, after
the destruction of Paekche and Koguryo, some of their
remain people remained active in China.
Hukch'i
sangji, the general who led the Paekche restoration
movement also led the Tang army in an expedition against
Tufan and Tujue. Ko Son-chi, a Koguryo descendent,
became known as a famous general when the Tang army
traveled over the Pamir Plateau known as the "Roof of
the World" in an expedition to Soyok. |
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| (2) Sea Trade and Chang
Po-go |
As relations between Shilla
and Tang became closer, the two countries' sea trade
increased. Shilla exported silk fabric, ramie fabric,
ginseng, and gold and silver items and imported silk,
books and medicine from Tang.
Many Shilla people
frequented Tang to engage in trade. As a result, people
of Shilla settled in villages known as "Shilla-bang"
around Shandong and the lower Yangzi River, and a
supervisory agency known as "Shilla-so" and a Shilla
people's temple like "Shilla-won" were established as
well. Japanese monks traveling in China frequently
visited these Shilla-wons.
As Shilla's sea trade
activities increased, pirates became rampant, harrassing
sea traders. Chang Po-go, who served th the Tang navy
for a time, came back home to establish the
Ch'onghae-jin and develop the Shilla naval force. He
protected the trade activities of Shilla sailors with
convoys to oversee the three seas around the Korean
peninsula and the Eastern Sea of China. He became a
leader of maritime and trading activities. Being
recognized for his merits he was appointed Ambassador to
Ch'onghae-jin, but afterwards, as a result of his
involvement in political disputes, he suffered a tragic
death. |
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| (3) Propagation of Shilla
Culture to Japan |
After Shilla's unification,
diplomatic relations with Japan, which were once
severed, were restored and envoys made frequent visits
back and forth between the two countries. In the 8th
century alone Japanese envoys transporting students and
monks to Shilla made eleven different trips.
After
returning home, these students played a large role in
formulating the legal system of Japan. The Hakuho
culture of Japan received a great deal of influence from
Shilla culture.
The people of Shilla contributed
greatly to the development of Japanese Buddhism during
the Nara period. Both Kyoki and Kimi Maro were involved
in erecting the great Buddha in Nara.
However, as
political confusion worsened in Shilla, diplomatic
relations between Shilla and Japan were cut off.
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