Changes

The ''kentôshi'', literally "ambassadors dispatched to [[Tang]]", were formal missions to China organized by the Imperial Court in the [[Asuka period|Asuka]] and [[Nara period]]s, for the purposes of trade, and in order to learn about, adapt, and adopt Chinese technologies, legal systems, political systems, and the like. The missions represent a major element of the involvement of the [[Yamato state]]<ref>Used here interchangeably with [[Wa]]. Both terms refer to the Japanese state; the term "Japan" itself is avoided as the extent to which the term should be applied to any period prior to [[1868]], let alone to this early period, is controversial.</ref> in [[Silk Road]] trade and exchange, by which countless ideas and objects were obtained, and which contributed to numerous profound developments.

The ''kentôshi'', literally "ambassadors dispatched to [[Tang]]", were formal missions to China organized by the Imperial Court in the [[Asuka period|Asuka]] and [[Nara period]]s, for the purposes of trade, and in order to learn about, adapt, and adopt Chinese technologies, legal systems, political systems, and the like. The missions represent a major element of the involvement of the [[Yamato state]]<ref>Used here interchangeably with [[Wa]]. Both terms refer to the Japanese state; the term "Japan" itself is avoided as the extent to which the term should be applied to any period prior to [[1868]], let alone to this early period, is controversial.</ref> in [[Silk Road]] trade and exchange, by which countless ideas and objects were obtained, and which contributed to numerous profound developments.

Roughly twenty missions were sent in the 7th-9th centuries. Though their number was few, their impact was huge, and some of the people involved are today among the greatest names in Japanese pre-modern history. [[Abe no Nakamaro]] traveled to China on a ''kentôshi'' mission, passed the [[Imperial examinations]], and remained there for decades as a Tang official, cavorting with the likes of [[Li Bai]] and [[Wang Wei]]. The monk [[Ganjin]] traveled to Japan with one of the returning envoys, and played a major role in the eye-opening (dedication) ceremony for the Great Buddha at [[Todaiji|Tôdaiji]]. [[Kibi no Makibi]] led missions to Tang on several occasions; a fictionalized version of the story of his first journey to China is related in [[Kibi Scroll|a 12th century handscroll painting]] today in the collection of the [[Museum of Fine Arts, Boston]].

Roughly twenty missions were sent in the 7th-9th centuries. Though their number was few, their impact was huge, and some of the people involved are today among the greatest names in Japanese pre-modern history. [[Abe no Nakamaro]] traveled to China on a ''kentôshi'' mission, passed the [[Imperial examinations]], and remained there for decades as a Tang official, cavorting with the likes of [[Li Bai]] and [[Wang Wei]]. The monk [[Ganjin]] traveled to Japan with one of the returning envoys, and later founded [[Toshodaiji|Tôshôdai-ji]]. [[Kibi no Makibi]] led missions to Tang on several occasions; a fictionalized version of the story of his first journey to China is related in [[Kibi Scroll|a 12th century handscroll painting]] today in the collection of the [[Museum of Fine Arts, Boston]].

==The Missions==

==The Missions==