Sei Shinsei (井真成)
Shinsei SEI (his name can also be pronounced "I no Manari") (699 - 734) is a name of a Japanese international student in the Nara period (the period of Tang Dynasty of China), whose epitaph was found in Xian, an ancient capital in China. His Japanese name is unknown.
Summary
Shinsei SEI is a name written as a Japanese international student on the epitaph which was found in the People's Republic of China.
On October 12, 2004, Northwest University in China announced that the epitaph was found in a construction site in Xian City, Shaanxi Province, China. After the epitaph was found, it was privately owned once, but collected by the museum attached to Northwest University in China.
The epitaph says that Shinsei SEI, a student from Japan was given the government post of "Shoihogyo (a chief of the department, with the fifth subordinate rank, to deal with Emperor's clothing)" because he died in January (any one day from 1 to 10, or 20), 734. Archaeologically, this is the first epitaph for Japanese found in China and the oldest description of "Japan" as the name of the country among existing materials of letters carved in stone.
Abridged translation
Abridged translation of epitaph is as follow:
It was translated by Yasunori KEGASAWA, a professor of Chinese history at Meiji University.
His surname was Sei (井) and his azana (adult male's nickname) was Shinsei (真成). The name of his country was Japan. He was a naturally smart person who came all the way to China under the order from his government, and studied hard. After pursuing his studies, he served in the Imperial Court as a formal government official and excelled in performance.
Unexpectedly, he became ill and died in the government quarters in January, 743. He was 36.
The Emperor felt very sorry for his death and decided to bury him with special treatment. Although his body was buried in this land, his soul must have gone back to his homeland.
Mystery of epitaph
The epitaph is usually filled with letters, but one fourth of the epitaph on the left is blank.
The form of writing is slightly different from the general form.
Although the record of offices and ranks he held are not mentioned, he received the high rank after his death.
It is unclear when and where the epitaph was dug up because it fell into other's hands after it was dug up from under the ground at the construction site, not by scientific research.
Study of the epitaph
According to the study, Shinsei SEI went to Tang Dynasty of China along with Japanese envoys led by TAJIHI no Mahito Agatamori in 717. He went to Tang around the same time as ABE no Nakamaro and KIBI no Makibi. Japanese envoys to Tang Dynasty of China led by TAJIHI no Mahito Hironari went to Tang in 733, a year before Shinsei SEI died, and then returned to the capital along with international students including KIBI no Makibi in the following year. Therefore, it is assumed that he died of illness when the Japanese envoys still stayed in Tang. It is also intrigued to find the country name of Japan on the epitaph. In December, 2005, an imaginative drama on Shinsei SEI was aired in NHK Special "Shin Siruku rodo (New Silk Road)".
Some researchers presume that his surname, Sei (井) was the abbreviation made to be one word in Chinese style and he could be a descendant of a naturalized family in the ancient times, which was the Inohe (井上) clan or the Fujii (葛井) clan. In Fujiidera City, Osaka Prefecture where there is the Fujii-dera Temple associated with the Fujii clan, the campaign was launched to ask to pronounce Shinsei SEI as "Shinsei FUJII" and letting him return home at least in the form of the epitaph based on the evidence that many first names using "sei (成)" can be seen in the Fujii clan around the same period. In 2005, his home visit came true and the epitaph went on public exhibition at Aiserushura-hall.
Theories on his origin
The Inoue clan theory
It was stated by Yasutami SUZUKI, (professor of Kokugakuin University).
He stated that Shinsei SEI was a family member of the Inoue clan descended from a naturalized local ruling family in the ancient times and argued that if he was a descendant of the Fujii (葛井) clan, he would have chosen "葛", most common surname in China when he shortened his name into one word.
The Fujii clan theory
It was stated by Haruyuki TONO (professor of Nara University) and Arikiyo SAEKI (former professor of Hokkaido University).
They argued that he was a family member of Fujii clan, a descendant of a naturalized local ruling family in ancient times which produced officials such as a diplomat.
Shinsei JO (情) theory
It was stated by Yufang ZHANG (a vice chairman of Chunichi kankeishi gakkai [the Society of China-Japan History]).
He argued that Shinsei SEI might have been given the surname which has similar sound of a word meaning earnest and honest in Chinese by Emperor, but he said that his Japanese name was unknown.
Chinese surname theory
It was stated by Wei WANG (professor of Northwest University in China). He argued that Shinsei chose "井 (pronounced "sei" in Japanese, "jing" in Chinese)" because it had been commonly seen around Changan areas since the period of the Tang Dynasty, but he said that his Japanese name was unknown.
Others
The surname of "Sei" (written as "井" in Chinese character) is commonly seen in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu region.