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Establishment of Shosoin 

The Shosoin repository located at Todaiji Temple, in Japan’s Nara Prefecture, is an annex containing the temple and surrounding houses’ ancient relics, largely from the Nara period (710-794). The creation of Shosoin began with a donation of articles belonging to Emperor Shomu to the huge statue of Buddha in Todaiji by Empress Komyo 49^th days after the emperor passed away in 756. At present, nearly 9,000 articles of treasure, including more than 600 pieces of jewelry, are accounted for in the State Treasure Book. This includes items donated by the royal court, objects for Buddhist services in Todaiji, and old documents, which are all preserved at Todaiji. Included also are luxury items which belonged to the royal court, household items, musical instruments, handicrafts, the “Four Treasures of the Study,” scripts like Buddhist scriptures and objects from Korea, China, and countries on China’s Western borders, which have all become priceless artifacts and historical data that allow us to catch a glimpse of the state of international relations at the time. 

Red lacquerware wardrobe of Shosoin and relics

Tongdaiji’s documents include a record that King Uija of Baekje sent a lacquerware wardrobe to an influential vassal in Japan. In this wardrobe were ornaments, including go stones and four silver bowls, and there was a go board, which formed a complete set with the go stones that all remained. However, the wardrobe that was alleged to have been sent by King Uija has disappeared. Among the offered articles recorded in the State Treasure Book, nothing but a lacquerware wardrobe, similar to “Jeokchilgyumokjuja,” remains. Records of the collections in the Shosoin documents in 793 defined the existing red lacquerware wardrobe as the “first Jeokchilneunggwanjuja” and the wardrobe sent by King Uija as the “second Jeokchilgwanmokjuja,” describing their materials and particular characteristics. The material used for the red lacquerware was zelkova and the lumber used to build Japan’s ancient structures was a type of cypress called hinoki. The material used for the lacquerware wardrobe was dyed with Brazil wood and finished with boiled lacquer. 

 Red lacquerware wardrobe sent from Baekje

At the time, this was the manufacturing technique used, based on the fact that the “Chronicles of the Three States (Samguk Sagi)” refer to a government office called “Sobangjeon” specializing in dyeing and was in operation. The go boards named “Mokhwajadangiguk” had 17 marked points unlike the nine which exist on contemporary go boards, and that indicates that this is Korea’s native “sunjang” go board. Patterns of camels, giraffes, deer, and parrots are engraved on each side and base of the go board, which makes the board appear more dignified and stately thanks to the exotic depictions. The go stones were made of ivory and were manufactured by engraving its surface after it was dipped in crimson dye. What’s interesting is that designs engraved in animal bones excavated from the Anapji Pond in Gyeongju were surprisingly similar to the bird patterns found on the go stones in Shosoin. The lacquerware wardrobe was certainly made in Baekje but go-related items may have been produced in Silla. 

Go stones in Shosoin and their bird patterns excavated from Anapji Pond

Silla culture in Shosoin 

Silla and Japan had 76 envoy exchanges from 668 to 807. Many Silla products were delivered to Japan as commerce-related exchanges increased, especially after 730. Ink sticks in Shosoin embossed with phrases such as “Sillayanggasangmuk (新羅楊家上墨) and “Sillamugasangmuk (新羅武家上墨)” show that they were produced in Silla. Japan needed large quantities of paper and ink sticks because, at the time, Buddhist scriptures were being assiduously handwritten, buoyed by the burgeoning of Buddhism in the state. Documents were discovered in an Avatatamska Sutra to have recorded a discourse regarding a Silla village. Scriptures written in Silla were exported to Japan, and were applied as a backing paper inside the covers of these texts. The discovery of such documents paved the way for uncovering the state of Silla’s family registration and tax systems and also helped illuminate the outpouring of written works. This highlights the potency of primary sources. 

A twelve-string Silla gayageum preserved at Shosoin was traded or given as a gift by the royal family to a group called Aakryo, which was established to make music in the Nara period. This group accepted music from foreign countries like Silla was and played their songs. Children of people who moved to Japan from Silla, in particular, were selected as music students to play Silla music, which ended up becoming court music. The Sahari Bottle (佐波理水瓶) in Shosoin, a vessel for presenting pure water, called “Jeongbyeong (pure bottle)’’ in because it is designed to hold water. The word Sahari affixed to the bottle originated from a type of Silla bowl, indicating that this was made in Silla. 

“Maesillamulhae (買新羅物解),” provides information about goods traded between Silla and Japan because it is a collection of documents in which Japanese aristocrats wrote the name of Silla commodities and prices of Silla at which to buy them; the documents were offered to a state organization in charge of trade. The list of Silla commodities recorded in it numbers more than 200, including drugs, ginseng, ox bezoars, licorice, spices, dyes, pigments, metal ware, mirrors, brassware, folding screens, rulers, bows & arrows, furniture, and candlesticks. The list includes a diverse array of goods that were both needed by the state and also items of personal interest to the royal court and other aristocrats. Of these items, there were some that had labels adhered on their corners that recorded manufacturers and the size of things indicating that they were made in Silla. Additionally, there are numerous bronze bowls called “Saharigaban (佐波理加盤)” remaining today. Ten bronze bowls of various sizes were made into one set to reduce the volume for shipping with some bowls procured as household items for convenient use. Shosoin’s Donation Book recorded the status of storage for these commodities and marked the boxes and sacks in which they were placed as one set. Singwae (辛櫃), Hangwae (韓櫃), and Tanggwae (唐櫃) recorded in Shosoin’s documents are wooden boxes containing goods for diplomatic purposes and for exporting and the remain intact in their original shapes. 

There are a number of relics related to the Korean Peninsula in Shosoin in addition to the aforementioned articles, and many of them are truly difficult to find domestically. If interdisciplinary research into these collected items is pursued in the future, a variety of questions, including the production location, means, technique, and true nature of trading and diplomacy of the time may be revealed.