Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/273

266 Again, the people of the whole country carried arms without reason when passing to and fro on the highways. The old people of the country said:—"This perhaps denotes the destruction of the Land of Pèkché."

Autumn, 7th month, 16th day. The Koryö Envoy, the Eul-syang, Ha Chhyu-mun, and his suite took their departure.

Again, the man of Tukhāra, Kendzuhashi Tatsua, desired to return to his native country, and asked for an escort officer, saying:—"I intend later to pay my respects to the Court of the Great Country, and therefore, in token of this, I leave my wife behind." Accordingly, he took the way of the Western Sea with several tens of men.

In the "Record of the reigns of Japan," written by the Koryö priest To-hyön, it is said:—"In the seventh month, etc., Chhyun-chhyu-chi, by the aid of the General-in-Chief, Su Ting-fang, caused Pèkché to be invaded and destroyed." One account says:—"Pèkché brought ruin upon itself, owing to the feminine want of principle of the Royal Consort, who arbitrarily usurped the helm of Government and slew the wise and good, thus inviting the calamity which came upon them. Ought one not to be watchful? Ought one not to be watchful?" In a note it is stated:—"Chhyun-chhyu-chi, of Silla, was unable to accomplish his wishes by the Minister Kè-kim. Therefore he again served Thang, and, putting off the national garb, made a fawning appeal to the Son of Heaven, with the object of bringing disaster on a neighbouring kingdom and preparing the accomplishment of his ends."

The writing of Hakatoko, Yuki no Muraji, says:—"In the year Kanoye Saru, the 8th month, Pèkché was reduced to submission. After this, on the 12th day of the 9th month, the visitors were dismissed to their own country. On the 19th day they started from the Western capital. On the 16th day of the 10th month, they arrived back at the Eastern capital, and then for the first time met