An inglorious record.
The most temperamental diplomat in ancient China, he refused to surrender his credentials because the Japanese prince was unwilling to kneel.
In 630 A.D., Emperor Shumei of Japan sent an envoy to the Tang Dynasty for the first time to establish diplomatic relations.
At that time, the Japanese imperial court attached great importance to the arrival of the Tang envoys, and the Japanese prince led 32 ships to meet them at the mouth of the river, hoisting colorful flags and playing drums to express a warm welcome.
However, Gao Biaoren had a misunderstanding due to the reception ceremony of the Japanese prince, and even put forward the unreasonable request that "the emperor must be allowed to go down to the throne and face north to accept the letter of the Tang envoy".
The reason why Gao Biaoren made this faux pas request is probably due to a misjudgment of the status of the two monarchs. According to the "Old Tang Book", Gao Biaoren "has a strong temperament and does not meet the etiquette law". He may have thought that the Japanese emperor should receive the Tang envoy as a courtier, which may have stemmed from his misjudgment of the balance of power between the two countries.
At that time, the Tang Dynasty was in its heyday and its national strength was strong, while Japan was still weak in the early days of its founding. Gao may have one-sidedly believed that Japan should ceremoniously show obedience and humility to Tang. However, such a demand obviously runs counter to the original intention of the two countries in establishing diplomatic relations, and also loses the demeanor of a major country.
In the face of Gao Biaoren's unreasonable demands, the Japanese prince was resolute and cautious. The prince said he could accept equal etiquette as a sign of friendship between the two countries, but refused to allow the emperor to kneel, a request that undermined the dignity of the Japanese monarch.
This fully demonstrated the Japanese side's friendly attitude of sympathy for the Tang envoys who came from afar, as well as its unhesitating duty to safeguard the dignity of the country. Japan's cautious concessions stand in stark contrast to Ko's unreasonable demands.
However, instead of taking Japan's stance and feelings into account, he became more and more tough. Not only did he refuse to accept Japan's etiquette of equality, but he also chose to suspend the visit in anger and refused to hand over Tang Taizong's credentials.
This is undoubtedly a serious diplomatic mistake. As a result of his impulsive visit, the mission to Japan was abandoned halfway, and the relations and trust between the two countries were lost. Gao Biaoren's stubbornness and disregard for the overall situation led to the eventual breakup of the two countries that could have established friendly relations.
Gao Biaoren's biggest mistake on this trip was to forget his core mission as a diplomatic envoy. Diplomats representing their countries abroad should be cautious in their words and deeds, be sensitive to the other side's position, and not be stubborn.
He was supposed to follow Tang Taizong's will and promote relations between the two countries with a friendly attitude. However, Gao Biaoren not only failed to complete the task, but also undermined the foundation of the friendship between Tang and Japan with his rude behavior. This can be said to be an unprecedented dereliction of duty and deviance in the history of diplomacy.
Because of Gao Biaoren's dereliction of responsibility, Tang Taizong severely held him accountable. Gao was removed from his official position and fined for two years. The "New Tang Dynasty Book" commented that he was "unapologetic and talented", which fully reflected his dereliction of duty in diplomacy.
A qualified diplomat needs to be far-sighted and good at adapting to the situation, and Gao has exposed serious shortcomings in these aspects.
The incident of Gao Biaoren's visit to Japan has brought profound lessons to future generations. As a diplomatic envoy, you should not impose your own country's etiquette system on others, let alone treat others as your own, and should respect the traditions of different countries.
When promoting bilateral relations, it is necessary to put ourselves in the other side's shoes and not to be rigid and forceful. Finally, diplomats must keep in mind their mission of representing the country when they go on missions, and must not compromise the overall situation of bilateral relations because of personal likes and dislikes or miscalculations.
It is a pity that Gao Biaoren failed in all these aspects, and finally failed in his mission to Japan, leaving behind a disgraceful memory in the history of diplomacy.
Author: Wang Gongjian.