Chapter 107: The Great Figure Who Shook Tang China and Japan

"Abeno no Nakamaro, a towering figure of the Nara period, whose fame resonated across both China and Japan; his achievements were unmatched in the Nara era, and even throughout Japanese history, few could rival him."

Professor Beishan glanced at the crowd, seeming to sense that they still did not fully grasp the magnitude of Abeno no Nakamaro's accomplishments.

Immediately, he spoke plainly.

"When mentioning Japanese Onmyoji, I suppose the first name that comes to your minds is Abe no Seimei, whom you regard as the greatest Onmyoji."

The crowd nodded noncommittally.

Abe no Seimei's contributions and achievements to Onmyodo laid the foundation for its future development and exerted a profound influence on the art.

"In truth, those who truly understand Onmyodo and history do not consider Abe no Seimei to be the first.

Or rather, they believe there are others who can rival Abe no Seimei.

For instance, the monk Ganjaku, who not only brought the arts of Kido, Yin-Yang, and the Five Elements to Japan but also taught many great figures of Onmyodo, such as Yako Gyokujin, revered in Japan as the 'Ancestor of the Way of History'; Otomo Takatoshi, honored in Japan as the 'Ancestor of the Way of Astronomy'; and Yamashiro Tachibana, known in Japan as the 'Ancestor of the Art of Kido.'

It can be said that the monk Ganjaku was the pioneer of Japanese Onmyodo, and his name is no less renowned than that of Abe no Seimei."

Upon hearing this, the crowd realized what Professor Beishan meant, their faces turning pale with shock.

"Could it be... that Abeno no Nakamaro also..."

"Yes, Abeno no Nakamaro was also a famous figure in Onmyodo, with achievements equal to those of the monk Ganjaku, no less than Abe no Seimei, and perhaps even surpassing him."

Professor Beishan appeared agitated, his voice trembling.

"Because Abeno no Nakamaro's fame was not like Abe no Seimei's, known only within Japan; his name was also renowned in China during the Tang Dynasty.

You all know Master Konghai, who traveled to China, obtained Buddhist scriptures, and profoundly influenced Japanese Buddhism. Abe no Seimei also went to China; legends even say he took Bo Daoren as his master.

Both of them were incredibly powerful; after studying in China, they became famous throughout Japan."

The crowd nodded repeatedly.

They were aware of what Professor Beishan had said; China's glorious, seemingly mythical supernatural history was far more powerful than Japan's. Figures like Abe no Seimei and Master Konghai each went to China and, like they had been gilded, achieved extraordinary feats.

Just as they were puzzled by why Professor Beishan suddenly mentioned these things, he shifted the topic.

"They merely traveled to China to seek scriptures and find masters, but Abeno no Nakamaro was different; he achieved extraordinary success in China. He took the imperial examinations, passed as a Jinshi, and served as the Tang Left Sanqi Chang and the Protector-General of Annan. The Tang Emperor held him in high regard and cherished him greatly. When Abeno no Nakamaro returned to his homeland, the Tang Emperor even ennobled him as a Duke.

The Tang Dynasty, one of the most prosperous eras in Chinese history, was famous for the gathering of ten thousand nations. Yet Abeno no Nakamaro, in such a brilliant China, obtained the Jinshi degree and was promoted in rank and title.

Anyone familiar with the history of the Tang Dynasty in China would certainly know a man named Chao Heng.

Chao Heng was precisely the Chinese name of Abeno no Nakamaro in China."

"Chao Heng?!"

Omura Kenji, a lover of ancient Chinese poetry, changed his expression:

"Professor Beishan, is the Chao Heng you speak of the same Chao Heng from the poem 'Weeping for Chao Qingheng' written by Li Bai, the great Tang poet hailed as the 'Poet Immortal'?!"

Omura Kenji loved ancient poetry greatly; whenever he had nothing to do, he enjoyed reading ancient poems.

And how could anyone who loved ancient poetry not know Li Bai? He was the great poet hailed as the Poet Immortal, whose talent and fame shook the ages.

The poet Omura Kenji loved most was Li Bai; he had read all of Li Bai's poems and studied every single one. Among them, one poem left a deep impression on him because it was related to Japan, or more precisely, to a Japanese person.

It was 'Weeping for Chao Qingheng'!

This poem was written by Li Bai for a close friend named Chao Heng. He wrote it because he learned that his friend Chao Heng, who was Japanese, was returning to Japan from China. On the journey back, Chao Heng encountered a massive storm at sea and drowned.

Upon learning of his friend Chao Heng's tragic death, Li Bai was heartbroken and composed a poem weeping for Chao Heng.

Omura Kenji never expected that Abeno no Nakamaro was Chao Heng; he was a close friend of Li Bai, the great Tang poet.

Instantly, Omura Kenji deeply realized that Abeno no Nakamaro's achievements marked him as a great figure who was famous in Japan, famous in China, and recognized and befriended by famous Chinese figures!

"Yes, I am speaking of the Chao Heng from Li Bai's poem 'Weeping for Chao Qingheng.'

He was Abeno no Nakamaro, who was not only a close friend of Li Bai but also a close friend of great Tang poets such as Wang Wei, Chu Guangxi, and Zhao Ye."

Upon hearing this, Omura Kenji gasped, his old eyes widening immensely. Every Chinese name Professor Beishan had mentioned he had heard of; they were all famous poets in Chinese history.

Immediately after.

After Omura Kenji explained the identities of Li Bai, Wang Wei, and others, Professor Beishan recounted further deeds of Abeno no Nakamaro in the Tang Dynasty and in Japan, leaving the crowd speechless with shock.

They finally understood why it was said that Abeno no Nakamaro's achievements surpassed even those of Abe no Seimei.

Suddenly.

At the very end of his speech, Professor Beishan added casually.

"You know, people worship the strong, and it is common for impostors to claim the name of a powerful figure or pretend to be their descendant, seeking vanity and attention; of course, this is also a form of worshipping the strong.

In fact, there are rumors that Abe no Seimei once claimed to be a descendant of Abeno no Nakamaro."

"What?!"

The crowd suddenly straightened up; had Abeno no Mikata not been present, they would have jumped to their feet in shock.

Even so, they were utterly horrified.

The greatest Onmyoji, Abe no Seimei, a figure of such renown, actually pretended to be someone else's descendant?!

This fact alone was enough to demonstrate how powerful Abeno no Nakamaro was; even Abe no Seimei revered him and took pride in him.

"Do not take this as absolute truth; it is merely a rumor. Regarding Abe no Seimei's claim to be a descendant of Abeno no Nakamaro, the historical community is deeply divided, with many believing it to be false."

Professor Beishan waved his hand, fearing that if he spoke a rumor in a moment of excitement, the crowd would believe it, for this was merely a disputed rumor, neither proven nor definitively refuted.

In fact, the reason he mentioned this rumor was primarily because he had only just learned today that Abeno no Nakamaro was a supernatural being.

A famous figure from the era preceding the Heian period, and a supernatural being at that; perhaps this rumor was not false. Unfortunately, he could not prove it. As a member of the historical community, he could not speak recklessly about unverified matters; historians must take responsibility for their words.

"This is not false; it is true."

Without warning, a lazy middle-aged voice rang out, echoing in everyone's ears.

In that instant.

Everyone turned their heads abruptly, staring straight at Abeno no Mikata, their expressions filled with extreme shock, their minds reeling violently.

"True??" Professor Beishan, fearing he had heard a hallucination, could not help but ask.

It could be seen that when Professor Beishan asked this, veins bulged at the corners of his eyes; he was so shocked that his blood seemed to boil, his voice almost a groan.

Abe Ontake Maro picked up a pastry from the table with a toothpick and ate it, nodding slightly.

"It really is."

……