Background
Makibi no Kibi was born in 695. He was originally named Shimo- tsumichi Makibi.
吉備 真備
Makibi no Kibi was born in 695. He was originally named Shimo- tsumichi Makibi.
he was sent to T’ang China in 717, where he studied Confucianism, astronomy, and other subjects, returning to Japan in 735.
Emperor Shomu admired his learning greatly and appointed him tutor to his daughter, the future Empress Koken.
In 740 Fujiwara no Hirotsugu led an uprising and attempted to topple Makibi and Gembo from power, but his efforts ended in failure.
In 746 Makibi was given the surname Kibi. When Fujiwara no Nakamaro came to power, Makibi was exiled to the provinces, but in 752 he was once more sent on a mission to China, returning in 754.
After the failure of Fujiwara no Nakamaro’s attempted coup d’état in 764, Makibi resumed a position in the government, becoming a dai jin (minister of state) in 766.