조선후기 문위행(問慰行)에 관한 재고(再考) - 1635년 사행 및 막부의 재정원조를 중심으로 -

Abstract

This paper presents an empirical review of the role played by Munwihaeng (問慰行, envoy) in the year 1635 and of cases where the Edo bakufu lent support to the Tsushima clan to host Munwihaeng visits. The Munwihaeng dispatched in 1635 was the first delegation exclusively made up of interpreters (Japanese language interpreters of Joseon) to visit Edo, accompanied only by a group of Masangjae (馬上才, horseback acrobat). The delegation departed Joseon in January 1635, arrived at Edo by the end of March to perform horseback acrobatics to shoguns and daimyos and returned to Joseon in July. After the adjudication of Tokugawa Iemitsu (徳川 家光) resulted in a final verdict on the oie sodo (御家騒動, noble family dispute) of the Tsushima clan, individuals involved were sentenced on the 12th and 13th of March, 1635. This means the Yanagawa affair had already been concluded by the time the delegation arrived at Edo. Hence, although the interpreters did try to gather intelligence on the Tsushima clan's oie sodo, it would have been unlikely for them to have pled directly to the Edo bakufu for So Yoshinari (宗 義成). Meanwhile, the Edo bakufu began providing financial support since 1779 for the purpose of covering the cost to host Munwihaeng visits. Previous research has revealed that such support involving Munwihaeng was given on a total of seven different occasions. However, research for this paper found that the Edo bakufu also dispensed financial aid for Munwihaeng visits in 1809, 1843, and 1860 as well. Therefore, the total number of times financial support was given amounts to ten. What is common about these cases in which the Edo bakufu gave financial support is that they were family events of the shogun, not the So clan of the Tsushima domain. The clan's requests for support in hosting envoys such as Tongsinsa as well as Munwihaeng would have been because it was experiencing financial difficulties along with declining profit from trade with Joseon since the mid 18th century. This paper examines the aforementioned cases in which the So clan of Tsushima received financial support. Ahead of a Munwihaeng's departure for Japan, the clan would file requests with the Roju and other senior statesmen of the Edo bakufu to grant a special allowance and most of such requests were accepted. Consequently, support for Munwihaeng visits following the one in 1829 were further provided in 1843, 1855, and the final visit in 1860.