임진왜란 강화교섭기와 정유재란 시기의 대명사행

Abstract

The Imjin War can be divided into two phases, characterized by the Peace Negotiations. The Jeongyu War is the name given to the conflict that broke out again after these negotiations fell through. This study examines the instances where diplomatic envoys were sent by Joseon to Ming during the period between the Peace Negotiations and the Jeongyu War. Through this analysis, the study aims to investigate how new developments in the war influenced the use of envoys and how the changes to these deployments shaped the diplomatic ties between Joseon and Ming. Joseon's deployment of envoys during the Jeongyu War can be divided into three periods. First, delegates were sent to Ming during the Peace Negotiations to ask for the coronation of the crown prince or to obtain justification for sending Joseon's representatives to Japan alongside Ming 's delegates. However, after the talks fell through and the likelihood of war began to increase, Joseon sent urgent messages to Ming, alerting them about this development and requesting additional military assistance. Ming agreed to Joseon's request but also criticized them for their lack of preparation. In response, Joseon dispatched more envoys to Ming to refute this attempt while still maintaining peace with them. After the war resumed, Joseon sent messages to Ming, expressing their gratitude and acknowledging the earlier criticism. When the leader of Ming's army was impeached, Joseon arranged envoys to appeal for reconsideration. This was followed by several more dispatches to defend against Ming's false accusations regarding the appeal, which caused significant turmoil in the internal politics of Joseon. After the Jeongyu War, the missions entrusted to Joseon's envoys became more and more complex. These changes were brought about by the ever evolving situations. During this period, envoys were deployed for a variety of purposes which went beyond those that were relatively simple and direct, such as requesting military assistance or opposing the Peace negotiations led by Myong. There were more instances of delegates delivering documents directly to Ming's government offices or officials in Beijing. The importance of Joseon's envoys in the alliance with Ming increased, and Joseon made the most of this opportunity. Such developments became prominent in the relations between Joseon and Ming in the years that followed.