조선전기 한일관계와 對馬

Abstract

As the Sō family (宗氏) were officials of the Shoni family (小貳氏) from the late thirteenth century and held the additional post of Vice Governor of Chikuzen Province (J. Chikuzen shugodai 筑前守護代) from the midfourteenth century, Sō Sadashige (宗貞茂) advanced in to northern Kyushu as Vice Governor of Chikuzen Province. Later, in 1408,Sadashige passed this position to his younger brother Sō Sadazumi (宗貞澄) and settled in Tsushima and established his rule over Tsushima. Due to the Joseon government’s various policies against Japanese pirates and the domestic political stability in Japan, pirate attacks rapidly decreased from around 1409, while the number of people who were qualified to sail to Joseon from Japan increased. However, attacks resumed after Sadashige, who had actively cooperated to control Japanese pirates, died in the fourth lunar month of 1418. The Joseon government thus determined to conquer Tsushima. With this military action, the Joseon government eradicated Japanese pirates. This was significant because the Joseon government had an excellent opportunity to establish an advantageous diplomatic relationship with Tsushima. This situation greatly improved diplomacy with Japan. Meanwhile, to reduce the financial burden and to eliminate the confusion of public peace and order caused by Japanese, the Joseon government implemented several policies. It reduced the ports the Japanese could use; controlled their entrance by requiring specific documents, certificates for trade, or entry permits; and introduced strict limits on trade ships. The control policies of the Joseon government were implemented to place the governor of Tsushima under a system of control, in other words, a Joseon-centered political or diplomatic order,while giving the governor several privileges to establish diplomatic relations with Joseon. In the early Joseon period, thirty-three envoys sent to Tsushima are recorded. Among these, twenty were sent from the reign of King Taejo (r. 1392-1398), who was the founder of the Joseon dynasty, to the reign of King Sejong (r. 1418-1450). Diplomatic relations with Tsushima account for about half of those with Japan in the early Joseon period. Among them, the amicable relations with the governor of Tsushima were the most, at 48.2%, and were maintained continuously and securely. This means that the Joseon government highly valued and respected the governor of Tsushima. Considering the facts above, the characteristics of Joseon’s diplomacy with Japan in the early Joseon are: first, Joseon’s negotiations with Japan were active and progressive; second, the Joseon government thought so much of Tsushima’s geographical location that it made the most of the governor of Tsushima rather than the shogun of Japan’s feudal government; third, differing from its relationship with Japan’s feudal government, the Joseon government could maintain a more controllable diplomatic relationship with Tsushima. In addition, the roles of Tsushima in the relationship between Joseon and Japan in the early Joseon period were, first, as the southern military base of the Joseon government; second, as the intermediary in trade between Joseon and Japan; third, as the base for spreading the culture of Joseon; and lastly, as the location to collect information about not only Tsushima but also the whole of Japan.