西溪 朴世堂의 對淸 覘國 一考

Abstract

Seogye Park Sedang was most active after the mid-seventeenth century. In this period, China had the change of the dynasty from Ming to Ching, China. The change meant the reorganization of an international order in Eastern Asia. Then Joseon had to be adapted to the new international order which the Ching Dynasty led. At that period, dispatched envoys from Joesen to Peking tried spying called Jeomguk(覘國-secretly collecting information about a competitor or hostile country to decide how to act). Park Sedang also did that as an envoy. He spied out all the areas of Ch'ing-politics, economy, society and culture. Especially he centered on the movements of Ch'ing's military, the situation of the Ch'ing Dynasty, and the discrimination against the Han race(漢族) who had been Ming's people. After his spying, he found out that the Han race were seriously discriminated by Ch'ing's local government offices. The Ch'ing Dynasty was threatened by the counterforce-the South Ming Government(南明政權), Sambeon(三藩-one of the most powerful local families) and some marine forces secured a strategic point on Taiwan(臺灣). So the Ch'ing Dynasty's early political situation was somewhat unstable. However, the dynasty brought the counterforce under control step by step and had command of China. So its political situation was being stabilized. Park had placed his hope on the counterforce's rebellion against Ch'ing that could overthrow of the dynasty. Its stable political situation was contrary to Park's expectation. He had to give up his hope. After all, the results of his spying inspired Park to improve diplomatic relations with the Ch'ing Dynasty more closely in reality.