白沙 李恒福의 전쟁경험과 일본 인식

Abstract

This study set out to examine the perceptions of Japan of Lee Hang-bok, Who served the nation in the front line of overcoming a national crisis after Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592, in relation to his war experiences. Lee believed that Japan invaded Joseon in order to secure a route to Ming Dynasty to invade it, thus maintaining that Joseon should make a request on relief to Ming and that King Seonjo should defect to Ming. His arguments reflected the intention of King Seonjo, as well. After losing the Byeokjegwanbattle(碧蹄館戰鬪), Ming tried to end the war through peace negotiations. Although Lee opposed its peace negotiations, he knew that Joseon could not refuse Ming's proposal and accordingly accepted it. He, however, did not believe that Ming and Japan would reach an agreement on peace. After the war ended, Lee made ongoing arguments to reinforce the national defense out of his concern with the possibilities of Japan invading Joseon again. When Japan requested the diplomatic relations to be resumed between the two nations, he insisted on a trade permit for Tsushima to prevent the recurrence of Japanese pirates. He was also for the idea of resuming diplomatic relations with Japan to stabilize public welfare. Based on theory of the civilized and the barbarians, Lee regarded Japan as an enemy of Joseon, thus feeling sorry that the Japanese language and customs had influences on Joseon. He, however, showed some changes to his viewpoint of Japan even though they were restricted to the military sector. Lee did not visit Japan or was not active in the front line of diplomatic relations with it. He obtained information about Japan usually when entertaining envoys from Ming. Another route is estimated to have been Lee Deok-hyeong(李德馨), Who shared many perceptions of Japan with him including that Japan invaded Joseon via Tsushima, that Tsushima was viewed separate from Joseon, that he recognized Japan's military force was superior to Joseon, and that he did not oppose the resumption of diplomatic relations with Japan. It thus appears that Lee Hang-bok's perceptions of Japan were influenced by Lee Deok-hyeong's views of Japan to certain degree or exchanged mutual influences with them.