contributor
27,126
edits
Changes
Korean tribute missions to China (view source)
Revision as of 19:29, 30 April 2013
, 19:29, 30 April 2013no edit summary
Across many dynasties and historical periods, Korean kingdoms have been the "model" [[tribute|tributary]] state in China's Sinocentric tribute system.
Across many dynasties and historical periods, Korean kingdoms have been the "model" [[tribute|tributary]] state in China's Sinocentric tribute system.
These missions provided the Korean court with the opportunity to obtain certain much-needed luxury goods, and, of course, enabled Korea to maintain a positive political and military relationship with China. However, combined with the costs of receiving [[Chinese embassies to Korea]], the relationship was profoundly expensive for the Korean court, and was, purely in terms of revenues and expenses in pure monetary numerical equivalence, far more of an expense than a source of profit or gain. That said, given the massive size of the Chinese economy, Korean tribute missions were not dramatically profitable for the Chinese Court either. In particular, tribute payments, official gifts, trade, and other transactions saw a considerable flow of silver out of Korea and into China, at a time when considerable amounts of silver from Japan, Bolivia, and around the world were likewise being drained into Chinese coffers.
==Ming Dynasty==
==Ming Dynasty==
The lead and deputy envoys were generally royal princes or high-ranking officials (of the Upper Third Rank or above, out of nine ranks), while the secretary was generally of the Lower Sixth Rank or above; other members of the embassy were generally selected from the officials in the Office of Interpreters (''Sayŏk won'', 司訳院). For the duration of the embassy, these three figures would be raised in rank by one or two full grades. As in the [[Ryukyuan missions to Edo]], the secretary not only kept records of the daily events of the mission, and reported back to the Korean king, but also was of high enough rank within the embassy to speak or act on behalf of the envoys when both lead and deputy envoy were not present.
The lead and deputy envoys were generally royal princes or high-ranking officials (of the Upper Third Rank or above, out of nine ranks), while the secretary was generally of the Lower Sixth Rank or above; other members of the embassy were generally selected from the officials in the Office of Interpreters (''Sayŏk won'', 司訳院). For the duration of the embassy, these three figures would be raised in rank by one or two full grades. As in the [[Ryukyuan missions to Edo]], the secretary not only kept records of the daily events of the mission, and reported back to the Korean king, but also was of high enough rank within the embassy to speak or act on behalf of the envoys when both lead and deputy envoy were not present.
Goods offered as tribute to the Chinese Court included precious metals, knives and bows, paper, leopard, otter, deer, and squirrel skins, tea, pepper, sappanwood, rice, and bolts of cloth including cotton, hemp, [[ramie]], and silk. The amounts of each varied over time, as new policies were put into place, with many of these goods (including tribute paid in gold and silver) eliminated after [[1729]]. The total value of the tribute offered thus varied dramatically, but has been estimated to have totaled in [[1808]] the equivalent of 80,000 taels of copper. In addition to these formal tribute goods, the missions also offered a sizable amount of "local goods" (C: ''fang-wu'', 方物), making the true total of goods given by the Korean missions to the Chinese Court equivalent to more than 100,000 taels of copper. In exchange, they received Imperial gifts totaling the equivalent of only 30,000 taels of copper.
Much of the details of these missions are recorded in a compilation entitled ''Tongmun hwigo'' (同文彙考), or "Collection of Documents Exchanged between Korea and China, and Korea and Japan."
Much of the details of these missions are recorded in a compilation entitled ''Tongmun hwigo'' (同文彙考), or "Collection of Documents Exchanged between Korea and China, and Korea and Japan."
Before crossing the Yalu River, which separated Chinese and Korean territory, the mission would send a formal communication back to Seoul, informing the king of the membership of the embassy, and certain other details, reporting these details as well to Manchu officials at the border. Upon arriving in Mukden, the mission engaged in ceremonial expressions of respect and offered a portion of the tribute goods, which would then be conveyed to Beijing by Manchu officials, while the Koreans continued on to Beijing to deliver the remainder of the tribute in person. Gifts were presented as well to a number of Manchu officials along the way.
Before crossing the Yalu River, which separated Chinese and Korean territory, the mission would send a formal communication back to Seoul, informing the king of the membership of the embassy, and certain other details, reporting these details as well to Manchu officials at the border. Upon arriving in Mukden, the mission engaged in ceremonial expressions of respect and offered a portion of the tribute goods, which would then be conveyed to Beijing by Manchu officials, while the Koreans continued on to Beijing to deliver the remainder of the tribute in person. Gifts were presented as well to a number of Manchu officials along the way.
Upon arriving in Beijing, the embassy would be received by officials from the Hall of Tributary Envoys (会同館); during their stay in China, the Chinese Court would provide food, lodging, and the like for the embassy, whose provisions thus only had to last for the journey itself. Shortly after their arrival, the envoys would present memorials to the throne and other formal documents to an official from the Chinese [[Board of Rites]]. New Year's embassies would be formally received alongside envoys from other tributary polities. Following certain ceremonial exchanges between the Board of Rites and the Court, the envoys would be invited to present their offers of tribute, and would then be banqueted by the Board of Rites, and would receive a formal Imperial audience and gifts from the Emperor; some of these gifts were for the envoys themselves and a limited number of their retainers, while the majority were to be brought back to Korea to be presented to the king.
Upon arriving in Beijing, the embassy would be received by officials from the Hall of Tributary Envoys (会同館); during their journey in Chinese territory, and their stay in Beijing, the Chinese Court would provide food, lodging, and the like for the embassy, whose provisions thus only had to last for the portion of the journey in Korean territory. In total, the Chinese Court generally spent around 80,000 taels on the various expenses associated with receiving a Korean embassy. Shortly after their arrival, the envoys would present memorials to the throne and other formal documents to an official from the Chinese [[Board of Rites]]. New Year's embassies would be formally received alongside envoys from other tributary polities. Following certain ceremonial exchanges between the Board of Rites and the Court, the envoys would be invited to present their offers of tribute, and would then be banqueted by the Board of Rites, and would receive a formal Imperial audience and gifts from the Emperor; some of these gifts were for the envoys themselves and a limited number of their retainers, while the majority were to be brought back to Korea to be presented to the king.
Though in the Ming Dynasty, envoys were limited to staying in Beijing for no more than forty days, during the Qing Dynasty, there was no formal limitation, and embassies usually stayed for around two months. During this time, members of the embassy visited friends or contacts within the Chinese scholar-bureaucracy, and otherwise enjoyed life in the city, visiting restaurants, bookstores, and the like.
Though in the Ming Dynasty, envoys were limited to staying in Beijing for no more than forty days, during the Qing Dynasty, there was no formal limitation, and embassies usually stayed for around two months. During this time, members of the embassy visited friends or contacts within the Chinese scholar-bureaucracy, and otherwise enjoyed life in the city, visiting restaurants, bookstores, and the like. Each member of the mission was permitted to carry up to 2,000 taels worth of silver or ginseng, with which to make personal purchases; the envoys also engaged in a certain amount of official trade on behalf of the Korean court, purchasing silks, medicines, and various luxury goods for use at court. Certain goods, such as maps, history books, and military materials such as gunpowder, were prohibited from being purchased or taken out of the country.
Following a final banquet, the envoys would formally notify the Court of State Ceremonial (鴻臚寺) of their departure, and would then depart Beijing, being escorted as far as the Shanhai Pass (山海関) by officials from the Board of War.
Following a final banquet, the envoys would formally notify the Court of State Ceremonial (鴻臚寺) of their departure, and would then depart Beijing, being escorted as far as the Shanhai Pass (山海関) by officials from the Board of War.