Changes

Relations between Korea and Japan shut down entirely as a result of [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi|Toyotomi Hideyoshi's]] [[Korean Invasions|invasions of Korea]] in the 1590s, but were later restored. The walled complex, at that time large enough to house roughly 500 Japanese officials and merchants, reopened in [[1607]]. It was later moved to a larger compound in Ch'oryang (at Pusan Harbor) in the late 17th century; at any given time roughly 500 to 1000 men were in residence at the ''Waegwan'' from that time forward.<ref>Hellyer, 43.</ref> From [[1639]] until [[1717]], the ''Waegwan'' was equipped with a set of kilns for producing [[pottery]].<ref>Gallery labels, [[Freer Gallery of Art]].</ref>

Relations between Korea and Japan shut down entirely as a result of [[Toyotomi Hideyoshi|Toyotomi Hideyoshi's]] [[Korean Invasions|invasions of Korea]] in the 1590s, but were later restored. The walled complex, at that time large enough to house roughly 500 Japanese officials and merchants, reopened in [[1607]]. It was later moved to a larger compound in Ch'oryang (at Pusan Harbor) in the late 17th century; at any given time roughly 500 to 1000 men were in residence at the ''Waegwan'' from that time forward.<ref>Hellyer, 43.</ref> From [[1639]] until [[1717]], the ''Waegwan'' was equipped with a set of kilns for producing [[pottery]].<ref>Gallery labels, [[Freer Gallery of Art]].</ref>

Official trade took place in the course of ritual diplomatic interactions, as the representatives of the Sô clan, as vassals of the Korean king, received formal seals reaffirming their trade monopoly, and exchanged [[tribute]] goods for gifts. Goods presented to the king by the Sô often included pepper, alum, and sappanwood obtained from Southeast Asia via [[Nagasaki]], as well as [[water buffalo]] horn, copper, and tin. In return, they received ginseng and considerable amounts of cotton; from the mid-17th century onwards, the Sô also received roughly 8300 ''[[koku]]'' of rice annually, an important source of food for both samurai officials and commoners & peasants of the domain, which only produced itself about 20,000 ''koku''. The more significant portion of trade for the Japanese, however, was private trade, conducted by merchants from Tsushima engaging with officially authorized Korean merchants at a particular designated market just outside the ''Waegwan''. The overall size of this trade was limited by the Korean authorities to a certain number of ships a year (initially 50, reduced to 25 after 1512), and to only certain market days each month, but still constituted a significant volume of trade. The chief goods the Japanese sought in Korea were ginseng, and Chinese silks.

Official trade took place in the course of ritual diplomatic interactions, as the representatives of the Sô clan, as vassals of the Korean king, received formal seals reaffirming their trade monopoly, and exchanged [[tribute]] goods for gifts. Tsushima officials were obliged to perform rites of submission towards the Korean king. These rituals fully followed Korean customs and protocols, and included Tsushima officials bowing towards a wooden figure symbolizing the Korean king. Though Tsushima complained at times that they were willing to bow towards the king, but not towards other Korean officials, officials regularly insisted upon standing next to the wooden figure, so that the Tsushima representatives would be forced to bow to them as well.<ref>Jeong-mi Lee, “Chosŏn Korea as Sojunghwa, the Small Central Civilization,” ''International Christian University Publications 3-A, Asian Cultural Studies'' 国際基督教大学学報 3-A,アジア文化研究 36 (2010) 307-308.</ref>

 

Goods presented to the king by the Sô often included pepper, alum, and sappanwood obtained from Southeast Asia via [[Nagasaki]], as well as [[water buffalo]] horn, copper, and tin. In return, they received ginseng and considerable amounts of cotton; from the mid-17th century onwards, the Sô also received roughly 8300 ''[[koku]]'' of rice annually, an important source of food for both samurai officials and commoners & peasants of the domain, which only produced itself about 20,000 ''koku''. The more significant portion of trade for the Japanese, however, was private trade, conducted by merchants from Tsushima engaging with officially authorized Korean merchants at a particular designated market just outside the ''Waegwan''. The overall size of this trade was limited by the Korean authorities to a certain number of ships a year (initially 50, reduced to 25 after 1512), and to only certain market days each month, but still constituted a significant volume of trade. The chief goods the Japanese sought in Korea were ginseng, and Chinese silks.

In addition to trade benefits, the ''Waegwan'', and Tsushima-Korean interactions more broadly, allowed Tsushima officials to gain considerable intelligence, or information, about goings-on in both China and Korea. This occurred in part through official channels, as Korean officials returning from China prepared reports on those matters they believed to be of Japanese interest, and conveyed them to the officials at the ''Waegwan'' via the royal court at [[Seoul]] and the Tongnae magistrate (the top official in Pusan responsible for matters related to the ''Waegwan''). The Tsushima officials then compiled this information into reports to send to the shogunate, along with information obtained via Japanese merchants and other sources within Pusan.<ref>Hellyer, 45.</ref>

In addition to trade benefits, the ''Waegwan'', and Tsushima-Korean interactions more broadly, allowed Tsushima officials to gain considerable intelligence, or information, about goings-on in both China and Korea. This occurred in part through official channels, as Korean officials returning from China prepared reports on those matters they believed to be of Japanese interest, and conveyed them to the officials at the ''Waegwan'' via the royal court at [[Seoul]] and the Tongnae magistrate (the top official in Pusan responsible for matters related to the ''Waegwan''). The Tsushima officials then compiled this information into reports to send to the shogunate, along with information obtained via Japanese merchants and other sources within Pusan.<ref>Hellyer, 45.</ref>