A Study Of The Sino-Korea Trade In The Ming Dynasty

From the fourteenth to the seventeenth century in Ming Dynasty, China was the most powerful and flourishing nation of Asia. It built up the tributary system and traded with its tribute countries, forming official trading with tribute and largess as the core. Ming carried out free trade policy to Gaoli dynasty, and Gaoli acquiesced free trade between the two countrty. As Korea dynasty replace Gaoli dynasty, its trade policy also chaged, which explicitly forbad non-government trade, mainly forbidding the frontier trade between people in east Liaoning and Korean people. But due to long-term political consideration the frontier trade between Nuchen in Liaotung and Korea was allowed. Gradually some very unique trade type were formed, i.e. tributary and lagess trade, barter trade, ambassador trade and non-government trade. The first three were all with official trade features, and non-government trade, due to the similar trade policies in China and Korea, evolved into non-government smuggling trade and frontier trade around boundaries, which both prompted the prosperity and development in middle Ming and strengthening the Sino-Korea economic communication and mutual political trust. It is believable that middle Ming's trade was both similar with and different from the trade activities of other countries in Asia, which was embodies in the close tributary relationship between China and Korea, frequent tribute and largess trade, temporary barter trade, rampant ambassadors' furtive trade and non-government furtive trade. All these made up colorful Sino-Korea trade, and the trade was of different form and content in different ages of Ming. Previously, the academic research focus on the tribute and largess trade between the two countries, and the latter three trade forms were not given the attention they deserve.This thesis falls into six parts. It carries out detailed analysis and demonstration on the content and traits of Sino-Korea trade in different ages, in the hope of being clear of its whole process to understand the complexity, traits and impact of Sino-Korea trade.The first part introduces Chinese and foreign scholars' research status and the importance and urgency of this research, and elaborates the meaning of the topic, research methods and innovation. The second part is a review of the development and general types of pre-Ming Sino-Korea trade, expounds China's and Korean peninsula's trade articles in detail from the angles of both official trade and non-government trade, investigates tribute time of some particular dynasties, and discusses the origin of middle Ming's trade.The third part analyses the variability of middle Ming's political relationships and the changes of trade policies and the impact of politics on trade. In this part the thesis investigates the basic types of Sino-Korea trade, gives a general and specific picture of Sino-Korea trade route in middle Ming. At present there are some inaccuracy about Korea's regular tribute times and content, and in this part the thesis carries out a deep investigation. The tally check system between China and Korea is preliminarily researched in this part. The frequent barter trade in Hongwu, Jianwen and Yongle is investigated, and its impact on Korea is analyzed. Ambassador trade is composed of Chinese ambassador trade and Korea ambassador trade. Since Yongle time, eunuch trade did great harm to Korea. Korea ambassadors performed smuggling trade taking advantage of official trade chances. Because of Korean forbidding injunction, non-government trade became illegal, and so frotier smuggling trade bean between Liaoning people and Korean people.The fourth part investigates the changes of Sino-Korea trade policies. Korea's tribute route changed into landway, which did convenience to Sino-Korea trade. Sino-Korea tributes and largess gradually became normative and fixed, virgin and eunuch tribute was stopped, but irregular special tributes raised greatly, and eagle and dog tributes and special tributes in Chenghua time kept harassing Korea. Ming sent eunuchs to Korea many times, which led to rampant eunuch trade. Furtive trade between Korean ambassadors was very common. The common use of silver did convienience to Sino-Korea trade. Chinese silk was a very important article exported to Korea, and Korea's Zhu cloth was welcomed by Ming people. The frontier non-government and frontier trade was very prosperous.The fifth part analyses the continuity of trade policies and new trade content in later Ming. Latter Jin Dynasty cut off Liaodong's landway, and the tribute route turn on sea, which led to the few times of Korean ambassador's travel to Ming, though the quantity of tribute and largess was neither reduced. Human became important articles exported from Korea to Ming. Ming's officials took part in trade, and the eunuch trade was still prosperous. During Japanese pirates' harassment in Renshen time, Korea sent ambassadors to Gongjiao and mirabilite became an official trade article at one time.The sixth part analyses the influence of Sino-Korea trade on politics, economy and culture both the two countries. The Ming Dynasty was concerned, it obtained the most obedient vassal state, and to ensured the stability of the Liaotung frontier. Economically, Ming people liked Korea's cloth and ginseng, so kept frequent trade between the countries. A large number of Confucian classics through tribute and largess trade and official trade flows to Korea on culture, made Zhuzi doctrine to become Korean official ideology. Korea identified with Zhuzi doctrine, expanded influence of the Confucianism in Northeast Asia region and was conducive to the consolidation leading status of the Ming Dynasty in the Northeast Asian Affairs. Korea was concerned, it got Ming's protect, and achieved the status of legitimate rule. Economically, Chinese silk was popular with Korean, and it was the major article of Ming's export, Korean ambassadors' smuggling trade and non-government furtive trade. Ming's plenty of books satisfied Korea's cultural needs and strengthened Korea's identity with Chinese Confucian value system, so Korea developed Korea Zhuzi doctrine with Li Huang and Li Er as representative.The seventh part is epilogue, is some conclusion to the article.