Political Issues In China-japan Trade In The Early Modern Period

This dissertation intends to take China-Japan trade in the Early modern period（1370s to themid-18thcentury）as a study object. I will put emphasis on the processes of founding, developing,deconstructing and reconstructing of the China-Japan trade system during this period，as well aspolitical issues which arose from these processes. Through analyzing the correlation betweenChina-Japan trade and their domestic political-economic status，I attempt to outline the historicpath and the structural feature of the regional order in Early modern East Asia.In Chapter1， I illustrate my study object and the reasons for setting the awareness ofthe issues，and set forth the framework，methods and purpose of this dissertation afterreviewing prior studies.In Chapter2， I review the diplomatic contacts between China and Japan duringHongwu period after summarizing the tone of Ming’s external policy in this stage. The reasonfor the continuous rejection of the tributes from Japan and the decision of severing relationwith it are not due to a rigid external policy of Mingtaizu， but the divided domestic status ofJapan increased the uncertainty for him to choose the contact. Mingtaizu’s policy on Japanhad practically provided it an optimum international environment from disruption to unity.Chapter3inquires the fundaments that held the Ming-Japan Tribute-Kanhe trade systemfrom early15thtill mid16thas well as the issues and conflicts that they had encountered. Ianalyze how China and Japan settled these issues or why they couldn’t make it， and then payspecial attention on the phenomenon of the large quantity of copper coins flow form China toJapan and the deficiency of coins in China which lead by it. On the other side，this chapteralso analyzes the Japanese authorities and intellectual elites’ discontentment againstTribute-Kanhe trade，along with the “Shinkoku ideology” that they had conveyed.Chapter4analyzes the motive and intents for Toyotomi Hideyosi’s invasion of Korea，and inquires the political implication of his demand on the restart of Kanhe trade. On thisbasis I intent to view early tokugawa Bakufu’s succession and modification to the Japaneseregional hegemony which conceived by Toyotomi.Chapter5concentrates on the regional background in which early Tokugawa Japanadjusted its China policy，and analyzes its motives. The political-economic order featured byTribute-Kanhe trade that founded and implemented by Ming Dynasty initiated the prosperityof commerce as well as the rise of multiple political forces in East Asia sea area，andpromoted a multi-polar transport network along with its trade system. This outcome led to aincrease of Ming’s dependence on external，and shook its central dominant position. On thecontrary，in the early17th，Tokugawa Bakufu unified Japan’s domestic monetary system andmonopolized the mining and export of precious metals. By countering external changes withinternal advantages Japan held certain ascendency in a chaotic international environment，and its dependence on China’s Tribute-Trade system had also declined remarkably.Chapter6concerns the establish and progress of Qing-Japan “Wangshi” Trade pattern，as well as the political intervention and the policy control from both sides. Because of theneed of Japanese copper，Qing government acquiesced in the secession of Japan from China’sTributary system, whereas Tokugawa Bakufu made sea food as a main export commodityinstead of the over outflow of precious metals. By regulating the commodity component，Japan seized the initiative in its trade to Qing，and provided an economic foundation for theestablishment of Japanese regional order.In chapter7, I pay a special examination on Tokugawa Bakufu’s framing and implementingprocesses on the Shotokusinrei and Xinpai system，and focus on how the Qing governmentmanaged the Japanese xinpai event. Tokugawa Bakufu’s policy on China is to attach politicalauthority on trade affairs. Its principal is to persist in Bakufu’s political-economic order, and thestrategy to practice this principal is to give out double interpretations at Japan and abroad. On theother side, Emperor Kangxi’s method on Japan policy is based on the concern on economicproblems， rather than traditional ideology. Meanwhile, he provided an explanation which doesnot conflict with the traditional view for his act.Chapter8：clarifies the place,situation and roles of the Tangchuan merchants. TheTangchuan merchants were at the bottom and frontier of Qing’s Japan/foreign trade system.They provided supplies、information and technology for both China and Japan and played aslinks on the vast East Asia sea area. They were not only undertaking the highest risks but alsohad to struggle under the press of official authorities. However, such a disadvantaged group，in most cases， their positive roles have been neglected， whereas the negative acts wereenlarged. As researchers we have the responsibility to save them from history.Chapter9observes the debates over the political issues on foreign trade among theauthorities of Qing. I put stress on the ideological debates which initiated when politicalissues spread to ideological sphere, and inquire why these debates did not come into anyideological achievement. Meanwhile，I briefly observe how the desinicize policy whichimplemented by Tokugawa Bakufu in political-economic level promoted the rise of selfawareness on both academy and orthodoxy sphere over the intellectual elites，and how thisconsequence intensified the Japanese nationalism.The final chapter summarizes the transition process from Tribute-Kanhe trade system to“Wangshi” trade pattern between China and Japan in Early modern period. I will generalizethe structural features of their economical and political contacts， and put forward the furtherstudy subjects.