[KS] Qing–Chosŏn royal exchanges or marriages?

[Frank Hoffmann]

Dear Jonathan:

Very nice to hear from you!

Your notes: yes, understood. The short, preliminary summary was in the 
context of the 17th to early 20th century, not ancient times--thus the 
thread's subject line. 

Alright, let's delve even further back, all the way to the Three 
Kingdoms period in what is now Korea. From the information you shared, 
it's evident that even during that era, royal intermarriages were 
scarce. This is your era of expertise, and you mentioned only a 
handful, perhaps as few as three or five such intermarriages. In 
contrast, when we look at Europe, we find that the predominant methods 
of political consolidation were warfare and inbreeding. (If we stroll 
around in any of the numerous European castles and have a real close 
look at some of the portraits on display there, we note the startling 
consequences of those inbreeding practices.) 

You've mentioned five royal intermarriages, which appears to be more of 
an exception than the rule, Yet, even those seem to support the idea 
that such intermarriages were more prevalent in societies characterized 
by horizontal and competitive relations between kingdoms, such as 
Silla, Koguryŏ, and Paekche, than under conditions of Confucian 
tributary dynamics (a united China + "the rest").

Again, I am just trying to wrap my brain around this--thinking out 
loud, no more.


Thank you!
Frank


> Greetings from an earlier time in East Asian history, Frank et allia,
> 
> 
> Frank wrote:
> 
> "In any case, aside from the specific context that piqued my interest,
> it's fascinating to note that there were essentially no intermarriages
> among royal families in East Asia. Perhaps this can be attributed to
> the significant disparities between these countries, as they weren't
> direct competitors. Alternatively, it could be due to the nature of
> their relationships, which were characterized by Confucian tributary
> dynamics rather than horizontal alliances. The intermarriages then
> happened a level lower, within Chinese warlord families, for example
> (Chiang himself is an example for exactly that)."
> 
> 
> 
> But according to the Samguk sagi, there were royal intermarriages in 
> Northeast Asia—in fact, marriages between Silla and Paekche (allegedly 
> twice)1, Silla and Kaya (once)2, and Japan and Silla (twice, at least 
> formal proposals offered)3. In the latter case, both marriages are said 
> to have been proposed by Japan, although it's unclear whether in either 
> case the marriage was ever consummated, yet in the first case, the 
> daughter of a named high official—whom I think was undoubtedly a close 
> member of the royal clan, if not of born of the reigning family—was 
> chosen for the honor. I believe that there is a factual basis for all 
> these accounts, but in my estimation the dating in all cases but two 
> (1a & 2 below) is anachronistic.
> 
> 
> Jonathan
> 
> 
> 
> 1a. Silla Annals: 493:3 (Soji 15:3) Paekche's King Modae [= Tongsŏng] 
> sent an envoy requesting [a bride] for marriage. The King selected Ibǒ
> lch'an Piji's daughter and sent her. [SGSG 3.128 (Soji 15:30; HU tr. 
> pp. 106–07]
> 
> Paekche Annals: 493:3 (Tongsŏng15:3) The king sent an envoy to Silla to 
> request a marriage alliance. The king of Silla chose the daughter of Ich
> ’an Piji and sent her to be one of his secondary wives. [SGSG 26.371 
> (Tongsŏng 15:3; Best tr. p.311]
> 
> 
> 
> 1b. Silla Annals: 553:10 (Chinhŭng 14:10) The [Silla] king married a 
> Paekche princess making her a secondary queen. [SGSG 4.135 (Chinhŭng 
> 14:10); HU tr. pp. 126]
> Paekche Annals: 553:10 (Sŏng 31:10) A daughter of the king was sent in 
> marriage to Silla. [SGSG 26.376 (Sŏng 31:3; Best tr. p.335]
> 
> 
> 2. Silla Annals: 522:3 (Pŏphŭng 9:3) The king of Kaya sent an envoy to 
> our court to request establishing a marriage alliance. Our king favored 
> the connection and, in response, selected the younger sister of Ich’an 
> Pijobu and sent her. [SGSG 4.132 (Pŏphŭng 9:3); HU tr. 118]
> 
> 
> 3a. Silla Annals: 312:2 (Hŭrhae 3:2) The king of Wa sent an envoy 
> proposing a marriage for his son, the king sent the daughter of Ach’an 
> Kŭmni. [SGSG 2.118 (Hŭrhae 3:2); HU tr. p.82)
> 
> 
> 3b. Silla Annals: 344:2 (Hŭrhae 35:2) The king of Wa sent an envoy 
> requesting a marriage with a daughter of the king, but the king 
> declined because all of his daughters were married. [SGSG 2.119 (Hŭrhae 
> 35:2; HU tr. p.83)
> 
> 
> SGSG = Academy of Korean Studies edition, v. 1
> HU tr. = Shultz & Kang, English translation of the Silla Annals
> Best tr. = my English translation of the Paekche Annals
> 
> Frank wrote:
> In any case, aside from the specific context that piqued my interest,
> it's fascinating to note that there were essentially no intermarriages
> among royal families in East Asia. Perhaps this can be attributed to
> the significant disparities between these countries, as they weren't
> direct competitors. Alternatively, it could be due to the nature of
> their relationships, which were characterized by Confucian tributary
> dynamics rather than horizontal alliances. The intermarriages then
> happened a level lower, within Chinese warlord families, for example
> (Chiang himself is an example for exactly that).
> 
> 

_______________________________
Frank Hoffmann
https://koreanstudies.com