[KS] Choson History Society Talk (JUNG, Donghun)

[Sean Han]

Dear Korean Studies members,

The Choson History Society is welcoming Dr. JUNG, Donghun for a presentation on Chosŏn-Ming relations and unofficial channels of interactions that have shaped Sino-Korean history.
Title of the Talk: Emperor Between the Lines: Private Channels of Imperial Desire in Early Chosŏn-Ming Relations
Date: November 2, 5:00pm (LA) / November 2, 8:00pm (New York) / November 3, 9:00am (Seoul) / November 3, 00:00am (London)

This is a virtual Zoom event. Please register below. We look forward to seeing all of you!
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUudOivqjwvG9EhOAdcykimETh1GXvwmdkK <https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUudOivqjwvG9EhOAdcykimETh1GXvwmdkK>

Abstract
Scholars have primarily analyzed the Chosŏn-Ming relations through the records left behind by the official machineries of state. While useful in tracking issues related to state-to-state interactions, such tendency also obscures other forms of interactions that have shaped the history of Chosŏn-Ming relations. This presentation introduces a hitherto little-known dimension in the bilateral relationship by focusing on the ways the Ming emperors, Yongle (r. 1402-1424) and Xuande (r. 1425-1435) in particular, utilized private, undocumented channels to manage the Ming’s relationship with Chosŏn Korea. And I would like to reveal a case of manipulation of Chinese history books that have not left any of these records.

At the official level, the Ming emperors maintained the empire’s Korea policy in tandem with the officialdom, leaving behind an extensive paper trail. The Ming officials recorded policy-related conversations for posterity and delivered formally written messages to Chosŏn. The Ming emperors and his officials utilized this official channel to manage issues of national importance such as horse trade or dealings with the Jurchens. However, emperors such as the aforementioned Yongle or Xuande maintained an unofficial, private channel as well. Both Yongle and Xuande ordered eunuchs to deliver unwritten messages to Chosŏn, repeatedly demanding beautiful women, falcons, rare food items, and even female cooks. The activities of such channel ended with the ascension of Zhengtong Emperor (r. 1435-1449; 1457-1464), who, for reasons personal and otherwise, did not make use of such private channels to interact with Chosŏn. Furthermore, Zhengtong even sent many of the Korean women who served his predecessors back to Chosŏn.

Both the Ming and Chosŏn remembered this history of private interactions differently. On the Korean side, records such as the Veritable Records of Sejong interpreted such private interactions as immoral, sometimes criticizing the Ming emperors as foolishly greedy. In China, Zhengtong Emperor’s officials even worked to “erase” the traces of such private channels. For instance, the so-called “three Yangs,” Yang Shiqi (1364-1444), Yang Rong (1371-1440) and Yang Pu (1372-1446), influential officials who worked on the compilation of the Veritable Records of Xuande Emperor, manipulated historical records in the process of compilation to make it look as if Xuande Emperor willingly chose not to use such channels of private interaction. This presentation concludes with an examination of politics behind such manipulations of history in the context of Sino-Korean relations.


About the Presenter
JUNG Donghun (Ph.D. Seoul National University 2016) is an assistant professor at Seoul National University of Education. He majored in premodern Korea-China relations, especially from the 10th to the 15th centuries. He claimed to be an expert in documents and wrote a doctoral thesis on diplomatic documents during the Goryeo Dynasty, but in fact, he traces the reality, institutions, and practices of diplomacy that were not included in the documents. Recently, he is interested in revealing how memories and records of history are made, transmitted, and how they are misunderstood, distorted, and manipulated. He is spending his days fighting them, questioning past historians and their records.

Please find more information about the Choson History Society: https://www.chosonhistorysociety.org/ <https://www.chosonhistorysociety.org/>

Sincerely,
Sean (Song Yeol) Han
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://koreanstudies.com/pipermail/koreanstudies_koreanstudies.com/attachments/20211101/a2e65712/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: ???????_?????.jpeg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 387340 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://koreanstudies.com/pipermail/koreanstudies_koreanstudies.com/attachments/20211101/a2e65712/attachment.jpeg>