The Enigmatic Persistence of the Joseon-Ming Alliance

Abstract

The Joseon-Ming alliance was a special one, since it functioned as the most exemplary relationship within the tribute system and faced unprecedentedly harsh challenges. Moreover, contrary to what many contemporary people would expect, Joseon held on to the alliance at a heavy cost despite the power shift from the Ming to the Qing. Ideational factors have been extensively studied when analyzing the reasons behind Joseons behavior, so this thesis focused on the relatively neglected domestic and situational factors. The Imjin War, the Injo Restoration, Mao Wenlongs presence in the Korean peninsula, and limited information on China were the main subjects of study, since they immensely influenced the domestic circumstances of Joseon. Overall analysis of these led to the conclusion that the domestic situation was more influential than ideology was in shaping Joseons behavior during the transition period. Indeed, the Joseon courts top priority was restoration of central authority and internal stabilization. Besides, due to its devastated domestic conditions, Joseon did not have much diplomatic options to begin with.