朝鮮時代 使行과 使行記錄

Abstract

The international relationship in traditional East Asia was based on a Tribute/recognition system(朝貢體制) and was performed through a diplomatic form of sahaeng(使行). The development of an issue, setting diplomatic goals, granting a name of sahaeng, and deciding the right time and size comprised the procedures of sahaeng. Especially, as the governing system of China, after the Ming Dynasty, was strictly based on documentation, the justification of sahaeng for delivering documents of the Joseon Dynasty King was emphasized, while individual diplomatic activities of sahaeng"s members were restricted. Due to such restriction, Tongsa(通事), based on language ability, acted as practical diplomats. While the diplomatic role of Tongsa increased, messengers and other staffs had enough time to experience various cultures during the period of sahaeng, and kept these accounts for the sahaeng record(使行記錄).

Although Sasinbyeoldan(使臣別單), which is recorded in the diplomatic documentation of Joseon"s Tongmunhwigo(同文彙考), was not an official diplomatic document, it had the vale of an official sahaeng record. Sasinbyeoldan consisted of the byeoldan of sasin, the mungyeonsageon(聞見 事件) of seojangkwan, and the subon(手本) of yeogkwan, and was not restricted to any method of description. The official sahaeng record submitted to sengjeongwon formed the bases for private sahaeng records that were arranaged by individual sahaeng"s members, and the sahaeng"s members, who did not have the responsibility to submit records to

seungjeongwon, left sahaeng records in collections more freely.

Sahaeng records were a kind of an account of one"s trip to China. They showed the Joseon-China relationship and the overall cultural exchanges of East Asia in detail. They have meaning in that they show how the sadaebu of Joseon engaged in exchanges with Chinese scholars.