Insight into the 500-year Relations between Goryeo and Chinese Dynasties through Diplomatic Documents

This article is a review of Study of Goryeo Period's Diplomatic Documents by Professor Jung Donghun, published in 2022. This book examines Goryeo's relations with Chinese dynasties during the entire period through diplomatic documents. By highlighting the format of documents such as types, senders and recipients, communication structure and protocols between states, this volume examines the agents of diplomacy, development of relations with each counterpart, and change of international orders extensively. It also focuses on the change of Goryeo king's international status during the Goryeo period. To demonstrate this, the table of contents is introduced, and the main content of each chapter is summarized.Next, the research significance of this book is surveyed. First, this book largely examines the relationship between Goryeo and Chinese dynasties throughout the period and analyzes the changes of relations and special features of a particular period from numerous perspectives. In addition, an extensive study is consistently conducted through diplomatic documents. In that Goryeo established diplomatic relations with various states, there were differences in the development of relations, diplomatic issues, and communication methods. Thus, it is noteworthy that diverse aspects in Goryeo's diplomacy with various Chinese dynasties are discussed in the context of diplomatic documents. Furthermore, this book collected and organized diplomatic documents that are scattered in many source books in Korea and China. Lastly, it is significant that the format, terminology, agents, and related government office as well as the content of documents are examined, the process of communication for diplomacy is concretely discussed and restored based on the research.However, there are some aspects fall short of expectations. First, it seems that the account for the change and nature of relations, and Goryeo king's international status only through the change of terms and types of diplomatic documents is not presented adequately. Also, there are a few points where the differences between regulations on diplomatic missions between Goryeo and Khitan (Liao), and practices in the later period are not demonstrated sufficiently. I hope new perspectives and diverse studies on Goryeo's diplomacy will be actively conducted based on this extensive research.