During the Muromachi era (1333–1573), official contacts with Ming China (1368–1644) and Korean state Choson were restored. In Ming China’ case after a nearly 600-year break, in Korea’s case after a more than 600-year break. Accordingly, it became necessary to draft diplomatic documents. Their writing began to be entrusted to Zen monks from the Gozan monasteries, who were certainly recognized experts and composers of Chinese poetry. Ming China implemented a policy of limiting and strict control over external relations with overseas countries; it was possible to conduct the desired trade with Ming (the most important goal for most neighboring countries) only within the framework of “tributary system” – recognizing China as a suzerain, and oneself (and one’s country) as a vassal of China. There were elaborate rituals of recognizing such vassalage. Although the vassalage was only nominal, it was a necessary prerequisite for trading with the Ming. However, the Japanese elites had their own ideas about Japan’s place in the Far Eastern hierarchy. These perceptions, along with political instability within Japan, became one of the reasons for Japan’s lagging behind in establishing official contacts with the new Ming dynasty. Using the example of the first Japanese collection of diplomatic correspondence, Zenrin Kokuhōki (1470), this article examines what perceptions guided the compilers of official messages to the Ming, and what collisions resulted from the clash of ideals with reality.
Evgeniya Sakharova (Fri,) studied this question.