Hong Sun-yeon(洪純彦)'s activity and the relations between Joseon and Ming in the king Seonjo period

Examined in this article is through the Analysis of Hong Sun-yeon(洪純彦)‘s activity and study main characteristic of the diplomatic relations between Joseon and Ming in the king Seonjo(宣祖) period. Hong Sun-yeon was famous for his distinguished services during the king Seonjo period. He won a vassal of merit(功臣) for his great services to solve the debate on Joseon's ancestral relationship. Hong Sun-yeon played an important role in solve the debate on Joseon's ancestral relationship and Asking for a dispatch of troops(請兵) during Japanese Invasion of Korea in 1592(壬辰倭亂). But his services restricted to tongsa(通事). Relations with Ming were carried out in the form of Sahaeng(使行) being sent to Ming and Ming envoys coming to Joseon. More than being diplomatic relations conducted according to the character of Ming institutions, the delivery of letters was important. Nowadays, an ambassador plenipotentiary is invested with full power and carries on diplomatic negotiations with another country and organizing it into documents makes treaties and pacts, but an envoy of the Joseon period did not have the power of an ambassador plenipotentiary. The administrative part of diplomacy was entirely entrusted to the tongsa. The tongsa can be categorized as an interpreting official(譯官). The duties of the tongsa were carried out across the whole spectrum of relations with Ming, participation in sahaeng, reception of Ming envoys and dispatch of individual envoys. But, envoy are responsible for final decision and are the final authority for handling diplomatic activity. The debate on Joseon's ancestral relationship in the Ming dynasty began in 1394 and did not finish until 1588 when the Ming dynasty had amended “The Code of Ming Dynasty(大明會典)”. It lasted for nearly two centuries at nineteen requests of twenty-six Joseon's envoys. The debate, to which the kings and ministers paid great attention, finally got a satisfactory solution. The debate on Joseon's ancestral relationship in the king Seonjo period has reflected that king Seonjo had made a significant progress. The king Seonjo have used debate on Joseon's ancestral relationship as a guise for legitimizing his rule and strengthen royal authority. The appraisal of Hong Sun-yeon related to the current of the times, for example, “indebtedness to state reconstruction(再造之恩)” and changes according to the times.