The Negotiation Between Ming And Japan In The Hongwu Period

Up to now, most studies on the relationship history between Ming Dynasty andJapan in Hongwu period focus on Japanese pirate issue, and then interpret that periodof history according to the prohibition of Japanese pirate. However, if we put theChinese and Japanese historical materials in consideration, and contrast the Hongwuperiod imperial edict to Japanese and to other countries in the same period. The newdiscoveries are as followed:First, the very purpose of Zhu Yuanzhang dispatching envoy to Japan is hopingthe Japanese vanquished, so that the orthodoxy and validity of his political power isfulfilled. The prohibition of Japanese pirate is second objective.Second, the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang regarded Huailiang prince as the King ofJapan isn’t that he wanted Huailiang price to prohibit Japanese pirate of the southerndynasty. In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang know that Huailiang prince is not the King of Japanbefore the Southern dynasty send envoy. Zhu Yuanzhang’s deliberate identification isin order to achieve his Communication objectives as soon as possible, on thecondition that Zhu Yuanzhang cannot contact with the Northern Dynasty in short time.And the “Huailiang” changed into “Lianghuai” is a prearranged “misidentification”,to facilitate altering conferring title when the Northern Dynasty envoy arrive.Third, Zhao Zhi is likely to twice send to Japan. Zu Shan, Ke Qin ‘s secret envoystatement is likely to true.Fourth, the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang cut off the relationship between MingDynasty and Japan is likely to change the passive to active, to protect the orthodoxyand validity of his regime.Fifth, around the policy toward Japan, ministers and Zhu Yuanzhang seemed tobe different. Ministers emphasized the prohibition of Japanese pirate. But ZhuYuanzhang tried to ease relations between the two countries, emphasized therequirement of the Japanese vanquished. Until Zhu Yuanzhang’s idea of cut off therelationship between Ming Dynasty and Japan produced, both sides’s requirementwere the same, it led to a large number of coastal defence measures in the latter half ofHongwu period.