Chinese People’s Understanding Of Chosen Through Their Travel Records In Late Qing Dynasty

In the late Qing Dynasty, besides envoys, many businessmen, diplomatic officers, and tourists from China visited Chosen and made travel records. Their records contain politics, economy, environment, and society of Korea at that time, which supplement the official historical materials and play an important role in the research of Korean modern history and the history of Sino-Korean relationship. These Travel Records to Chosen are mainly included in the book of Xiaofanghuzhai Yudi Congchao. Based on thorough study on these Travel Records to Chosen in the late Qing Dynasty, this text analyzes Chinese people’s understanding of Chosen’s politics, economy, environment, and customs, and reveals the change in the relationship between Chosen and Qing.Firstly, Qing began to pay more attention to Chosen, the only vassal state, and strengthen its suzerainty of Chosen since Japan’s signing "Treaty of Gangwha" in1876with Chosen, expanding its influence in Chosen, and occupying Ryukyu in1879. Specifically reflected in Travel Records to Chosen are:Qing government emphasized the tributary status of Chosen by demanding Chosen to observe the Sadae rite, hosting the signing of commercial contracts between Chosen and foreign countries and declaring Chosen’s tributary relationship with Qing to the contracting countries. Through these efforts, Qing maintained Chosen’s vassal state in form, but its suzerainty of Chosen had already weakened.Secondly, Chosen was in politic corruption and economic depression. Through the Travel Records to Chosen, we can see that in politics, the king had supreme power so that without his permission anything could not be done, officials were ineptitude because they were hereditary or selected through unscientific imperial examination, and Chosen secluded the country from the outside world; in economy, Chosen’s trading condition were shabby and backward, commodities were poor in quality and full of fake. In order to help Chosen solve these problems and achieve prosperity, intellectuals from Qing put forward many suggestions in political reforms and economic development to the Chosen government.Thirdly, Chosen was a small feudal kingdom that was backward in living environment, customs, clothing and housing and so on. On one hand, mountainous landform, dirty streets, shabby houses; harsh penalty, superstition to ghosts and gods; and indolence people were widely criticized in the Travel Records. On the other hand, Chosen people’s kindness and the identity with Chinese culture were also spoke highly of.In conclusion, despite of somewhat suzerain subjectivity, Chinese people’s Travel Records to Chosen comprehensively show the natural and social situation of Korea in the late Qing Dynasty and reflected the change of then Sino-Kerean relationship, deserving further study.