This study examines the diplomatic relation between the Jurchen and Joseon, and also analyses the diplomatic system which Joseon tried to establish during the early times. To this end, the emphasis is placed on Jurchen envoys sent to Hanyang, the capital of Joseon, and the operation and the raelities of the policy, especially from earliest days of the Joseon to the reign of King Injo.
Jurchen played an important role to the foundation of Joseon by Lee Sung gye. Jurchen sent to Hanyang since then. But during King Teajong''s reign, Emperor Youngrak(永樂帝) of Ming dynasty started to conciliate the Jurchen, and then they sent an envoy to Ming Dynasty. As a result, Joseon and the Jurchen were not in good conditions. At last, King Teajong decided to launch a campaign against the Jurchen and he succeeded restore leverage over the Jurchen.
King Sejong maintained the foreign policy of his predecessor, King Taejong. The Joseon government granted Jurcheon envoys, audiences to the king, and even made the ritual to accept the practice, which was included in the Ore of the Sejong Silok. In this way, Joseon controlled the dispatch of envoys from the Jurchen, and succeeded to accommodate them into his system. The conclusion of treaty in 1445(ulchukyakjo ; 乙丑約條) reflected the confidence of the government with which Sejong could take an initiative to grasp the relationship between the two countries. Taking advantage of the envoys of the Jurchen or Japanese pirates, Joseon proceeded to establish his foreign system
King Sejo had some problems of legistimacy in the process of the accession to the throne, and he implemented several polices to strength royal authority. One of them is that he opened the door wider to the mission of the Jurchen to Hanyang. He received the Gunjusamyu that had been disconnected for a while, and the misson of Hulaon-Udike to Hanyang. To the meet, he enhanced the influence over the Jurchen of Duman River Basin.
Seongjong reestablished all sort of regulations about the Jurchen''s mission to Hanyang on a like this foundation based Sejong''s accomplishment. This was codified in the 『Gyeonggukdaejeon』 and become a model for a later period. Especially Joseon protected the Jurchen in Duman River Basin from the invasion of Nimaca-Udike. In addition, Joseon helped them by giving the necessities of life during a bad year. The Jurchen of Duman River Basin were under the influence of Joseon, so they notified Jurchen let Joseon the invasion from the outside. In this way the Jurchen the Joseon built by order. Therefore, Joseon made them as Beonli(藩籬) and Beonbyong(藩屛). Joseon made the reception rule and time of envoy about the mission to Hanyang of Jurchen. They are very similar to Ming''s.
The record of the Jurchen mission to Hanyang had decreased after the reign of Yeonsan. On closer examination to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, however, the Jurchen mission must be continued although the Annals didn''t have clear records such as the mission to Hanyang. And Joseon still to maintain the independent diplomatic order.
But Imjinwaeran broked down such order. Joseon couldn''t accept the mission to Hanyang from the Jurchen any more. Therefore Joseon changed the place of hospitality from Hanyang to Hamhung in Hamkyungdo. And Joseon lost the Jurchen of Duman River Basin to Nurhaci. As a result, Joseon lost the influence over the Jurchen.
Meanwhile, Joseon granted the Jurchen the audience by the king, and notified them that he would be receive their mission to Seoul only on New Year’s Day and the winter solstice, and that they could attend the ceremonies. The participation to the ceremonies meaned that they would become vassals of Joseon, because the subjects of Joseon attended such ceremonies and swore allegiance to the king. After all, the international order of the early Joseon was a dual system in that Ming China was the center of the world while Joseon was the other center of the world except Ming.
Joseon successfully adapted himself to the international order by Ming, and yet he changed the tributary system of China and the regulations of the reception toward surrounding barbarians to better adjust to the changing realities. Therefore it can be said that Joseon tried to walk the independent line.