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Abstract During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Korean government regularly sent their diplomatic envoys to Beijing every year in the Choson Dynasty (1392-1910) to maintain diplomatic relations between China and Korea. The act of Korea sending envoys to China is known as “Yeon Heng”. For those envoys with high literacy in Chinese language and literature, the process of their envoys to China is not only a process of fulfilling their mission, but also a process of observing, feeling, and understanding China.
There are two main tasks for the Korean envoys to China. The first task is political, followed by the purchase of Chinese books. As a result, among the envoys’ poems were works on the themes of political tasks. For example, Cui Yan (1503-1549) wrote “A Cloud in Wushan”, which shows that his colleague Song Chun was tasked with explaining to the Ming Court the trade between the Fujianese and Japan, and that it might cause disputes and turmoil. The poem of Cuili reflects the active purchase of Chinese books by Korean envoys.
After completing relevant political and diplomatic missions, the Korean envoy composed poetry on the theme of his observations and feelings about China during his trip, thus presenting a colorful mirror image of China. This includes the admiration for Chinese poetry, such as a poem by Zhao Ji, which reflects the Korean envoy’s familiarity and admiration for Dai Shulun’s poetry. Korean envoys’ appreciation and admiration of Chinese classical poetry is also manifested in the skillful application of the artistic techniques of Chinese classical poetry to their own creations. For example, Wu Yunqian composed a poem by imitating the Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Ji’s “Mooring by Maple Bridge at Night” in an all-round way to express his inner feelings on the way. From Li Qixian to Xu Juzheng, and then to Li Chengzhao’s “secondary rhyme” method, they completed the transformational creation of Chinese painting “Eight Scenes of Xiaoxiang” to words, which not only shows their respect of the aesthetic ideal of the painter, but also their own understanding of the emotional connotations, the artistic and cultural values beyond traditional inscriptions.
The mirror image of Chinese culture presented by the above-mentioned works of “Yeon Heng” by the Korean envoys reflects the recognition and acceptance of the superiority of Chinese culture by the Korean envoys.
As Korean envoys, they made creations in the style of traditional Chinese literatures, which embodied the new trend of literary export and integration among different regions and countries. First of all, the Korean envoys incorporated the artistic elements of Chinese poetry into their own works. At the same time, most of these poetic works of the Korean envoys are based on the background and process of their “Yeon Heng”. They recorded their missions, travel times, travel routes and related management systems from multiple angles and directions, thus providing rich historical materials for the study of Sino-Korean exchanges, and have special historical value. For example, the description of Li Dejiong’s poem “September 2” on the garrison training that the poet watched when invited by the generals of Dengzhou during his mission to China, is consistent with the content recorded in the “Records of Pilgrimage to the Ming Dynasty” written by a Korean envoy. Therefore, it can be mutually verified by poetry and literature.
As a type of poetry based on diplomatic activities and set across regions and countries, the works of the Korean envoys often receive common attention and positive evaluation from the literati of China and Korea. Most of the Korean envoys hold a positive attitude towards their companions’ “Yeon Heng” poetry. Envoy Li Minsong’s affirmation of the poetry of another envoy, Mu Daqin, is an example. Li Tinggui, a Korean envoy who had made four trips to Beijing, wrote poems almost on every mission of his “Yeon Heng”, so he was highly praised by the Chinese literati. Some of Li Tinggu’s poems were later included in A Collection of Ming Dynasty Poems compiled by Zhu Yizun in the Qing Dynasty. This also reflects the recognition and acceptance of the achievements of Korean envoys’ poetry by the poets of the Qing Dynasty.
These poetic works that present colorful Chinese mirror images embody the artistic vitality of Chinese poetry in the Chinese character cultural circle, and are of great significance to the creation and dissemination of Chinese poetry abroad.
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Published: 05 May 2023
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