Black Corporation: Joseon - Chapter 380
Episode 380: East Jin Islands (2)
Three days later, a presentation hosted by the Ministry of National Defense was held at Geunjeongjeon.
The presenter who bowed to King Sejong soon began his presentation.
“First, I would like you to look at the map.”
As the presenter spoke, the military officers who were waiting turned over the signs of the orbital chart.
The piece of paper that was more than twice as large as a typical line was a large map showing the Korean Peninsula and its eastern region.
“First of all, I would like to report on the geographical information I have confirmed. “Its existence was confirmed in the year of the New Year (1431), and information has been confirmed through cross-verification and actual measurements based on information obtained thereafter.”
The presenter, who began with a summary of the content to be presented, read the paper placed on the podium while pointing here and there with a long pointing stick.
“This is Dongbing Port. And this island to the east of Joseon is Daeseoldo. And as a result of continued exploration, the two places in the north, which were not properly confirmed as islands or land at the time of the New Year, have found that the area closest to the coastline is an island and the area outside it is a peninsula.”
The presenter continued his explanation by pointing out Sakhalin Island and the Kamchatka Peninsula. (Note 1)
“After examining the records, there is a record that the Yuan invaded this island in the 8th year of King Chungnyeol’s reign (1282). According to information collected by Jeonjo at the time, there is a record that the Yuan army conquered this area in response to the request of the indigenous tribes of this area, which were tentatively named Yeonhaeju (沿海州). “We have even confirmed records showing that after the conquest was completed, the people of the Southern Song Dynasty were relocated to the area near the Heilongjiang River facing the island and operated Dunjeon (屯田).”
King Sejong’s interest began to grow even more when he heard that Yuan had mobilized Southern Song people to build Dunjeon.
“Are those Duntians and Southern Song people still around?”
The reason why Sejong asked this was because of Dunjeon.
-If Dunjeon is available, wouldn’t Joseon be able to use it after sending the Chinese in that area back to the Ming?
However, the presenter’s answer was negative.
“After investigating, we could only identify traces.”
“Chinese people also have a strong attachment to the land. Of course, because it was 200 years ago, it is not easy to understand that only traces remain.”
To Sejong’s point, the presenter looked through the paper and found the answer.
“The 13th year of King Chungnyeol’s reign. “I think the biggest reason was Nayan’s rebellion.”
“Hmm…”
Sejong nodded at the presenter’s answer.
The easiest way to secure military control over newly acquired territory was through dungeon.
However, Dunjeon was something that required as much attention as farming.
It was necessary to reliably supply supplies until the secured agricultural land yielded crops, and reliable defense facilities and support units that would rush in immediately when a battle broke out were also needed.
However, if these elements were not properly met, it would collapse immediately.
‘If there was a rebellion, the proper power would have been taken away, and then it would have no choice but to collapse. And it happened over 200 years ago… But it’s a bit disappointing.’
Sejong, who had come to his own conclusion, continued to ask questions.
“So, has the Maritime Province been disconnected from other places since then?”
“Unfortunately, no.”
The presenter responded to Sejong, expressing his disappointment.
“11 years of Yeongrak. It was confirmed by the native tribes that an expedition led by Ming eunuch Li Shiha had visited. In addition, at a temple site called Yeongnyeongsa, we were able to discover a stone monument called ‘Chiksunoagan Yeongryeongsa Monument.’”
After finishing the explanation, the presenter gestured to the military officers next to the hanger. The military officers who saw the hand signal hung the ruler on another hanger.
“This is a rubbing of the inscription on the monument in question. As you can see from the contents, it says, ‘By order of the emperor, Noah Gando Temple (奴兒干都司) was built, and Lee Si-ha’s expedition team erected this monument.’”
Upon hearing the presenter’s report, the faces of King Sejong and his ministers became more serious than ever before.
If Ming still exerted influence in that region, Joseon’s expansion attempts were likely to be thwarted.
Sejong continued to ask questions with a serious face.
“Do the Ming still exert influence in the region?”
“According to the military’s investigation, the monument has never been revisited since it was erected.”
“why?”
The ministers also nodded in response to King Sejong’s question. You put up the rain and don’t look for it? It was something I didn’t understand.
The presenter immediately answered Sejong’s question.
“It is a place where the natural environment is not good, the population is small, and productivity is not very good. “The military believes that, like a circle, it is close to having a symbolic meaning.”
“It has a symbolic meaning…”
Sejong, who was nodding his head at the presenter’s answer, soon had a question.
“But why haven’t I heard anything about this…”
Sejong, who was about to continue speaking, was immediately cut off.
This was because he realized that if he made even the slightest mistake in speaking, he would be in a situation where he would publicly criticize his father.
* * *
It was during the reign of his father, King Taejong, that the Ming sent an expeditionary force to the region.
During King Taejong’s reign, the relationship between Joseon and the North was a ‘period of rupture’.
Taejong, who had ascended to the throne through two ‘Prince’s Rebellions’, had no time to pay attention to the outside world to solidify his power base.
And taking advantage of this opportunity, the Ming began to strengthen its control over the Jurchen tribes of Liaodong.
Of course, Taejong also tried to maintain his influence, but it was inevitable that more weight would be placed on Joseon.
And the result was that a large number of Jurchen people left Joseon’s influence, and Joseon’s eyes and ears were closed to the northern region. No, not only the eyes and ears were blocked, but even the roads were blocked.
The ‘Grand Strategy Dongjin’ was created and implemented to escape this situation. And in the process, various events became entangled and erupted in a bad direction, leading to the rebellion of Lee Man-ju and Muntemu.
* * *
Sejong quickly interrupted the conversation and changed the topic.
“Minister of Foreign Affairs.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“During your contacts with the Ming and Jurchen tribes, have you heard anything about an organization called ‘Noah Gando Temple’?”
Lee Maeng-gyun responded to King Sejong’s words by bowing his head.
“I’m sorry to tell you, but I have never heard of it. “God, please forgive my incompetence.”
“Don’t worry about it. “The only thing I’m curious about is whether that institution actually has substance.”
After gathering his thoughts for a moment, Lee Maeng-gyun responded to King Sejong’s words.
“I think it would be closer to fame and nothingness.”
“What makes you think that?”
“Although that area is far away, it is connected by land and the expedition team came and went. If the organization called Noah Gandosa was real, there had to have been constant communication, and if that had been the case, it would have reached the ears of the incompetent gods. But since that is not the case, I think that the institution is more of a symbol without substance.”
King Sejong nodded at Lee Maeng-gyun’s explanation. Unlike the early days of Gyeongjang, the information network in the northern region was operating well in the latter half of the period. If the institution in question was operating normally, Tambo would have definitely come in.
However, Sejong did not forget to caution.
“But there shouldn’t be any loopholes.”
“I will keep this in mind!”
However, there was something that King Sejong and his ministers did not know.
This was one of the butterfly effects created by scent.
* * *
Li Si-ha’s expedition was not limited to the 11th year of Yeongnak.
In the history before the intervention of Hyang, in the 8th year of Seondeok (1433), Lee Si-ha visited Yeongnyeongsa Temple again and established the ‘Seondeokjungeon Yeongnyeongsagi’ to solidify its status as the domain of the Ming Dynasty.
At that time, King Sejong ordered Choi Yun-deok to strengthen his control over Liaodong by suppressing the Jurchen people in the Yalu River region.
Myeong, who was wary of Joseon’s advance into the north, visited the Maritime Province once again. And by erecting the monument, it was officially declared that Ming had control over the Manchurian region.
However, when Hyang intervened, this history went wrong.
What Hyang achieved by baking and boiling Seondeokje to establish a union was not just securing trademark rights and stable means of trade.
It resolved the Jonggye dispute, which had remained a bitter issue between the Ming and Joseon Dynasties, and was recognized for its advancement into the Duman River region on the grounds that it was the ‘origin of the royal family.’
In particular, Noah Gando Temple fell into obscurity as its entry into the Duman River region was recognized.
Of course, since this decision was close to an impromptu decision by Emperor Seonde, there was a flood of words of opposition and concern from the subsequent Ming Dynasty.
Emperor Seondeok asked those ministers.
“Does the wasteland of the far east benefit the empire’s finances? Does it help defend Northern Yuan? Or does it help defend against Japanese pirates?”
The ministers remained silent in response to Emperor Seondeok’s question.
Emperor Seondeok came to a conclusion after seeing the ministers like that.
“No further comment is permitted regarding this decision. “This is a royal decree.”
The background to Emperor Seondeok’s decision was the financial problems of the faltering Ming Dynasty.
* * *
Like Taejong of Joseon, Emperor Yongrak, who ascended to the throne through civil war, had to demonstrate the power of the empire to stabilize the imperial power.
Therefore, he undertook five expeditions to Northern Yuan, organized a large fleet with Jeong Jeong as commander, and went to sea.
By doing this, he solidified his power, but this was accompanied by enormous financial expenditures.
Therefore, Emperor Seondeok, who ascended the throne after Emperor Honghui, who died after only one year of reign, had to repeatedly economize to restore the hole in his finances.
Many of the guards that had spread widely in the Manchurian region were withdrawn to the inside of the Great Wall of China, and the military strategy was changed from an offensive-oriented military strategy to a defensive-oriented military strategy.
To Emperor Seondeok, the barren coastal region of the Maritime Province, with its small population and low production, was nothing more than a ‘bright apricot’. Therefore, even though Emperor Seondeok guessed Joseon’s plan to some extent, he overlooked it.
Later, Chinese scholars who studied the history of the Ming Empire during this period considered this decision by Emperor Xiande to be the worst mismanagement he ever made.
* * *
Sejong, who had summarized the discussion on the influence of the Ming Dynasty spread in the Maritime Province, gestured to the presenter.
“Let’s keep going.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The presenter continued his explanation by pointing to Sakhalin Island on the map with a pointer.
“The military gave this island the tentative name Jongjangdo (縱長島). As you can see, this is because it has a long shape from north to south. And the peninsula next to it was named Eonwol Peninsula (偃月半島). “This is because its shape was similar to a scimitar.”
The presenter lightly cleared his throat and continued speaking.
“And between this Eonwol Peninsula and Daeseoldo Island, there is an archipelago like a stepping stone. We will continue to report on the usefulness of these islands later. “With this, I will conclude the report on the information confirmed by the naval forces.”
“I understand.”
When King Sejong nodded, the presenter took a moment to catch his breath and pointed to the eastern coast of the Eonwol Peninsula – Kamchatka Peninsula – with his pointing stick.
“And through this exploration voyage of the Jilin Ship, we learned of the possibility of the existence of an archipelago heading east from the Eonwol Peninsula.”
“How did you find out?”
The presenter gave a short answer to Sejong’s question.
“It was a bit of luck.”
* * *
Note 1) Reference was made to the Atlas News article.
‘Why did Mongolia attack Sakhalin Island?’. 2019.08.16.
http://www.atlasnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=780