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Constructing and Analyzing a Database of Material Exchanges in Sixteenth-Century Joseon Diplomatic Mission Records

  • The Review of Korean History
  • 2026, (163), pp.183~226
  • Publisher : The Historical Society Of Korea
  • Research Area : Humanities > History
  • Received : August 14, 2026
  • Accepted : September 18, 2026
  • Published : September 30, 2026

YUN, SEUNGHEE 1

1동국대학교 문화학술원

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study examines the exchange of goods during Joseon diplomatic missions to Beijing by constructing a database from 21 travel records dating from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. Through AI-assisted extraction followed by manual verification against the original texts, a total of 1,028 cases of material exchange were identified. These cases were analyzed according to four geographical sections of the journey: Joseon, Liaodong, the region within Shanhaiguan, and Beijing. In Joseon, exchanges centered on the reception of envoys, including banquets and travel provisions supplied through local administrative networks. In Liaodong, in’jeong(人情) and ha’jeong(下程) were prominent, particularly in connection with passage through checkpoints, escort arrangements, and transportation. After passing Shanhaiguan, exchanges increasingly took the form of personal exchanges and trade, including the exchange of writing materials and books. In Beijing, institutional and ceremonial forms of exchange were most evident, especially in the regular provision of xiacheng and imperial gifts. These findings demonstrate that the patterns and functions of material exchange during diplomatic missions varied according to the different spaces and administrative systems encountered along the route.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2025 are currently being built.

This paper was written with support from the National Research Foundation of Korea.