China, Korea & Japan at War, 1592–1598: Eyewitness Accounts

Description

The East Asian War of 1592 to 1598 was the only extended war before modern times to involve Japan, Korea, and China. It devastated huge swathes of Korea and led to large population movements across borders. This book draws on surviving letters and diaries to recount the personal experiences of five individuals from different backgrounds who lived through the war and experienced its devastating effects: a Chinese doctor who became a spy; a Japanese samurai on his first foreign expedition; a Korean gentleman turned refugee; a Korean scholar-diplomat; and a Japanese Buddhist monk involved in the atrocities of the invasion. The book outlines the context of the war so that readers can understand the background against which the writers’ lives were lived, allows the individual voices of the five men and their reflections on events to come through, and casts much light on prevailing attitudes and conditions, including cultural interaction, identity, cross-border information networks, class conflict, the role of religion in society, and many others aspects of each writer’s world. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Table of Contents List of figures List of maps Preface Acknowledgements Stylistic conventions Prologue: witnesses to the largest conflict of the sixteenth century Never-ending stories Alternative perspectives on a major historical moment A question of us and them Dramatis personae Xu Yihou, patriot in exile Yoshino Jingozaemon, warrior of Japan Oh Hŭimun, refugee in his own land Hwang Shin, intrepid ambassador Keinen, reluctant invader Setting the scene Japan, Korea, and China ante bellum War and peace Notes References 1 Warning of the tsunami to come: Xu Yihou, patriot in exile Calm before the storm Loyalty behind enemy lines Xu’s actions in his own words Xu’s intelligence report Xu on Hideyoshi and Japan Xu’s view of the world from Japan China among equals? Concluding remarks Notes References 2 Glory in defeat: Yoshino Jingozaemon, warrior of Japan Yoshino’s diary Survival of the text Yoshino’s story Japan against the world Three lands Land of the Gods and Korea Past glory and present defeat The Japanese in Chosŏn Gods of war Us and them Enter the dragon Honourable discharge One tale among many Conclusions Notes References 3 Between a tiger and wolves: Oh Hŭimun, refugee in his own land The author The diary 1592–1593, ‘over by new year’ 1593, Chinese insult to Japanese injury 1593–1594, surviving disease and famine 1594, living with the Japanese 1594–1595, everyday life continues 1596, the prospect of peace Reflections Notes References 4 When peace broke: Hwang Shin, intrepid ambassador Peace process 1593–1596 Two ambassadors, two diaries The diary of Hwang Shin The diary of Pak Hongjang Osaka and Hideyoshi’s wrath Return from Japan Attitudes towards Koreans in Japan Japan and the Japanese Conclusions Notes References 5 Descent into hell: Keinen, reluctant invader The author The diary Keinen’s journey: through hell to paradise Crossing into the unknown Witness to suffering Victims and perpetrators Axis mundi Enemy at the gates Land of the Gods Return Afterword Notes References 6 A world connected: Oh Hŭimun, one among many 1597, the second invasion Joined in communication Separated by class 1597–1598, end game 1598, peace at last The Ming in Chosŏn: a dangerous spectacle A Ming monument in Chosŏn Chosŏn for the Chinese Further thoughts China experienced and imagined A connected world Class and country Postscript – beyond the war Notes References 7 Post war: stories retold, countries reimagined Post war Selective memories Reversion to type: un-learning about the Japanese China the unassailable: from might to right When China bowed to Japan: a story long in the making China, Korea, and Japan lived and imagined Notes References Epilogue: the war of 1592–1598 and national identity Defining the ‘nation’ Culture as identity Imagined communities Mass participation To be or not to be a nation The limits of definition Notes References Index