Japanese missions to Ming China represent a lens for examining and evaluating the relationships between China and Japan in the 15th through the 17th centuries.Mizuno, Norihito. (2003). China in Tokugawa Foreign Relations: The Tokugawa Bakufu’s Perception of and Attitudes toward Ming-Qing China, pp. 109-112. The nature of these bilateral contacts encompassed political and ceremonial acknowledgment as well as cultural exchanges. The evolution of diplomatic ties accompanied the growing commercial ties which grew over time.Fogel, Joshua A. (2009). Articulating the Sinosphere: Sino-Japanese Relations in Space and Time, pp. 110-113; publisher's blurb.

Nineteen trade missions traveled from Japan to China between 1401 and 1547. The main trade goods exported from Japan were Japanese swords, copper, and sulfur; from China, copper coins, raw silk, and silk fabrics. Every one of these missions were headed by a Zen Buddhist monk from one of the so-called or "five great Zen temples of Kyoto",Fogel, p. 27. consisting of Nanzen-ji, Tenryū-ji, Shokoku-ji, Kennin-ji, Tofuku-ji and Manju-ji.Baroni, Helen Josephine. (2002). The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Zen Buddhism, p. 116.

Tally trade The economic benefit of the Sinocentric tribute system was profitable trade. The tally trade (, kangō bōeki in Japanese and kanhe maoyi in Chinese) was a system devised and monitored by the Chinese.Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia, p. 471. The tally trade involved exchanges of Japanese products for Chinese goods. The Chinese "tally" was a certificate issued by the Ming. The first 100 such tallies were conveyed to Japan in 1404. Only those with this formal proof of Imperial permission represented by the document were officially allowed to travel and trade within the boundaries of China; and only those diplomatic missions presenting authentic tallies were received as legitimate ambassadors.

Over time, the conditions of this mutually beneficial tally trade would evolve beyond its initial perimeters.

Selected missions Year Sender Envoys Chinese monarch Comments 1401–1402 YoshimochiTitsingh, p. 323. Yongle The formal diplomatic letter conveyed to the Emperor of China was accompanied by a gift of 1000 ounces of gold and diverse objects; returned with Ming ambassadors Tianlun Daoyi () and Yian Yiru () 1403–1404 Yoshimochi Yongle Keimitsu was chief abbot of Tenryū-ji monastery.Verschuer, Charlotte von. (2006). Across the Perilous Sea : Japanese Trade with China and Korea from the Seventh to the Sixteenth Centuries, p. 113. the mission party returned with Ming ambassadors Zhao Juren () and Zhang Hong ();Goodrich, L. Carrington et al. (1976). Dictionary of Ming biography, 1368-1644, Vol I, p. 85. also accompanied by monk Daocheng (); conveyed "Yongle tallies" 1404–1405 Yoshimochi Yongle First tally vessel, returned with Ming ambassador Yu Shiji () 1405–1406 Yoshimochi Yongle On orders of Ming emperor, repatriated captured Chinese pirates; returned with Ming ambassadors Pan Ci () and Wang Jin () 1406–1407 Yoshimochi Yongle Tribute mission of gratitude to the Ming; returned with Ming ambassador 1407 Yoshimochi Yongle With an embassy of 73, Keimitsu paid tribute and returned captured pirates 1408–1409 Yoshimochi Yonglethe large mission party consisted of 300;Verschuer, p. 114. Keimitsu paid tribute, offered captured pirates, and returned with Ming ambassor Zhou Quanyu () 1410–1411 Yoshimochi YongleBringing news of installation of Shōgun Yoshimochi; returned with Ming ambassador Wang Jin 1433–1434 Yoshinori Xuande Embassay of 220; returned with Xuande tallies; accompanied by Ming ambassadors Pan Ci and Lei Chun () 1435–1436 Yoshinori Zhengtong Returned with remaining Yongle tallies 1453–1454 Yoshimasa Jingtai Embassy of 1200 (350 reached the capital); returned with Jingtai tallies 1468–1469 Yoshimasa Chenghua Returned left over Jingtai tallies to Ming and returned with Chenghua tallies 1477–1478 Yoshihisa Chenghua Embassy of 300 1484–1485 Yoshihisa Chenghua 1495–1496 Yoshizumi Hongzhi Returned with Hongzhi tallies 1509 Yoshitane Zhengde Solo Hosokawa mission 1511–1513 Yoshitane Zhengde Party of 600; returned with Zhengde tallies; returned leftover tallies from the Jingtai and Chenghua eras 1523 Yoshiharu Jiajing Ōuchi had over 100 in party; Hosokawa had over 100; each domain sent own chief ambassador; parties clashed at Ningbo 1539–1541 Yoshiharu Jiajing Party of 456; solo Ōuchi mission 1547–1549 Yoshiteru Jiajing Party of 637; Ōuchi vessels; returned Hongzhi and Zhengde tallies

See also Sinocentrism Japanese missions to Sui China Japanese missions to Tang China Japanese missions to Joseon

Notes

References

Fogel, Joshua A. (2009). Articulating the Sinosphere: Sino-Japanese Relations in Space and Time. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; Goodrich, Luther Carrington and Zhaoying Fang. (1976). Dictionary of Ming biography, 1368-1644 (明代名人傳), Vol. I; Dictionary of Ming biography, 1368-1644 (明代名人傳), Vol. II. New York: Columbia University Press. ; ; OCLC 1622199 Mizuno, Norihito. (2003). China in Tokugawa Foreign Relations: The Tokugawa Bakufu’s Perception of and Attitudes toward Ming-Qing China, p. 109. excerpt from Japan and Its East Asian Neighbors: Japan's Perception of China and Korea and the Making of Foreign Policy from the Seventeenth to the Nineteenth Century, Ph.D. dissertation, Ohio State University, 2004, as cited in Tsutsui, William M. (2009). A Companion to Japanese History, p. 83. Nussbaum, Louis Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan Encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 48943301 Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652], Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 300555357 Verschuer, Charlotte von. (2006). Across the Perilous Sea : Japanese Trade with China and Korea from the Seventh to the Sixteenth Centuries (Commerce extérieur du Japon des origines au XVIe siècle) translated by Kristen Lee Hunter. Ithaca, New York: East Asia Program, Cornell University, 2006. ; Yoda, Yoshiie. (1996). The Foundations of Japan's Modernization: a comparison with China's Path towards Modernization. Leiden: Brill. ; OCLC 246732011