Teh-Yi Wang
National Taiwan University
The Relations between Ch’in Dynasty and Koryo
35th Annual Meeting of the PIAC, 1992
In 1115 A.D. the Jurchens founded the Ch’in dynasty in what is the Chilin province nowadays. Ten years later, they subjugated the Liaos. Another two years later, they exterminated the northern Sung. In this way they became northern Asia’s most powerful country. Koryo and the Ch’in dynasty were separated by the Yalu River. The Jurchens were intrepid and enjoyed killing. They very early had relations with Koryo but these were not friendly. However, at that time the Jurchens were not powerful and Koryo did not hold them in awe. By the time when the Jurchens destroyed the Liaos, the international situation changed. Koryo immediately sent an ambassador to the Ch’in court to establish friendly relations. The Ch’ins thereupon demanded Koryo to declare herself a vassal and to offer tribute. It was the same that happened with the Liaos. Koryo had always paid special attention. This time, it was impossible not to send an ambassodor again to declare herself vassal and to pay tribute.
After 1127, the Sung court moved South. The relations between Koryo and the Sung dynasty were distant and the whole situation oriented towards the Ch’in dynasty. The latter had commercial relations with Koryo. Both countries sent diplomatic envoys every year and were very close to each other. There was only a break off with Koryo at the time when emperor Hai-ling of the Ch’in dynasty was assassinated and replaced by emperor Shih-tsung who ascended the throne and declared the reestablishment of the relations between the two countries. Another fifty years later, emperor Hsuan-tsung of the Ch’in dynasty moved to Kaifeng. The Mongolian influence went east, entered and controlled the North of China. The relations between the Ch’ins and Koryo were finally replaced by those of Mongolia and Koryo.