Korean War of 1592-1598

The Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) comprised a major war between Japan and the alliance of China and Korea. The land and naval battles took place almost entirely on the Korean peninsula and its nearby waters; Korea was devastated. The Japanese leader Shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s main objective was to conquer China; he fought Korea when it denied him passage. The war consisted of two main invasions from Japan – the first in 1592 and 1593, and the second from 1597 to 1598. In the first invasion 200,000 Japanese overran almost all of Korea, but then were forced back by a Chinese counterattack. The war finally ended late in 1598 after the death of Hideyoshi as the Japanese withdrew.

The war is known by several English titles, including the Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea, in context of Hideyoshi’s biography; the Seven Year War, in reference to the war’s duration; and the Imjin War, in reference to the first year of the war in Korean (See Sexagenery Cycle).

Background

East Asia and the Chinese Tributary System

In the late 16th century, the Ming Dynasty of China dominated the East Asian geopolitics. China established hegemony over the smaller neighboring countries in form of the tributary system. In practice, the tributary states maintained complete autonomy, and they sent ambassadors periodically to the imperial court in China to pay homage and to exchange gifts with the Chinese government officials. Many of the tributary states received the exclusive privilege from China to participate in the lucrative international trade within the tributary system. China justified the tributary system with the doctrine of the Mandate of Heaven, that the Chinese Emperor rules to the benefit of mankind by decree from Heaven. Many Asian countries, including Korea, voluntarily joined the tributary system in pursuit of the legal tally trade and the legitimacy in their rule by the Mandate of Heaven.

While Japan never officially submitted to the tributary system, China granted Japan the right to engage in a limited tribut ary trade, which China considered as a form of tribute from Japan. The two treaties, in 1404 and 1434, that admitted Japan into the tributary trade required Japan to police its waters to protect the trade routes from the wako pirates. However, as the Japanese lords failed to effectively control its piracy, China expelled Japan from the tributary system in 1547. The trade issue would emerge again, during the wartime negotiations between Japan and China, as a non-provocative excuse from the Japanese for their first invasion of Korea.

China considered Korea as a key asset to the tributary system. Unlike the previous Korean kingdoms, the Joseon Dynasty had adopted Neoconfucian reforms in its founding, The two dynasties, Ming and Joseon, shared much in common: both emerged during the fourteenth century at the fall of the Mongolian rule, embraced the Confucian ideals in society, and faced similar external threats (the Jurchen raiders and the Japanese Wakō pirates). As for the internal, both China and Korea were troubled with fights among the competing political factions, which would significantly influence the decisions made by the Koreans prior to the war, and those made during the war by the Chinese. Dependence on each other for trade and also having common enemies resulted in Korea and Ming China having a friendly relationship.

China assumed the role of a big brother, Korea the middle brother, and Japan the younger brother.