History of Ancient Relations among the Three East Asian Countries

Author: Wang Gaoxin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: The comprehensive development of the ancient Sino-Japanese-Korean East Asian triangular relationship began during the Sui and Tang Empires of China. Therefore, we shall tentatively refer to the exchanges between these three East Asian nations before this period as early interactions. According to historical records, the exchanges between ancient China and Korea can be traced back to the entry of Ji Zi into Korea during the Shang and Zhou periods of China, meaning that this relationship has spanned over 3,000 years to this day. From the perspective of Korean Peninsula history, the period from the Ji Dynasty to the Wei Dynasty roughly corresponds to the Shang and Zhou eras of China to the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty. The founders and ruling classes of these dynasties were all of Chinese origin, forming a vassal relationship with the central Chinese government. After Emperor Wu of Han conquered the Wei Dynasty of Korea, he established prefectures and ruled the northern regions of the Korean Peninsula, which became the historically renowned "Four Han Commanderies." Throughout the Han and Wei periods, the northern regions of the Korean Peninsula remained under the prefectural and county governance of the Chinese government. Through the joint efforts of the Chinese and Korean peoples, they once created the splendid Goryeo Han culture. Meanwhile, the southern regions of the peninsula were relatively underdeveloped, gradually forming three major tribal alliances—Ma, Jeon, and Byeon—through continuous warfare. However, under the influence of the Han culture in the northern regions, society also developed rapidly. By the time of China's Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties, the Korean Peninsula entered a period of tripartite dominance between the northern Goguryeo and the southern Baekje and Silla kingdoms. These three kingdoms maintained varying degrees of interaction with the respective northern and southern governments of China.
The exact beginning of ancient Sino-Japanese exchanges remains unknown. Scholars speculate that as early as China's Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, ancestors from the ancient Wu and Yue regions may have arrived in the Japanese archipelago by sea, possibly becoming Japan's earliest Chinese immigrants. The legend of Xu Fu's eastward journey is essentially a () of Chinese migration to Japan during the Qin and Han periods. Documented friendly exchanges between China and Japan occurred during the Eastern Han Dynasty, with Emperor Guangwu of Han bestowing a golden seal on the king of Japan, serving as a typical physical example. By the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties period in China, Japan first established diplomatic relations with the Wei Dynasty through Queen Himiko of the Yamatai Kingdom, followed by the period of the "Five Kings of Wa" ruling Japan, who sent envoys to the Southern Dynasties of Liu Song. The exchanges between the two sides were very frequent.
Early interactions between ancient Korea and Japan were primarily characterized by waves of immigration. Immigrants from the Korean Peninsula to Japan included both Koreans and Chinese who had lived in the "Four Han Commanderies" during the Korean period. Together with immigrants who arrived directly from China, they introduced advanced Han culture and production techniques to Japan, significantly promoting the unification of the Japanese state and the development of its society. By the 4th and 5th centuries CE, as Japan established a unified slave-state under the rule of the Yamato, it began to pursue a path of aggression against the Korean Peninsula, taking advantage of the fragmentation in the south and the weakness of the Baekje and Silla forces.