Maritime Interactions and the East Asian World
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
The Newsletter No. 81 Autumn 2018 News from Northeast Asia Regional Editor 15 Maritime interactions and Ilhong Ko The Region the East Asian world Maritime interactions and the East Asian world Ilhong Ko The ‘East Asian world’ is a lived reality, maintained through cultural, historical, and economic interactions that began in prehistoric times and continue strongly into the present day. The seas have played a pivotal role in facilitating such interactions, allowing people, resources, and knowledge The Seoul National University Asia Center to be exchanged throughout this extensive region. (SNUAC) is a research and international exchange institute based in Seoul, South Korea. The SNUAC’s most distinctive feature is its cooperative approach in n this issue of News from Northeast Asia, Neukdo Island. An ancient hub of maritime Kim of Sogang University discusses the way fostering research projects and we examine the various forms of maritime interactions’, Ilhong Ko of Seoul National in which Chinese merchant communities international exchange program through Iinteractions that took place in the past University introduces the results of excavations contributed to the formation of a trans-border close interactions between regional and and which contributed to the formation undertaken at the site of Neukdo, which economic network in the region, and the thematic research programs about Asia and reproduction of a common East Asian illustrate how this ancient port functioned as distinctive nature of their practices vis-à-vis and the world. To pursue its mission community. an international hub of maritime trade around Indian merchant communities, in ‘Modern to become a hub of Asian Studies, SNUAC the turn of the first millennium; the way in maritime interactions of Asian merchant research teams are divided by different The nature of these maritime inter- which Chinese ports, products, and institutions communities’. regions and themes. Research centers and actions, and how they developed over time, shaped the nature of maritime interactions programs are closely integrated, providing is overviewed here by Jun Kimura of Tokai in the region is discussed by Haiming Yan of Ilhong Ko Research Fellow at Seoul a solid foundation for deeper analysis University, in ‘Formation of an East Asian the Chinese Academy of Cultural Heritage National University Asia Center; of Asian society. cultural, economic, and historic sphere through in ‘The formation and fruits of East Asian Regional Editor of ‘News from maritime interactions’; in ‘Investigating maritime interactions’; and finally, Jong-Ho Northeast Asia’ [email protected] Formation of an East Asian cultural, economic, and historic sphere through maritime interactions Jun Kimura he formation of maritime trading net- works gradually developed in early Asian Thistory and the subsequent integration of separate maritime entities contributed to the extensive growth of socio-economic and cultural development in the region. As a result, people and goods traveled long distances through these maritime networks among early polities in East and Southeast Asia. The tributary system developed by the Chinese imperial courts was a channel for the Excavated Song period merchant ship (Nanhai No.1) exchange of commodities produced throughout the country, and is regarded as an early form of central government controlled trade. An by pilgrimages aiming to spread doctrines. Maritime Silk Route. This route linked China example is the kingdom of Funan (68–550 CE), An account of an early pilgrimage was with the port cities of Southeast Asia and the located at the tip of the Indochina Peninsula, written by Faxian (337–442), who successfully Indian Ocean. The trade items that moved Ship excavated from Wando, a Goryeo Dynasty and one of many entrepots located in the reached the Gupta Empire in northern India in along the Maritime Silk Route varied, including coastal trader considered to be a descendant type region. Funan sent homage to the Chinese the fifth century and returned via sea routes not only silks but also other export goods of a Silla merchant ship. court in the form of items such as pearls, coral, to Ceylon, then onto China in 413. His account such as ceramics, and consequently Chinese aromatic woods, spices, and precious goods depicts how perilous a voyage crossing the ceramics became a popular commodity in Japanese port open to overseas traders. from the Far West. Funan served as a shipping South China Sea could be, when rudimentary the Northeast Asian markets. At Korokan in Silla-Japan trade, however, fell into decline hub between the West and the East, which navigational techniques were used, sailors Hakata in northern Kyushu in Japan, Chinese after the death of Jang Bogo. was confirmed by the discovery of Oc-Eo in were inadequately trained, and seagoing Changsha ceramics have been excavated, as In China, the rise of the Song Dynasty the Mekong Delta, a site where Roman coins vessels poorly constructed. On the other hand, well as Korean ceramics produced during the (960–1279) was characterized by industrial were once discovered during an archaeological from a detailed account of a pilgrimage by Unified Silla period (668–935). Hakata was a development. The commercial revolution investigation. Given the fact that land roads Yiching (635–713), we learn that maritime prominent international port during this time. during the Song period coincided with the and sea routes for trade extended over vast transportation in the seventh century was In the East Asian maritime world before the expansion of a monetized economy, which regions, it is not surprising that scientists at much safer. Yiching embarked at Guangzhou tenth century, Silla merchants dominated the led to improvements of the taxation system. Nara National Research Institute for Cultural in southern China for the Kingdom of Srivijaya, trade along the northern Chinese coast and in A significant portion of the Chinese socio- Properties (in Japan) have found glass located in modern Palembang in eastern the Yellow Sea. Silla occupied a geographically economy started to rely on taxation generated products from archaeological sites dated to the Sumatra, Indonesia in 671. He then traveled important position in the inter-regional by maritime trading. The growth of maritime 5th century, which originated from the Roman on a ship from Palembang to India, safely maritime trading network, and Silla trading industries such as shipbuilding and water Empire and the Indian Ocean territory. returning to Guangzhou in 695. The rise of the communities were additionally formed transportation was also accelerated. The Using both land and sea routes, long new maritime Kingdom of Srivijaya increased along the Chinese coast. The records of Silla greater engagement of Chinese voyagers in journeys were undertaken in order to acquire the traffic along sea lanes between Guangzhou merchants’ activities represent an early form overseas trade had begun and would foster Buddhist scriptures and relics from within India, and Palembang, and when travelling this of a private trading system, and they also maritime commerce in East Asia. The Song which were then spread rapidly, particularly route Yiching was probably aboard a Persian began to be involved in transit trade. Jang period shipwrecks found in China are a during the Six Dynasties (222–589), Sui ship, on a trip that took him twenty days. Bogo (787–841) was the most powerful figure testimony of this phenomena. (589–618) and Tang (618–907). The accounts Persian and Arab sailors who had of the Silla cliques. His activities especially of Buddhists who traveled between China and sophisticated navigation skills and knowledge impacted on the amount of Silla trade with Jun Kimura Junior Associate Professor, India are a good resource for understanding about monsoons and tidal currents voyaged Japan, peaking around the ninth century. Department of Maritime Civilizations, the improvements to navigation and the water to Guangzhou by the late seventh century, Jang Bogo regularly dispatched ships to Tokai University. transportation system which were facilitated with Guangzhou becoming a gateway of the Hakata, which at the time was the only [email protected].