중･근세 동아시아의 인기 무역품, 일본도(日本刀)

Abstract

This paper examines the fact that Japanese-made swords were distributed as international “trade goods” in recognition of their excellence as weapons in the Early Modern period of East Asia. For about 200 years from the end of the 14th century to the beginning of the 17th century, Japanese swords were transported in large quantities in the form of tribute trade goods by Japanese envoys or trade ships sailing to Joseon and China or by Japanese pirates. During the period from the early 15th to the mid-16th century, the total export volume was beyond imagination, as more than 100,000 swords were dedicated by the Muromachi Shogun to the Ming emperor. In the early 17th century, the Edo Shogunate prohibited the export of Japanese armaments by national law and promoted a policy of closure, leaving Japanese sword to disappear from the “authorized” trade items of the East Asian world. Even in this situation, Ming and Qing's interest in Japanese swords did not disappear, and as a result of asking Joseon to dedicate Japanese swords as gifts, it is confirmed that Japanese swords moved from Joseon to China until the first half of the 17th century. Meanwhile, the influence of Japanese swords on traditional weapons systems and manufacturing in Joseon and China was different. Joseon was interested in the introduction of manufacturing technology in Japanese swords from the first half of the year. However, it is difficult to say that Japanese swords had a great influence on the circumference in form and manufacturing Hwando(環刀), considering that the traditional Hwando with little bending was still used even in the late Joseon. On the other hand, in the case of Ming Dynasty, due to its economic advantages and quality excellence, Japanese swords were actually used in the military as a practical weapon.