高麗 宣宗朝 對宋外交와 貿易

Abstract

The Khitan Liao and the Chinese Sung dynasty had been in long confrontation with each other when the king Seon jong of the Koryo was reigning his dynasty. The Liao was exercising its predominating military power against all the other members of the East Asian society. The Goryeo was a tributary state to the Liao, and the king Seonjong was also invested by the emperor of the Liao. However, when the king Seon jong was just enthroned he dispatched a royal messenger to the Sung. The Liao did not condone the Goryeo's effort to restore closer relations with the Sung, so the Liao raised a border dispute with the Goryeo. The border disputes successfully worked out and the Goryeo could not carry on its pro-Sung policies. Afterwards, the Goryeo sent envoys to the Sung only in the name of returning the Sung emperor's favor. As we have seen the Liao's diversionary moves prevented the Goryeo-Sung relations. However, king Seonjong did not give up the relations with the Sung in order to introduce the advanced culture and institutions of the Sung to his own court; the king also could not neglect the profit from the tributary trade with the Sung court as the profit had benefitted the king's court as well as the dynasty. The diplomatic relations with the Sung in the earlier period of king Seon jongs reign underwent the Liao's pressure. Yet, in the later period in 1090 and 1093, the Goryeo's envoys to the Sung achieved their goals and also avoid any conflict with the Liao. It was clearly the king Seonjong's diplomatic sense and efficient management of the court that led to the success.