The Matsura Clan and their Smuggling (3)

     Matsura Historical Museum stores a draft of a letter written by Matsura Shigenobu (1549-1599) to the king of Siam in January, 1577.

     According to the letter, in 1576, Guo Liuguan sailed his Chinese junk to Hirado with a Siamese ambassador aboard.  And, this time, in 1577, Wu Laobao sailed his junk to Hirado with another ambassador.  Shigenobu thanked the king for his gifts, asked him to send an ambassador annually, and presented back a set of Japanese armor.

     The Matsura Clan didn’t seem to have had their own ship.  The Siamese might not have had their own.  Their diplomatic relations were mediated by Chinese traders.