Japanese Silver Attracted Foreign Smugglers (1)

     Zheng Shungong (?-?) was born in Xin’an District, Guangdong Province, China under Ming Dynasty.  He was sent to Japan by Yang Yi (?-?), the military governor of Zhejiang Province, although he was not an official.  He was heading for Kyoto, but reached Bungo Province by accident, and confined to Ryuho-an Temple, a branch temple of Kaizo-ji Temple in Usuki County.  He was sent back to China in 1558, accompanied by the Otomo Clan’s priest, Seiju, who had studied in Daitoku-ji Temple in Kyoto.  By the time he returned to China, Yang Yi had been replaced by Hu Zongxian (1512-1565), who had sent Chen Keyuan and Jiang Zhou to Japan in 1556.  The two first visited Goto Islands in Japan, and met Wang Zhi and Mao Haifeng, famous Chinese Wokou chiefs who were based in the island.  Chen returned to Ming to report, but Jiang went to Bungo Province, and stayed there.  He sent his priest messenger to Yamaguchi and admonished Ouchi Yoshinaga (?-1557) to crack down on Wokou.  Otomo Yoshishige (1530-1587), who was ruling Bungo Province at the time and was an elder brother of Yoshinaga, might have been dubious of Zheng, or been more familiar with personnel changes in China, or just found Jiang easier to handle.

     Zheng later wrote and compiled a book of 3 volumes, “Riben Yijian” (A Look at Japan), presumably by the end of 1560’s or the beginning of 1570’s.