Zheng Shungong (?-?) and Riben Yijian

 

     Zheng Shungong (?-?) was born in Xin’an District, Guangdong Province, China under Ming Dynasty.  Although he was not an official, he was sent to Japan by Yang Yi (?-?), the military governor of Zhejiang Province.  When he was heading for Kyoto, he reached Bungo Province by accident, and was 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  By the time he returned to China, Yang Yi had been replaced by Hu Zongxian (1512-1565), who had sent Chen Keyuan and Jiang Zhou to Japan in 1556.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 messenger priest 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.

      According to Zheng, many Fujian people were sailing to Japan as early as in 1534, hearing from Japanese priests that they could gain massive profits from trading with silver.

      Even Annals of the Joseon Dynasty’s entry dated June the 25th in 1544 recorded the fact that Fujian people were sailing to Japan to trade silver.

      In Japan, a Chinese private trading ship, or a smuggling ship, was recorded to have reached Suo Province in 1539.  Later, some others got to Jingu-ji Bay in Bungo Province, Hirado in Hizen Province, Tane-ga-shima Island in Osumi Province, Akune in Satsuma Province, Amakusa in Higo Province, Saiki Bay in Bungo Province, and as far as Ise in Ise Province.  Silver obviously attracted Chinese smugglers.