This article analyzes the change of Joseon’s legation in the Qing dynasty. Hoidonggwan(會同館) represented Joseon’s special status in international relations based on the tributary system that different from other tributary court. However, the 1882 Sino-Joseon regulations for maritime and overland trade opened a period in which the tributary system and modern treaty system co-exist. Under this regulation, the function of Hoidonggwan diminished, and Choson established the office of commissioner for commercial affairs in Tianjin(駐津公館), shifting the centre of the Choson power for foreign affairs away from the imperial capital. Three years later, in 1895, the Treaty of Shimonoseki signed between the two countries recognized the total and complete independence of Korea. In 1899, four years after the Korean independence, the two countries signed the Sino-Korean Commercial Treaty and established official diplomatic relationship between the two countries. The Korean Empire was to install its own legation in the old imperial capital Beijing, thus formally abrogated its long time subordinate status to the Qing, and started to move forward to establish its own standings abroad and beyond. But Korean Empire faced enormous financial difficulties, and Korean legation in Beijing eventually failed to play any role in diplomatic practices under the pressure from Japan.