The author made an oral presentation entitled "Japanese Literature Records on the Imjin War (Bunroku-Keicho War) and its Limitations" at the Institute of Dongguk History and Culture 2016 Fall academic meeting which was held at Dongguk University on October 21, 2016. This paper is based on that presentation.
This paper considers appellations for Choson and its various regions at that time mainly through the analysis of Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s documents. Hideyoshi initiated the Imjin War. The paper also presents the limitations of the recognition of Choson as seen in the Japanese literature. In addition, I refer to the background of such limitations and misrepresentations about Choson.
Examples of appellations for Choson and its various regions are as follows. Korea 高麗 as an appellation for the nation. Korea, Choson, Baekje 百済, and Silla 新羅 as appellations for administrative districts. Shirokuni 白国, Akakun 赤国and Aokuni 青国 as appellations for Gyeongsang Province 慶尚道, Jeolla Province全羅道 and Chungcheong Province忠清道.
I suggest that the major premises of forming such appellations were Hideyoshi’s gross misunderstanding and illusion. His misun-derstanding was based on his recognition that Choson had already submitted itself to Japan. The illusion was his recognition that Japan would be able to conquer Ming 明 as well as Choson.