186 korea
walling of the Central Capital, to congratulate on having attacked Sung
and Hsia, to congratulate on having made peace with Sung, to seek
the release of Korean prisoners, and to seek border adjustments. In
addition, starting in 1127, the missions from Koryo to Chin had a new
function. This was to congratulate on the New Year’s Day and on the
emperor’s birthday.^103 The Chin did not congratulate Koryo on the
New Year’s Day, but it did congratulate its kings on their birthdays,
rarely before 1161 and almost consistently thereafter.
But in all Koryo missions to the Five Dynasties, Sung, Liao, or
Chin, trade was an additional and important aspect. The evidence
for that is not far to seek. It has been seen that Su Shih (Su Tung-p’o)
suggested in 1093 that the Koryo envoys should not offer books but
keep to straightforward business transactions in commercial goods
such as silk and hair.
Furthermore, Koryo missions were sent even though it was known
that they would not be received. On Jan.31, 1189, Chin sent envoys
to Koryo to announce the death of Emperor Shih-tsung. On Oct.10,
Koryo envoys arrived in Chin for the birthday celebration of Emperor
Chang-tsung on Oct.12, knowing fully well that this would be can-
celled because of the mourning for Shih-tsung. On Feb.5, 1190, Koryo
envoys arrived in Chin for the New Year reception on Feb.7, know-
ing fully well that this would be cancelled because of the mourning
for Shih-tsung. On Sep.28, 1190, Koryo envoys arrived in Chin for
the birthday celebration of Emperor Chang-tsung on Oct.1, knowing
fully well that this would be cancelled because of the mourning for
Shih-tsung. On Jan.12, 1191, Koryo envoys arrived in Chin for the
New Year reception on Jan.27, knowing fully well that this would
be cancelled because of the mourning for Shih-tsung. On Feb.12,
Emperor Chang-tsung of Chin sent envoys to Koryo to announce
that his mother had died. On Apr.12, Koryo envoys condoled and
sacrificed to the Empress Dowager in Chin. On Sep.9, Koryo envoys
arrived in Chin for the birthday celebration of Emperor Chang-tsung
on Sep.21, knowing fully well that this would be cancelled because
(^103) Twice, the festivals were postponed because of an eclipse of the sun, the
imperial birthday in 1176 and the New Year’s reception in 1198. It is interesting
that the superstition of solar eclipses being baleful events lingered, since Chinese
astronomers had been able to predict them, including those invisible in China, for
a millenium and therefore knew that they were natural phenomena. See my Six
Dynasties, vol.II, pp. 143-144.