This paper aims to elucidate the routine activities in everyday lives of the Japanese in Waegwan by examining their annual activities and various rituals. The annual activities are approached in twofold ways. Firstly, it is noteworthy that annual acti...
This paper aims to elucidate the routine activities in everyday lives of the Japanese in Waegwan by examining their annual activities and various rituals. The annual activities are approached in twofold ways. Firstly, it is noteworthy that annual activities occasioned the exchange of gifts between Joseon residents and the Japanese. Those from Tsusima who came over to Waegwan as part of diplomatic delegation or as government officials exchanged gifts with Joseon officials who entertained them, in celebration of annual holidays. The giving and taking of gifts is not mentioned in the official trade regulations, but we may suppose that it was naturally established as customary practice. This also signifies that there existed traffic in products between Joseon and Japan apart from authorized trade or diplomatic ceremonies. Secondly, in view of Gozekku(五 節句), which was a major holiday in the Edo period, July was the busiest time in Waegwan when there took place the most annual activities. In Waegwan they usually performed Segaki(施餓鬼) at the Tong Hyang Temple to honor the ancestors. The cemeteries in the Tumopo Waegwan were annually visited as well. As for the rituals performed in Waegwan, I examine four different kinds in this study. One of them is the ceremonial recital of Gabegaki, which is the set of rules that were to be observed by those living in Waegwan. This recital was performed by the head of Waegwan in front of the Waegwan inhabitants. At the end of the seventeenth century, only Gabegaki was recited. But by the mid-eighteenth century, the recited documents were three in total: Gabegaki, the paper sent from Chosengosihai(朝鮮御支配), and the paper about Kokan(交奸). The second ritual is the exchange of blessings which took place among all the Waegwan inhabitants on the first day of each month. This served, it seems, the purpose of roll call and also helped make sure of everyone``s well being. The third includes the ceremonial rituals that had to do with occasions to celebrate or mourn concerning the Daimyo(大名) or the families of Daimyo. On the death of Daimyo, in particular, the Waegwan inhabitants were required to remain chaste and watch their behavior; also Joseon translators came in to pay condolences. The fourth concerns punishment and execution: the Tsusima clan(對 馬藩) would officially execute, at a site near Waegwan, the Tsusima residents who were caught for smuggling or other illegal deeds.