The Importance of the Jeolla Maritime Route in 1284 as Seen Through the Five-Character Poetry of Yuan Envoy Wang Jiweng
Authors:   The Bukak Historical Society, Shin Yoon-chul 
Published: February 2025

In this study, the records related to the diplomatic mission of Wang Jiweng (王積翁), an envoy of the Yuan Dynasty, who headed to Japan from Qingyuan (慶元) in Zhejiang Province in 1284, are examined. Through the place name “Doyang”(道陽) mentioned in his five-character poetry (五⾔詩), it is confirmed that he passed through not only Jeju Island and Happo region but also the coastal areas of Jeolla Province. This study aims to investigate this in detail. To this end, the study first ex amines the literature related to his diplomatic missions. Subsequently, it investigates the background behind his selection of the Korean coastal route for travel to the peninsula and explores the patterns of utilizing the coastal regions of Jeolla Province in the context of transportation between the Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island. Finally, it analyzes the utilization of waterways in the coastal areas of the Goheung Peninsula during the premodern period.
Among the various records related to Wang Jiweng's diplomatic missions, the Goryeo regional names that appear are “Tamna” (躭羅, 眈羅), “Happo” (合 浦), and “Doyang”. Through these three regional names, it is inferred that the places he passed through from Qingyuan to Tsushima Island were Jeju Island, Jeolla Province, and Gyeongsang Province, indicating that he utilized the typical northern route.
During the Goryeo period, the coastal areas of Jeolla Province were used as a major transportation route between the Korean Peninsula and Jeju Island. This was also the case for the Yuan Dynasty, which had stationed Darughachis in Jeju Island. These Darughachis had established relay stations (站⾚) in areas such as Naju (羅州) and Haenam (海南), and sometimes ventured into Jeolla Province, causing disturbances. By the time Wang Jiweng arrived in Jeju Island, both the Goryeo people originally residing in Tamna and the Yuan Dynasty’s Darughachi stationed there were already well-acquainted with the maritime routes between Jeolla Province and Jeju Island. Given that, during the Goryeo period, travel from Jeju Island to Gyeongsang Province generally involved passing along the coast of Jeolla Province, it is presumed that Wang Jiweng also traveled via Jeolla Province when moving from Jeju Island to Happo.
Additionally, the area called Doyang in the Goheung Peninsula was used as a major official sea route and navigation route in pre-modern times. Although it is an example from the Joseon Dynasty, the route for transferring the drifting Japanese from Chungcheong Province and Jeju Island to Dongnae included the waterway between the Goheung Peninsula and Geogeumdo Island, where Nokdo garrison post (⿅島鎭) was established. Furthermore, in the 1970s, the same waterway was included in the route of Pottery boats operating from Gangjin, navigating the southern coast. In summary, the coastal areas of Jeolla Province and the Doyang area in the Goheung Peninsula were among the major navigation routes in pre-modern times. Wang Jiweng likely utilized these routes to travel to Japan.