Beijing Liulichang

Reading the Minds of Joseon Envoys via Time Machine · Lee Gyu-won · Seoul National University

Introduction

Liulichang, located outside Zhengyangmen, the main gate of old Beijing's inner city

Street

(琉璃廠)

comes to us with a somewhat unfamiliar name. When tourist guides mention Liulichang Street, they briefly introduce it as being similar to Insadong Street in Korea, and tourists visiting Beijing merely take a cursory look at Liulichang. However, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Liulichang Street was an international shopping street selling various old books, antiques, and artworks, and was Beijing's premier market. This fact is astonishing when considering today's humble and old Liulichang Street. Furthermore, Joseon envoys traveling to China in the late Joseon Dynasty always stopped here to purchase various books and sundries and to interact with the intellectuals there.

Ultimately, Liulichang Street in the 18th and 19th centuries was a place where the cultures of the Qing Dynasty, Joseon, and the West met, clashed, transformed, and spread, offering a glimpse into international cultural politics. Moreover, Liulichang Street was a place where one could observe the dynamics of international politics not at the macro level of power politics between nations, but at the micro level of interactions between people.

We will now attempt to visit the Liulichang Street that once boasted a brilliant past. Unfortunately, however, the Liulichang Street we visit today does not possess the characteristics recorded by the envoys of the past. Its value as a market has declined, and due to road improvements for the 2009 Olympics, the bustling market scene has disappeared, replaced by a neat commercial street. Therefore, as we walk through Liulichang Street, it will be difficult to experience the various emotions—shock, fear, or surprise—that the Joseon envoys felt at the time. At the same time, our dulled senses, having experienced the pinnacle of modern consumer culture in today's department stores, also make it difficult to find anything special in Liulichang Street.

Despite this, visiting Beijing's Liulichang is important. We must understand what the Joseon envoys of the past saw and felt, and whom they met. We must also understand what kind of cognitive shift this experience brought about and how it subsequently influenced Joseon society. Let us trace the process of their walk through Liulichang Street, and based on the lessons learned here, let us cultivate a perspective for viewing international politics today, and furthermore, consider how our individual lives can be connected to the world of today.

The Past and Present of Liulichang Street: Searching for Pieces of a Brilliant Past?

The name Liulichang originally comes from the fact that during the Ming Dynasty, there was a glass factory that produced glazed tiles for the imperial palace. Over time, it gradually developed into a market selling various goods.

So, what was Liulichang Street, described as the premier market during the Qing Dynasty, like? The splendor of Liulichang Street recorded by the envoys was beyond imagination. According to records, "the bridges and railings were outstanding and luxurious, with glazed tiles of pure gold, gold-bronze, and cinnabar shining brilliantly, resembling glass." Furthermore, according to Seo Yu-so (徐有素), who participated in the envoy mission in the 22nd year of King Sunjo of Joseon,

the shops were extremely ornate with colorful paintings. Some were entirely gilded, forming golden palaces. The shopkeepers, dressed in silk robes and sable fur coats, sat and managed the scales, monopolizing the profits of the world.

(Seo Yu-so)

(Jeong Min et al., 2013, 24).

This dazzling appearance of Liulichang presented astonishment and awe to the Joseon envoys who visited the street at the time. In the words of the envoys, they were "so engrossed in sightseeing that their necks ached," and "their eyes were captivated by the rare treasures, making it difficult to describe them properly," and "their eyes were dazzled, making it impossible to articulate the details" (Jeong Min et al., 2013, 30).

What contemporary location can we use as a basis to imagine the appearance of Liulichang Street at that time? Perhaps we can think of the luxury shopping streets near Times Square in New York, USA, which have become a world-renowned tourist destination today. Of course, Times Square does not have bookstores symbolizing intellectual hubs, and compared to its splendor, Liulichang Street, with its entire street adorned with gold and jade, would have been overwhelming.

Liulichang Street became so splendid not only because it was a street where intellectuals gathered and books abounded, but also because it was a place where various consumption and cultural activities took place. According to Yi Hong-sik (李弘植), who was an envoy,

besides large and small bookstores, there were many shops selling various paintings and calligraphy, antiques, and also shops dealing in Western goods, alarm clocks, music boxes, kaleidoscopes, sugar bowls, and eyeglasses. Among the people walking the street were not only Manchus and Koreans but also various ethnic groups from regions such as Vietnam, Japan, and the West, and teahouses and pubs were also thriving.

(Yi Hong-sik)

(Jeong Min et al., 2013, 242). Folk performances also took place frequently throughout the street, and records of the envoys witnessing these have been left behind.

Although the specific period when Liulichang began to boast its splendor is unknown, looking at the records of envoys, mentions of Liulichang begin to appear from the 18th century after the establishment of the Qing Empire. Liulichang Street likely developed into the splendid market described above from this period. According to Jeong Min, the most detailed document on Liulichang is "A Record of Liulichang Bookstores" (琉璃廠書舍記) written by Li Wenzhao (李文藻) of the Qing Dynasty in 1769.

(Li Wenzhao)

("A Record of Liulichang Bookstores")

Earlier, in 1765, Hong Dae-yong (洪大容)

("A Record of Liulichang Bookstores")

visited Liulichang, and in the summer of 1778, Yu De-gong (柳得恭), Park Je-ga (朴齊家), and Yi Deok-mu (李德懋) visited. In 1780, Park Ji-won (朴趾源) visited, and in 1790, Yu De-gong and Park Je-ga visited again (Jeong Min et al., 2013, 90). Interestingly, the transformation of Liulichang Street is related to the formation of the Qing Empire and the resulting social changes in China. From the Qing Dynasty onwards, Beijing became a city inhabited primarily by the Qing imperial family. Consequently, Koreans mostly resided outside Zhengyangmen to the south, which became the area of Liulichang Street. "As the Liulichang area took on the character of a collective residential area for Korean intellectuals, it developed into a market densely packed with old bookstores and antique ceramic shops."

(Hong Dae-yong)

(Yu De-gong)

(Park Ji-won)

(Jeong Min et al., 2013, 12).

(Park Je-ga)

(antique ceramic shops)

(骨董器玩)

(Jeong Min et al., 2013, 12).

So, what is the current state of Liulichang Street? In the memory of many people, Liulichang Street remains as one of those streets, like Insadong Street in Seoul, where traces of old objects or old buildings remain. Instead of the former splendor, it now remains as a faded, antique street. Furthermore, with recent road improvements, it has transformed into a neat street instead of a bustling one. While it is natural for past glory and splendor to fade, it is difficult to catch even a glimpse of the past splendor in today's Liulichang. So, what will be our mission in Beijing's Liulichang? First, we need to make an effort to find the occasional traces of the past and understand the feelings of surprise and awe that the envoys of that time felt. We also need to try to gauge its splendor, at least in our imagination, by examining records of Liulichang Street's past appearance. Therefore, we will focus on two key points for our time machine journey to understand the minds of the envoys. One is the interior of the Liulichang bookstore district, and the other is the place for exchanging knowledge and friendship. 4. Beijing Liulichang: Reading the Minds of Joseon Envoys via Time Machine

Liulichang Bookstore District

What did the Joseon envoys do upon arriving at Beijing's Liulichang? As mentioned earlier, the envoys purchased various sundries and interacted with many people. Among these activities, the envoys were particularly engrossed in visiting the bookstore district of Liulichang Street to browse and purchase books.

So, what were the bookstores like during the prosperous period of Liulichang Street? Detailed descriptions of the Liulichang bookstore district can be found in Li Wenzhao's "A Record of Liulichang Bookstores" (1769) and Wu Quansun's (繆荃孫) "Postscript to a Record of Liulichang Bookstores" (1899).

("Postscript to a Record of Liulichang Bookstores")

(Wu Quansun)

and through numerous envoy records in between, we can understand how the Liulichang bookstore district evolved. According to Jeong Min, Li Wenzhao's "A Record of Liulichang Bookstores" is particularly valuable primary source material for a comprehensive understanding of the status and various information of the Liulichang bookstore district in the mid-18th century. Summarizing the content from "A Record of Liulichang Bookstores" by Jeong Min, we have the following: First, most bookstores at the time handled new books, and for newly published books, the binding and paper quality were not very good, and the thickness of each book was very thin. Second, the method by which bookstores dealing in old books acquired them was mostly by purchasing entire collections from the households of fallen collectors. These books were high-quality collections with beautiful covers and clearly stamped with collector's seals. Third,

(collector's seal)

(藏書印)

In addition to Liulichang bookstores, there were other places to purchase books. At that time, places to buy books in Beijing included makeshift stalls set up on the ground in front of several temples, such as Yongfusi Temple within the city (refer to Jeong Min et al., 2013, 98-101). Considering this, it is no exaggeration to say that the Liulichang bookstore district was the center of the Chinese intellectual world at the time.

At that time, bookstores also boasted immense scale on the splendidly decorated Glass Street. What captivated the eyes of Joseon envoys at the time, in addition to their sheer size, was the orderly arrangement of a vast number of books, each marked with a tag, or 'jji', on its shelf. Bak Sahho

("A Record of Book Purchases")

(Park Sa-ho)

(books

肆記)

The method of stacking books is as follows: Build over thirty rooms in a house, install shelves on all four walls of each room, stack them in an orderly fashion on each level, and attach a label indicating 'Book X' to each stack. Thus, the books filled the rafters and overflowed the house, numbering countless. A large table was placed in front of the entrance, with over ten book boxes on it, which were the book title lists. When a person sitting on a chair wanted to buy a certain book, they would raise a hand, and it would be easily and quickly retrieved and handed over.

So, can we find bookstores overflowing with old books in today's Liulichang Street? Unfortunately, there are not many old bookstores in today's Liulichang Street. Instead, large modern bookstores are lined up, and most of the shops sell crafts, similar to Insadong Street. Nevertheless, if we seek out the few remaining old bookstores in Liulichang Street, it would be interesting to look inside. While it is difficult to expect them to stock books in the old manner, it is meaningful to look at the old books and reflect on the cultural shock that the Joseon envoys of the past experienced.

Exchange of Knowledge and Friendship

What else did the Joseon envoys do on Beijing's Liulichang Street? The encounters between Joseon envoys and Chinese intellectuals on Liulichang Street were a highlight of the journey to Beijing. In particular, the meeting between Hong Dae-yong and three scholars from Hangzhou is often cited as a representative story in the history of exchange between Korean and Chinese intellectuals in the late Joseon Dynasty.

How could intellectuals from two countries who did not know each other's language communicate? Although their spoken languages differed, Joseon was part of the Sinocentric cultural sphere, making communication through written dialogue possible. Through this written dialogue, intellectuals living in different spaces, China and Joseon, were able to communicate. However, this written dialogue could not be actively pursued. This was due to situational constraints faced by the intellectuals of both countries at the time. The intellectuals residing on Yulichang Street at the time were Han Chinese intellectuals from the era of the fallen Ming Dynasty. They constantly felt the threat of literary inquisition from the Qing Dynasty.

from the threat of literary inquisition

(文字獄)

and often tore up the content of their written dialogues. In the case of the Joseon envoys, their movements outside the Joseon legation were also subject to certain restrictions, making it difficult to meet Chinese intellectuals.

Hong Dae-yong's "Eulbyeong Yeonhaengrok"

depicts the situation of Joseon intellectuals meeting Chinese intellectuals through an anecdote of encountering Chinese intellectuals on Yulichang Street.

(乙丙燕行錄)

During the early Qing period, the "Okhwa-gwan"1, where Joseon envoys stayed, had strict entry and exit controls. After 3 p.m., the gates were sealed and only reopened the next morning, making it no different from a prison. 1 This is where Joseon envoys stayed and was also called "Joseon-gwan." 4. Beijing Yulichang: Reading the Minds of Envoys on a Time Machine

Then how was Hong Dae-yong able to frequent Yulichang Street? He wisely(?) used the method of bribery. By bribing officials and interpreters with money, he gained opportunities for free entry and exit, and despite the strict entry controls, he could move about freely.

The meeting and written dialogue between Hong Dae-yong and Eom Seong

at that time left them with a lifelong

(嚴誠)

friendship. The exchange between the two men was an attempt by people living in different places, Joseon and China, to understand each other. The encounter with Eom Seong remained a strong memory for Hong Dae-yong and likely influenced his thought thereafter.

The anecdote of how Hong Dae-yong and Eom Seong met is as follows. What connected them at their first meeting was the item of eyeglasses.

On the first day of the second lunar month,

Yi Giseong

went to Yulichang to buy a telescope

(裨將)

(李基成)

and met the two men, who had dignified appearances and scholarly temperaments.

They were both wearing eyeglasses, so they were likely nearsighted. Yi asked,

"I have a relative who needs eyeglasses, and it's difficult to buy genuine ones on the street. The eyeglasses you are wearing seem very suitable for nearsightedness; would you be willing to sell me one? You probably have a spare, and you can easily buy a new pair, can't you?"

One of them took off his eyeglasses and said, "The person asking you is likely suffering from the same ailment as me. Would I begrudge one pair of eyeglasses? What is there to sell? Please take it."

He then left abruptly. Giseong regretted his casual remark, which had led him to receive an item from someone else, and he immediately chased after them with the eyeglasses, returning them and saying, "What I said earlier was a joke; there is no one looking for them. I cannot accept an unnecessary item."

Both men looked displeased and said, "This is just a small item. Moreover, there is a sense of camaraderie among those who suffer from the same ailment. Why are you being so polite and refusing?"

Giseong was embarrassed and dared not speak further. He asked about their origins, and they replied that they were from Zhejiang

and were Juren

who had come to Beijing to take the imperial examinations.

(浙江)

(擧人)

and were lodging in Jianjingdong

outside Zhengyangmen

outside the gate.

(正陽門)

(乾淨衕)

That evening, Giseong came to me with the eyeglasses, explained the situation, and asked me to prepare some flower stationery

to reply to them.

(花箋)

He also said, "Both men are elegant and amiable

(可愛)

so you should go and meet them once." I gave him a bundle of flower stationery and asked him to go and find out the details.

The next day, Giseong indeed found their residence

and gave them a fan, ink, and pills

(居所)

(丸藥). They initially refused but then accepted them and engaged in a conversation over tea

and other items

(茶烟)

(回

禮)

with great courtesy and refined manners. Their speech and demeanor were noble, suggesting they possessed outstanding talent

(禮貌)

(才學)

, so he advised me not to miss the opportunity to meet them.

We agreed to go together the next day. Kim Jaehaeng, the Vice Commander, heard this news and wished to accompany us, so he joined us. On the third day, after breakfast,

4. Beijing Yulichang: Reading the Minds of Envoys on a Time Machine

the three of us took a rickshaw, went about two li past Zhengyangmen, and arrived at a place called Jianjingdong

, where there was a shop with a sign that read "Tiansheng Store"

.

(天陞店)

This was their lodging place. Tea

descended and stood outside the gate

(carriage)

ordered the coachman to go in first and clear the way. The two men heard this and came out to the middle gate

(middle gate)

and came out to greet them.

《Hangjeoncheokdok · Geanjeongdong Pildam》 (杭傳尺牘ㆍ乾淨衕筆談)2

Through these encounters, Hong Dae-yong began to interact with Chinese intellectuals such as Yan Chengxu and Fan Zhengui. The two men met only once, for about 20 days, during which they exchanged written conversations about worldly matters, forging a friendship worthy of being called 'Hong-Yan Ji Jiao' (Hong and Yan's Friendship). Yan Chengxu, who had returned to Hangzhou, fell ill and passed away the following year. At the moment of his departure from this world, he held the Joseon inkstick Hong Dae-yong had gifted him to his chest and closed his eyes while inhaling its fragrance. The portrait of Hong Dae-yong drawn by Yan Chengxu was included in 《Ilhaejegumjip》

and sent to Hong Dae-yong

(日下題襟集)

(Ilhaejegumjip) (Heo Jin-seok 2012). These anecdotes of exchange between Hong Dae-yong and Yan Chengxu have been passed down to us today, transcending time. Furthermore, 《Geanjeongdong Pildam》, published by Hong Dae-yong after his return from Yanxing,

among Joseon intellectuals

(乾淨衕筆談)

became widespread, laying the foundation for increased exchange between Korean and Chinese intellectuals in the future.

2 National Knowledge Portal, Academy of Korean Studies. http://db.itkc.or.kr/index.jsp?bizName=MK&url=/itkcdb/text/nodeViewIframe.jsp%3FbizName=MK%26finId=001%26gunchaId=bv002%26muncheId=01%26seojiId=kc_mk_c002 (Accessed: March 31, 2014). Meeting foreigners is also a powerful experience for us. On the other hand, when we travel to another country, it is not easy to attempt communication with the local residents. However, once communication is established, the stories of the local residents will bring the current appearance and lifestyle of Liulichang Street much more vividly to life. Perhaps the charm of field trips, and travel in a broader sense, lies in such things.

Conclusion

After learning about the brilliant history of Liulichang Street, when we visit the street, it will not simply be perceived as a street similar to Insadong in Korea. It would be interesting to explore today's antique bookstores on Liulichang Street while recalling the past appearance of the bookstore district. How many traces of its past brilliant history remain on Liulichang Street? This is the main point of this field trip to Liulichang Street. ■ 4. Beijing Liulichang: Reading the Minds of Yanxing Participants Through a Time Machine References Jeong Min, Park Sung-soon, Park Soo-mil, Park Hyun-gyu, Wang Zhenzhong. 2013. 《Beijing Liulichang: 18th-19th Century Cultural Hub》. Seoul: Min sok won.

Cultural Hub》. Seoul: Min sok won.

Heo Jin-seok. 2012. “Tracing Traces of Our Culture on the Continent with Professor Park Hyun-gyu 5: Beijing Liulichang Street”. 〈Dong-A Ilbo〉. July 30. http://news.donga.

com/3/all/20120729/48163686/1 (Accessed: January 1, 2014).

com/3/all/20120729/48163686/1 (Accessed: January 1, 2014).

National Knowledge Portal, Academy of Korean Studies. http://db.itkc.or.kr/index.jsp?bizName=

MK&url=/itkcdb/text/nodeViewIframe.jsp%3FbizName=MK%26

finId=001%26gunchaId=bv002%26muncheId=01%26seojiId=kc_

mk_c002 (Accessed: March 31, 2014).