Collected Illustrations of the Three Realms, Volume 17

By the beginning of our current dynasty, in the second year of the Hongwu era 1369 CE; Hongwu was the first reign period of the Ming Dynasty., the Emperor ordered his official Zhao Zhi to go and instruct the Japanese King Kaneyoshi Kaneyoshi (良懷): Historically known as Prince Kanenaga, a rival claimant to the throne during Japan’s Nanboku-chō (Northern and Southern Courts) period.. In response, the king dispatched an envoy, the monk Sorai, to present tribute. However, after this, they frequently arrived to raid our coasts as pirates. Furthermore, it was discovered that they were conspiring with the traitor Hu Weiyong Hu Weiyong was a senior Ming official executed in 1380 for allegedly plotting a coup with foreign assistance, including from Japan.. The Emperor so detested this that he established an ancestral injunction to sever all ties and forbid any further communication with them.

Thereupon, the Emperor ordered Tang He, the Duke of Xin, to manage the coastal defenses. From the Liaodong peninsula in the north to Xuwen in the south, he surveyed the territory thoroughly and produced the Illustrated Records of the Coast original: 沿海圖志. A significant geographical and military survey of China's maritime defenses..

Since the Yongle era 1403–1424 CE., the eunuch-admiral Zheng He was frequently sent to summon and instruct the various foreign peoples. Japan was the first to submit and offer its respects. Consequently, the court granted them one hundred "Tally Licenses" Tally Licenses (勘合): A system where official trade ships carried one half of a split tally that had to match the half held by Chinese port authorities to prevent piracy. and permitted them to send tribute missions. Nevertheless, they continued to raid at irregular intervals. In the nineteenth year of Yongle 1421 CE., a massive pirate force raided Liaodong and other areas. The Regional Commander Liu Jiang annihilated them at Wanghaiguo, and only then did the "sea mist" A poetic term referring to the chaos and unrest caused by maritime piracy. finally settle.

One hundred and eighty years later, in the renzi year of the Jiajing era 1552 CE., the treacherous merchant Wang Zhi A notorious Chinese pirate leader who worked with Japanese "Wako" pirates. took advantage of the times to run rampant, heavily plundering the coastal inland regions. From the renzi year until the wuwu year 1552–1558 CE., this disaster almost reached the heavens. Fortunately, the ringleader was eventually captured and executed, and the fierce flames of the raids suddenly faded. Although there is occasional unrest today, the main threat has been cut off.