The Kingdom of Chosŏn and its People on the Route of the Voyage of the Frigate Pallada (1852–1854) in the Account of Ivan Goncharov in the Light of the Early Russo-Korean Contacts

Keywords: Chosŏn, Korea, Ivan Goncharov, frigate Pallada, Russians in Korea

Abstract

In 1854, the Russian crew of the frigate Pallada had multiple encounters with the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Chosŏn on Kŏmundo Island and in several locations along the entire eastern coast of the country. This was the first and the most significant Russo-Korean meeting on the sea route, as previous contacts between representatives of the two civilizations were on land routes, during the battles for Albazino, and through the Orthodox mission in Beijing. The aim of this article is to analyze these encounters based on the account of Ivan Goncharov, contained in his work „The Frigate Pallada” (1852) set within a broader political and cultural context that includes both the history of early Russo-Korean contacts in the 17th and 18th centuries and the maritime rivalry of Western powers in North-East Asia during the Opium Wars, the Taiping Rebellion and the Crimean War. The significance of this exchange is also evidenced by the fact that references to it were recorded in Korean sources, particularly in the „Diaries of the Royal Secretariat” (Sŭngjŏngwŏn ilgi) and the „Annals of the Chosŏn Dynasty” (Chosŏn wangjo sillok).

Published
2024-09-29
How to Cite
Wadas, A. (2024). The Kingdom of Chosŏn and its People on the Route of the Voyage of the Frigate Pallada (1852–1854) in the Account of Ivan Goncharov in the Light of the Early Russo-Korean Contacts. The Ignatianum Philosophical Yearbook, 30(3), 277-308. https://doi.org/10.35765/rfi.2024.3003.16
Section
Articles