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The One-Year Journey of Lee Ji-hang, the First Joseon Korean to Meet the Ainu Pyojurok is a travel record written by Yi Ji-hang (이지항/李志恒), a man of the late Joseon Dynasty, documenting his experience after being cast adrift at sea. In 1696, Yi Ji-hang set sail from Joseon but was caught in a violent storm and drifted across the sea, eventually reaching what is now Hokkaido, Japan. There, he encountered the Ainu people, who inhabited Hokkaido at the time. He spent a period living among them, observing their culture and way of life firsthand. Yi carefully recorded the Ainu people’s clothing, food, housing, hunting and fishing methods, and customs. At first, they could not communicate because they spoke different languages, so they relied on gestures and body language. Later, with the help of Japanese interpreters, he was eventually able to return to Joseon. Pyojurok is regarded as one of the oldest and most detailed surviving firsthand accounts written by a Korean who directly encountered the Ainu people. Unlike Japanese sources, it describes Ainu society from the perspective of a Joseon traveler, making it an exceptionally valuable historical document. During his journey home, Yi Ji-hang also passed through several regions under the Edo shogunate, recording his observations of Japanese administration and society. As a result, Pyojurok serves as an important historical source for understanding Joseon, Japan, and the Ainu during the late 17th century. Historical Significance of Pyojurok – One of the most important Korean historical sources on the Ainu people. Today, Pyojurok continues to be used by historians and anthropologists as an important primary source for researching late 17th-century Ainu society and Joseon’s understanding of the northern regions. submitted by /u/Both-Wonder-3955 |
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