Sadae

Sadae (lit. 'dealing with the great') is a Korean term which is used in pre-modern contexts.^[1] Sadae is a Confucian concept, based on filial piety, that describes a reciprocal hierarchical relationship between a senior and a junior, such as a tributary relationship. The term is used as a descriptive label for bilateral foreign relations between Imperial China and Joseon dynasty Korea. Korea's concept of sadae toward China was implemented after the Confucianization of Korea in the early Joseon dynasty. Before that ^[2] Korea's Goryeo dynasty had Buddhism as its state religion.^[3][4]

The historical term is derived from the Chinese shi da (Korean, sadae) as used by the philosopher Mencius. Sadae literally means "dealing with the great"^[5]

The neutral term is distinguished from the pejorative "sadaejuui", which was invented by early 20th century Korean nationalists.^[6] The genesis of the term "sadae" arises in the work of the Chinese philosopher Mencius:

• 梁惠王下

齊宣王問曰：交鄰國，有道乎

孟子對曰：有。惟仁者為能以大事小。是故，湯事葛，文王事昆夷。惟智者為能以小事大。故大王事獯鬻，句踐事吳。以大事小者，樂天者也。以小事大者，畏天者也。樂天者保天下，畏天者保其國。《詩》云：『畏天之威，于時保之。』

• Mencius - Liang Hui Wang II

The king Qi Xuan asked, saying, 'Is there any way to regulate one's maintenance of intercourse with neighbouring kingdoms?'

Mencius replied, 'Yes, there is. But it requires a perfectly virtuous prince to be able, with a great country, to serve a small one - as, for instance, Tang served Ge, and King Wen served the Kun barbarians. And it requires a wise prince to be able, with a small country, to serve a large one - as the King Tai served the Xunyu, and Goujian served Wu. He who with a great State serves a small one, delights in Heaven. He who with a small State serves a large one, stands in awe of Heaven. He who delights in Heaven, will affect with his love and protection the whole kingdom. He who stands in awe of Heaven, will affect with his love and protection his own kingdom. It is said in the Book of Poetry, "I fear the Majesty of Heaven, and will thus preserve its favouring decree." '

^[7]

Sadae describes a foreign policy characterized by the various ways a small country acknowledges the strength of a greater power like that of China. Sadae is made manifest in the actions of the weaker state as it conveys goodwill and respect through its envoys.^[8]

The utility of the sadae concept in Korea was recognized ^[5] and demonstrated in the relationship of mid-Joseon Korea towards the Ming Dynasty of China.^[9] The kingdom of Joseon accepted its place in a Sinocentristic world order.^[3][10] The Joseon Dynasty made every effort to maintain a friendly relationship with Beijing for reasons having to do with realpolitik and with an idealized Confucian worldview. Sadae construes China as the center of a Confucian moral universe.^[11]

As a foundation of diplomacy, the Joseon kingdom presumed that the Korean state was positioned within a Sinocentristic milieu. The Joseon foreign policy was organized around maintaining stable Joseon-Chinese relations during the dynastic period from 1392 through 1895. The concept of sadae is contrasted with limited trade relationships or kyorin diplomacy (교린정책; lit. "neighborly relations") which marked Joseon-Japanese relations in this period.^[12]

The concept of sadae was used in the writings of polemicist Shin Chaeho and other Korean nationalists in the 20th century.^[13] Shin is known for having argued that the sadae effectively functioned in two ways:

• to devalue the ethnic origins of the Korean people and state^[10]
• to subjugate Korean history within a Confucian interpretive framework^[10]

• Sadaejuui
• Joseon diplomacy
• Gyorin
• Tribute
• Finlandization

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