Entry

The Ministry of War memorialized: "Since the Japanese fled from Fu-shan, for 10-plus years the waves have been quiet. However, they [the Japanese] have not even for a day forgotten China.... Those evil persons upon the seas who sail across the great ocean come from more than one place. However, there is no place more advantageous to such activities than Yue. As to the places where trading with the fan is considered natural, where such activities are not considered unusual and where the prohibitions are not enforced, none surpass Fu-jian. They not only have communication with the Japanese but also with Luzon and such countries. However, the Luzon people are not as crafty and cunning as the Japanese and thus there are no major calamities... As to Luzon and such countries, they were places where San-bao [Zheng He] went when he travelled to the Western Ocean in the time of the Emperor Cheng-zu (1403-24). The Japanese, however, reside in the East. There must be no confusion between them. The islands of Luzon and so on are minute and the people are not rebellious. Fu-jian issues warrants (給文) to forty ships annually to sail there and forty thousand liang for military salaries is thereby obtained. The region thus receives benefits. We must not consider them in the same way in which we look at the Japanese."