Entry

Ming-gang, vice minister of the right in the Ministry of War, grand coordinator of the Guang-dong region and supreme commander of Guang-dong/Guang-xi, memorialized: "Guang-dong, has the "bay yi" and they are like an ulcer on the back, while the bays have the Japanese (倭奴) who provide wings for the tiger. In the 33rd year of the Wan-li reign (1605/06) they secretly built walls. The government troops then conducted an investigation but they were resisted and killed by the Japanese. No one could do anything about this! The Japanese grew to number over 100 and had been settled there for many years. They had wives and children and had built houses. If they were suddenly driven out and they turned against us, how could trouble be avoided? However, without loosing an arrow, their ships were, one after another, sent under escort beyond the border. For several decades all the troubles of the bays have been eliminated very swiftly. That this has been easily achieved is due to the great blessings of the spirits of the state and the brilliant majesty of the Emperor. The Japanese (倭奴) have already left, but the "bay yi" remain. It has been proposed that they should be driven away completely, and that a large force should be used against them, so as to eliminate the external troubles. Some say that Hao-jing is part of the inner territory and that its occupation cannot be tolerated. They propose that the yi be moved to the seas beyond Lang-bai like before where trade can be carried out on ships, so as to eliminate internal calamities. However, Hao-jing is in Xiang-shan and the government troops guard it from the surrounding seas. All of the yi's daily food supplies are provided by us. If they ever harbour evil thoughts, we can block their throats. Without the need to shed blood, we will have control over their life or death. It is like they are facing a large force, and they will not easily start troubles. If they are forcibly removed to Lang-bai, as the ocean is vast and boundless, the ships will not anchor at fixed places. Then, as the fan ships come and go, how will we be able to examine them? And how will we be able to stop evil persons from providing them with assistance? If they then link up with the Japanese and this gives rise to troubles, there will be no way to carry out punishment. It might be better to make known instructions prohibiting persons from the inner territory going there and prohibiting Japanese from outside from entering there. Troubles should not be induced, but no laxness in defence should be allowed. In this way, we can guarantee no further troubles. If it is considered that they are not of our nation (非我族類) and that they will eventually give rise to misfortune, but we neither treasure them nor expel them and just ensure that they do not spread and proliferate, and such a policy is decided and implemented by the Emperor, then at that time, the local bandits (土狼) will gather their forces and act wildly, and the newly-established subprefectures and counties will have to engage in firm military action and memorialize, so that they can pursue and eliminate them." An Imperial order was issued requiring that these matters be sent to the ministry for deliberation.