Historical Documents Throughout the Ages Confirm the Identity of Usando as Dokdo Island

Historical Documents Related to Usando

The historical facts of the Dokdo - Takeshima Island dispute

Early Chosun maps of Ulleungdo and Usando (Dokdo) place this island in just about every possible position relative to Ulleungdo one could imagine. This is most likely due to the same confusing ocean currents and weather conditions that caused the European mapping mistakes of the 19th Century. Because of these errors, it is highly unlikely Usando was a close neighbouring island of Ulleungdo. It's not plausible that Chosun mappers would place a land mass (for example Jukdo Islet) that is about 2kms from Ulleungdo on the wrong side. It's more likely the Koreans became out of their reckoning when they were out of visual proximity of Ulleungdo thus losing a directional reference point.

Usando maps are very confusing, in order to clarify what exactly Usando was, we must then refer to clear historical documents. These are not easy to find but below are a few examples.

Early Korean maps of Ulleungdo and Usando placed the island on the wrong side of Ulleungdo. It's unlikely Usando is Jukdo Islet which is on the East side.

Later on, Chosun mappers placed Usando correctly on the East side of Ulleungdo.

The 1808 Korean Handbook of State Affairs and Usando~Dokdo

Japanese scholars question both whether Usando was Dokdo and if Usan-guk comprised Dokdo as part of its territory in addition to Ulleungdo when the country was brought under the dominion of Shilla. To this query, Man-gi yoram (Handbook of State Affairs) of 1808 quotes Yojiji (Gazetteer) in its chapter on military administration it reads. "娅颌颏轹軎渍橥撸怂橥撸闲颌橥撸鑫柁岫贻徭遇濂..." Translated this means "Ulleung and Usando all belonged to Usan-guk land and Usando is what Japanese call Matsushima....." (Dokdo)

On the left is an 1872 map made by Uchida Shinsai showing Jukdo (Ulleungdo) and Songdo (Dokdo) On the right is a Chosun map of Kangwando Province. In the East Sea are Ulleungdo and Usando (Dokdo). (click)

The An-Yong-Bok Incident and Usando-Dokdo

The document on the right is the testimony of An Yong-Bok after a confrontation on Ulleungdo Island in the 1690s. "During the interrogation of An-Yong-Bok and the others An-Yong-bok says "I live in Dong-nae and I went to see my mother in Ulsan. While there I happened to meet Chung-noe-han and others and told them about my travels to Ulleungdo. I also told them the island is rich in marine products and they thought it profitable. After we all got together with boatman Yu-il-bu living in Yeonghae and arrived at the island. The three-peaked mountains were higher than Samgak Mountains. It took two days to get from the North to the South and as many from East to West. There were a lot of trees, hawks, crows and cats.

There also a number of Japanese ships anchoring there and seamen were afraid. So I came forward and said, "When Ulleungdo belongs to Chosun how dare you Japanese people invade our territory? I'll have to arrest all of you" And I came to the front of the boat and continued scolding them loudly. Then one of them said "We live in Songdo () and came out here fishing by chance....Now we are going back to our places...."So I said "Your calling Songdo is Jasando (Usando-Dokdo)and that is also our territory. How dare you live there.......?" (Entire document here)

Here again is another historical reference that Usando (Jasando) was the Korean name for what the Japanese called Matsushima (Dokdo). It also confirms Koreans considered the island Chosun territory.

On the right is an image from Japan's record of the statement taken from An Yeong Bok himself. Here he states the distance from Chosun to Ulleungdo as 30 ri (120kms) and the distance from Ulleungdo to Dokdo as 50 ri (200kms). Although the distance to from Ulleungdo to Dokdo is incorrect it is much too far to be any of the nieghbour islands of Ulleungdo as they are less than 1 ri away.

Most Japanese maps of this era also overestimate the distance between Ulleungdo and Dokdo at about 40 ri (160kms) perhaps as a result of prevailing winds or currents.

The Japanese Inquiry of Ulleungdo Region's History

During the late 19th Century the Japanese launched an investigation related to the history of Ulleungdo Island drawing from both Japanese and Chosun records. On the right is one page from the report related to Usando-Matsushima or Dokdo as it is known today. It reads as follows: The so-called Takeshima is an uninhabited, rough island and for 70 years our (Japanese) people dominated the marine profits coming from the island. However during the Makbu era, it was discovered after a series of correspondence between Japan and Chosun that the particluar island was Ulleungdo and therefore the island was given to Chosun. And now let's find out about based on Chosun's ancient history about the islands when it belonged to Chosun in those old times.

At the beginning of the 栽闲妯颌悱章 (ancient Korean document) it says "In the middle of the Gangwando sea stand two islands of the West one is Usan and the East one is Ulleung" These are what we Japanese call Matsushima (Dokdo) and Takeshima. According to the 栽闲妯颌悱章, it says "Ulleung is in Gangwando, also called Mulleung or Urueng, and is located South of Uljin County. The mountains are soaring high, but the southern peaks are rather lower and smaller. On a windy, clear day trees on top and the sand below the mountains are clear to observe. With the right wind, you can get there in two days...."

It is interesting to note with this document that although Usando was drawn on Ulleungdo's wrong (West) side, Japanese were concious of this error and still considered Usando to be Matsushima.

The Japanese Inquiry of Ulleungdo Region's History II
The Records of Tanabe Taiichi Document A

The document image above is from the Japanese National Archives and was also part of the investigation on the history of Ulluengdo and area when the Mieji Government was trying to determine ownership of the islands. This file details the study by the Director of Communications Tanebe Taiichi. He recorded the views of history experts commissioned by the Japanese government to research the history of Ulleungdo. What we can also gather from these records are two opinions from Japanese of the day who regarded Usando as Japan's Matsushima (Dokdo)

It reads as follows:
"It is said that Matsushima (Dokdo) was named by us Japanese, but the truth is, the real name of this island is Usan which is part of (attached to) Ulleungdo of Chosun (Korea). During our 狭沥何 (government) era it was proven through an exchange of documents that Ulleungdo belonged to Chosun and we confirmed that Ulleungdo was not Japanese territory, which is stated in both of our countries' historical records...."

This document is important in that not only does it state Usando is Matsushima, is also confirms that the island was seen as an appendage of Ulluengdo since early times.

The Japanese Inquiry of Ulleungdo Region's History II
The Records of Tanabe Taiichi Document B

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The Daehanjiji (Korean Geography) Publications

The above book images are all from different editons of the Daehanjiji Publication or Korea's Geographic Journal. While these documents don't give us an exact defintion of Usando they do give us directional reference. All of these publications state that Usando is southeast of Ullleungdo. There are no appreciable islands located in this direction other than of course Dokdo Island. (see map here)

The 1899 Hwangseong Shinmun Usando Article

The image below is a newspaper article from the Hwangseong Newspaper dated September 23, 1899. This newspaper article introduces the history of Ulleungdo and the report made by Rapporte. The text is as follows.

匡柳瘤悼秦 (軎蛞颀栽)俊老档 (扉遇) 啊蜡 (牦)聪啃 (柝) 匡釜(軎渍) 捞扼扁 (徐) 何加(菥嵴) 茄家腊档吝 (岢牖遇耖) 俊弥历磊(跛钍砗) 埃魂档 (饰撸遇) 磷档(裼遇) 捞聪措茄瘤瘤 (愚颌蚣) 俊啃(柝) 匡釜档 (軎渍遇) 绊快魂惫(童橥撸闲)捞扼.

Translation:
"Near Ulleungdo there are six rock formations that can be referred to as "islands" Of those six, the biggest are Jukdo and Usando. The Daehanjiji says Ulleungdo is the old Usanguk country...."

This sentence cleary shows that Jukdo Island and Usando can't be the same island. It also shows that the writers were using the Daehanjiji for reference. The Daehanjiji states Usando is southeast of Ulleungdo not the northeast where Jukdo Islet is located.

The Hwangseong Shinmun article of September 23, 1899 makes it clear that Jukdo Islet located on the northeast is not Usando Island.

A 1901 Japanese Report on Ulleungdo Island (鹑嘭艘奕)

The above document like the Korean report above it, is a report on Ulleungdo Island and describes the islands surrounding Ulleungdo as well. However, this report goes one step further. We can see it also states there are six islands around Ulleungdo but here it says "Usando~Japanese name Matsushima (Dokdo) and then lists Jukdo Islet afterward as a different island. The above document clarifies that not only was Usando called Matsushima it also shows us that Usando was NOT Jukdo Islet located 2.2kms northwest of Ulleungdo. This helps to support Korean assertions that Hwaseong Newspaper was not referring to Jukdo Islet and Usando as one in the same.

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A 1780 Chosun Document Regarding Ulleungdo

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In Conclusion

Maps of Chosun lack the accuracy of Japanese charts due to Korea's poor development during this point in history. Korean maps used different ways to denote ownership of lands such as positioning islands closer to their ruling territories. For example, the Usando maps at the top of this page show Ulleungdo almost touching the Korean peninsula. In reality Ulleungdo is around 130kms from the Korean mainland. Because of this trait, Chosun charts should not always be construed as true to scale or accurate visual interpretations of Korea's geography. To best define the territorial perceptions of Chosun and Japan, maps must be used in conjuction with historical documents.