The Battle of Noryang, the last major battle of the
Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598)
The Japanese invasions of Korea of 1592–1598 involved two separate yet linked invasions: an initial invasion in 1592 (), a brief truce in 1596, and a second invasion in 1597 (). The conflict ended in 1598 with the withdrawal of Japanese force ...
, was fought between the Japanese navy and the combined
fleets of the
Joseon Kingdom
Joseon (; ; Middle Korean: 됴ᇢ〯션〮 Dyǒw syéon or 됴ᇢ〯션〯 Dyǒw syěon), officially the Great Joseon (; ), was the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, lasting just over 500 years. It was founded by Yi Seong-gye in July 1392 and re ...
and the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
. It took place in the early morning of 16 December (19 November in the
Lunar calendar
A lunar calendar is a calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon's phases (synodic months, lunations), in contrast to solar calendars, whose annual cycles are based only directly on the solar year. The most commonly used calendar, the Gre ...
) 1598 and ended past dawn.
The allied force of about 150 Joseon and Ming Chinese ships, led by admirals
Yi Sun-sin
Admiral Yi Sun-sin (April 28, 1545 – December 16, 1598) was a Korean admiral and military general famed for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Imjin war in the Joseon Dynasty. Over the course of his career, Admiral Yi fough ...
and
Chen Lin, attacked and either destroyed or captured more than half of the 500 Japanese ships commanded by
Shimazu Yoshihiro
was the second son of Shimazu Takahisa and the younger brother of Shimazu Yoshihisa. Traditionally believed to be the 17th head of the Shimazu clan, he was a skilled general during the Sengoku period who greatly contributed to the unification o ...
, who was attempting to link-up with
Konishi Yukinaga
Konishi Yukinaga (小西 行長, baptized under the personal name Agostinho (Portuguese for Augustine); 1558 – November 6, 1600) was a Kirishitan daimyō under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He is notable for his role as the vanguard of the Japanes ...
. The battered survivors of Shimazu's fleet limped back to
Pusan
Busan (), officially known as is South Korea's most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.4 million inhabitants. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economic, cultural and educational center of southeastern South Korea, w ...
and a few days later, left for Japan. At the height of the battle, Yi was hit by a bullet from an
arquebus
An arquebus ( ) is a form of long gun that appeared in Europe and the Ottoman Empire during the 15th century. An infantryman armed with an arquebus is called an arquebusier.
Although the term ''arquebus'', derived from the Dutch word ''Haakbus ...
and died shortly thereafter. Chen Lin reported the news back to the
Wanli Emperor
The Wanli Emperor (; 4 September 1563 – 18 August 1620), personal name Zhu Yijun (), was the 14th Emperor of the Ming dynasty, reigned from 1572 to 1620. "Wanli", the era name of his reign, literally means "ten thousand calendars". He was the ...
, and since then, Chen and Yi were celebrated as national heroes.
Name
The battle is named after the Strait of Noryang (노량 / 露梁 Luliang), off the coast of
Namhaedo
Namhaedo or Namhae Island is the principal island of Namhae County, on the southern coast of South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea. It is the fifth largest island in South Korea. Together with Changseon Island, it forms Namhae County. It is jo ...
of Korea.
Background
Due to setbacks in land and sea battles, the Japanese armies had been driven back to their network of fortresses, or ''
wajō'' (和城), on the southeastern Korean coast. However, the ''wajō'' could not hold the entire Japanese army, so, in June 1598,
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
, otherwise known as and , was a Japanese samurai and ''daimyō'' (feudal lord) of the late Sengoku period regarded as the second "Great Unifier" of Japan.Richard Holmes, The World Atlas of Warfare: Military Innovations that Changed the Cour ...
, the
Taikō who instigated the
Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598)
The Japanese invasions of Korea of 1592–1598 involved two separate yet linked invasions: an initial invasion in 1592 (), a brief truce in 1596, and a second invasion in 1597 (). The conflict ended in 1598 with the withdrawal of Japanese force ...
, and also the acting Japanese Lord of War, ordered 70,000 troops mostly from the Japanese
Army of the Right to withdraw to the archipelago. On 18 September 1598, Hideyoshi unexpectedly died at
Fushimi castle
, also known as or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is a Japanese castle located in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto.
Fushimi Castle was constructed from 1592 to 1594 by Toyotomi Hideyoshi at the end of the Sengoku period as his retirement residence. Fushimi Castle ...
.
[Turnbull (2002), p. 218] The Japanese forces in Korea were ordered to withdraw back to Japan by the new governing Council of Five Elders.
Due to the presence of Joseon and Ming ships, the Japanese garrisons in the ''wajō'' could not retreat and stayed in the relative safety of their forts.
The
Sunch'on ''wajō'' was the westernmost Japanese fortress and contained 14,000 troops commanded by
Konishi Yukinaga
Konishi Yukinaga (小西 行長, baptized under the personal name Agostinho (Portuguese for Augustine); 1558 – November 6, 1600) was a Kirishitan daimyō under Toyotomi Hideyoshi. He is notable for his role as the vanguard of the Japanes ...
, who was the leader of Japan's vanguard contingent during the first invasion, in 1592. Yi and Chen blocked Konishi from retreat, but Konishi sent many gifts to Chen in an attempt to bribe the Ming commander into lifting the
blockade
A blockade is the act of actively preventing a country or region from receiving or sending out food, supplies, weapons, or communications, and sometimes people, by military force.
A blockade differs from an embargo or sanction, which are le ...
. At first, Chen agreed to withdraw the allied fleet, but Yi steadfastly refused to comply.
[Hawley (2005), pp. 549–550] Then Chen suggested that the allied fleet attack smaller, more vulnerable ''wajō'', such as the fort at
Namhae. Yi rejected that strategy as well. Yi argued that Konishi, who commanded one of the largest ''wajō'', would be allowed to escape if the allies were to leave and fight elsewhere.
[Hawley (2005), pp. 551–552]
On 15 December, about 20,000 Japanese troops from the ''wajō'' of Sach'on,
Goseong Goseong may refer to:
* Goseong County, South Gyeongsang, a county in South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea
* Goseong County, Gangwon, a county in Gangwon Province, South Korea
* Kosong County
Kosŏng County () is a '' kun'', or county, in Kang ...
, and Namhae boarded 500 ships and began to mass east of the Noryang Strait in an attempt to break the allied blockade of Sunch'on. The overall commander of this relief force was Shimazu Yoshihiro, the leader of the Sach'on ''wajō''.
[Turnbull (2002), p. 226]
The objective of the allied fleet was to prevent the link-up of Shimazu's fleet with the fleet of Konishi, then attack and defeat Shimazu's fleet. The objective of Shimazu's fleet was to cross Noryang Strait, link up with Konishi and retreat to Pusan. Shimazu knew that Konishi was trying to cause disunity within the Joseon-Ming alliance and hoped that they would be busy elsewhere or still blockading the Sunch'on ''wajō'' and thus vulnerable to an attack from their rear.
[
]
Battle
On 15 December, a huge Japanese fleet was amassed in Sach'on Bay, on the east end of the Noryang Strait. Shimazu was not sure whether the allied fleet was continuing the blockade of Konishi's ''wajō'', on its way to attack an abandoned ''wajō'' further east, or blocking their way on the western end of Noryang Strait. Yi, meanwhile, knew exactly where Shimazu was after receiving reports from scouts and local fishermen.
The Joseon fleet consisted of 82 ''panokseon
Panokseon ("board roofed" ship) was an oar and sail propelled ship that was the main class of warship used by Joseon during the late 16th century. The first ship of this class was constructed in 1555. It was a ship made of sturdy pine wood, ...
'' multi-decked oared ships.[Hawley (2005), p. 552] The Ming fleet consisted of six large war junks (true battle vessels most likely used as flagships) that were driven by both oars and sails, 57 lighter war ships driven by oars alone (most likely transports converted for battle use),[Hawley (2005), p. 553] and two ''panokseon'' provided by Yi. In terms of manpower, the allied fleet had 8,000 sailors and marines under Yi, 5,000 Ming men of the Guangdong Squadron, and 2,600 Ming marines who fought aboard Korean ships, a total of almost 16,000 sailors and fighting men.[ The Ming fleet was divided into two squadrons, the larger of which was commanded by Chen and the smaller by ]Deng Zilong
Vice-Admiral, Deng Zilong (鄧子龍 in traditional Chinese, 1531–1598) was a military commander for the Ming dynasty China. His courtesy name was "Wuqiao" (武橋) and his nickname was the "Tiger Crown Taoist" (虎冠道士). He was born in the ...
.[ The allied fleet was well-equipped with cannon, mortars, archers, and arquebusiers. The Japanese had 500 ships, but a significant part of their fleet consisted of light transports. The Japanese ships were well-armed with arquebuses and also had some captured Joseon cannon. The allied fleet was outnumbered, but made up for it with ships which, on average, had superior firepower and heavier, more sturdy construction.][
The allied fleet waited for Shimazu on the west end of Noryang Strait. The battle began around 02:00 am on 16 December.][ It was, from the very beginning, a desperate affair with the Japanese determined to fight through the allied fleet and the allies equally determined to keep them from breaking through and advancing.
As in Yi's previous battles, the Japanese were unable to respond effectively as the Korean and Chinese cannon prevented them from moving.][ The narrowness of the Noryang Strait also prevented any maneuverability.
When the Japanese fleet was significantly damaged, Chen ordered his fleet to engage in melee combat. This, however, allowed the Japanese to use their arquebuses and fight using their traditional fighting style of ]boarding
Boarding may refer to:
*Boarding, used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals as in a:
** Boarding house
**Boarding school
*Boarding (horses) (also known as a livery yard, livery stable, or boarding stable), is a stable where ho ...
enemy ships. When Chen's flagship was attacked, Yi had to order his fleet to engage in hand-to-hand combat as well.
Song Hui-rip, the captain of Yi's flagship, was struck in the helmet by an arquebus ball and fell unconscious for a time.[Hawley (2005), p. 554] The vessels got so close that Joseon ships were able to throw burning wood onto the decks of Japanese ships.[
Heavy Japanese arquebus fire forced the Chinese sailors to keep their heads low, while the Japanese closed in.][ Several parties boarded Chen's flagship and in the hand-to-hand fighting that ensued, Chen's son was injured parrying a sword thrust directed at his father. Seeing Chen's ship in trouble, the Ming left wing commander Deng Zilong and two hundred of his personal guard transferred to a Joseon ''panokseon'' (one of two given to the Ming fleet by Yi) and rowed to his aid.][ Several Ming ships, mistaking the ''panokseon'' for a Japanese ship, opened fire and disabled it. The stricken ''panokseon'' drifted towards the Japanese and they boarded and killed everyone on board, including Deng.][
By the middle of the battle, as dawn was about to break, the allied fleet had the upper hand and half of Shimazu's fleet was either sunk or captured. It was said that Yoshihiro's flagship was sunk and that he was clinging to a piece of wood in the icy water. Japanese ships came to his rescue, pulling him to safety.][ During the course of the battle, the ships fought from the west end of the strait all the way across to the east end, almost to the open water. The Japanese sustained heavy damage and began to retreat along the south coast of Namhae Island, towards Pusan.
]
Yi's death
As the Japanese retreated, Yi ordered a vigorous pursuit. During this time a stray arquebus bullet from an enemy ship struck him[Ha (1979), p. 237] near the armpit, on his left side. Sensing that the wound was fatal, the admiral uttered, "We are about to win the war – keep beating the war drums. Do not announce my death."[ and with those words he died.
Only three people witnessed Sun-sin's death including ]Yi Hoe
Yi or YI may refer to:
Philosophic Principle
* Yì (义; 義, righteousness, justice) among the 三綱五常
Ethnic groups
* Dongyi, the Eastern Yi, or Tung-yi (Chinese: , ''Yí''), ancient peoples who lived east of the Zhongguo in ancient Ch ...
, his eldest son, Song Hui-rip
A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetition ...
, and Yi Wan, his nephew.[ They struggled to regain their composure and carried Sun-sin's body into his cabin before others could notice. For the remainder of the battle, Wan wore his uncle's armor and continued to beat the war drum to let the rest of the fleet know that the Admiral's flagship was still in the fight.][
Chen's ship was again in trouble, and Yi's flagship rowed to his rescue. Yi's flagship fought off and sank several Japanese ships, and Chen called for Yi to thank him for coming to his aid. However, Chen was met by Wan who announced that his uncle was dead.][Choi (2002), p. 222] It is said that Chen himself was so shocked that he fell to the ground three times, beating his chest and crying. News of Yi's death spread quickly throughout the allied fleet.[
]
Aftermath
Out of 500 Japanese ships under Shimazu's command, an estimated 200 were able to make it back to Pusan Harbor (other Joseon archives record that Shimazu's remnants were fiercely pursued by Yi Sun-sin's fleet: only 50 ships of Shimazu's armada ever managed to escape).[Hawley (2005), p. 556.] Konishi Yukinaga left his fortress on 16 December and his men were able to retreat by sailing through the southern end of Namhae Island, bypassing both the Noryang Strait and the battle.[Turnbull (2002), p. 227] Although he knew the battle was raging, he made no effort to help Shimazu. This led to the loss of crucial supply lines that caused the inevitable loss of all Japanese strongholds in Korea. Konishi, Shimazu, Katō Kiyomasa
was a Japanese ''daimyō'' of the Azuchi–Momoyama and Edo periods. His court title was Higo-no-kami. His name as a child was ''Yashamaru'', and first name was ''Toranosuke''. He was one of Hideyoshi's Seven Spears of Shizugatake.
Biography
...
, and other Japanese generals of the Left Army congregated in Pusan and withdrew to Japan on 21 December. The last ships sailed to Japan on 24 December,[ bringing an end to seven years of war.
Yi Sun-sin's body was brought back to his home town in ]Asan
Asan () is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It borders the Seoul Capital Area to the north. Asan has a population of approximately 300,000.
Asan is known for its many hot springs and is a city of spas.
Asan has grown into th ...
to be buried next to his father, Yi Chong (in accordance with Korean tradition). The court gave him the posthumous rank of minister of the right. Shrines, both official and unofficial, were constructed in his honor. In 1643, Yi was given the title of ''chungmugong'', "duke/lord of loyal valor".[Hawley (2005), p. 557]
Chen gave a eulogy while attending Yi's funeral. He then withdrew his forces to Ming China and received high military honors.[ Joseon officials feared another Japanese invasion and requested the Ming army to remain. The Ming agreed and left behind a force of 3–4,000, which aided Joseon efforts in rebuilding and training forces until 1601.
]
See also
*Naval history of Korea
The naval history of Korea dates back thousands of years since the prehistoric timesThe Traditional ships of Korea By Wan-gi Chʻoe when simple fishing ships were used. Military naval history dates back to the Three Kingdoms period and Unified Sil ...
Citations
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
* 桑田忠親 uwata, Tadachika ed., 舊參謀本部編纂, yu Sanbo Honbu 朝鮮の役 housen no Eki(日本の戰史 ihon no SenshiVol. 5), 1965.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{coord, 34, 56, 43, N, 127, 52, 35, E, type:city_region:KR_source:frwiki, display=title
1598 in Korea
Noryang
The Battle of Noryang, the last major battle of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), was fought between the Japanese navy and the combined fleets of the Joseon Kingdom and the Ming dynasty. It took place in the early morning of 16 ...
Noryang
The Battle of Noryang, the last major battle of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), was fought between the Japanese navy and the combined fleets of the Joseon Kingdom and the Ming dynasty. It took place in the early morning of 16 ...
Noryang
The Battle of Noryang, the last major battle of the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), was fought between the Japanese navy and the combined fleets of the Joseon Kingdom and the Ming dynasty. It took place in the early morning of 16 ...
Yi Sun-sin