Food goods traded between Korea and Japan during the first term of the Cho Sun era included Omija (fruit of the Maximowiczia chinensis), Jat (pine nuts), Insam (Jinseng), rice, and beans as exports ; and pepper, sugar, and medicinal stuffs as imports.
The trade between Korea and Japan was a result of Japanese envoies´ visiting. The official number of Japanese envoies who had exchanges with Koreans were two thousand people a year.
Once the Japanese entered Korea, they did not need to pay for their living expenses for the length of their visit because the Cho Sun government bore the whole expense. The Cho Sun government gave formal receptions to them, which included daily meals as well as banquet style meals.
The daily meals included Jo-ban (breakfast), Jo-seok-ban (breakfast and dinner), and Ju-jeom-sim (lunch). Meals were served four times a day. The banquet style meals included Sam-po-yeon (a banquet that was held in Sam-po), Kyong-joong-young-jeon-yeon (a farewell banquet, and a welcome banquet that was held in Seoul), Jyu-bong-bae (to offer a guest a drink by day), No-yeon (a banquet that was held on the street), Kwol-nae-yeon (a banquet that was held within the Royal Court). It also included Ye-jo-yeon (a banquet that was held in Ye-jo), and Myong-il-yeon (a banquet that was held on a national holiday). The banquet style meals were composed of Ceon-tack (to set a table for dinner), Sang-hwa (a flower that was put on the food), Kwan-hwa (to offer a flower when a banquet was held), Ju-5-jan (the fifth wine glass), Dae-seon (meat), and music.
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