Climate Change, Shipwrecks, and Coastal Defense: Wokou and the Making of the 'Enemy' in the East Asia, 13th-17th Centuries

In this session, Ma Guang (Associate Professor, Macao Polytechnic University) will share his thoughts on the environmental and political context behind the Wokou piracy in East Asia:

From the 13th to the 17th centuries, wokou (Japanese pirates) repeatedly raided the coasts of China and Korea, threatening maritime security across East Asia. This talk examines the broader environmental and political contexts behind these incursions, arguing that not only instability in Japan but also climatic changes, including cooling temperatures, droughts, floods, and typhoons, intensified wokou activities. By tracing diplomatic missions among China, Korea, and Japan, and analyzing shipwrecks and coastal fortifications, the lecture reveals how climate shifts, piracy, and defense together shaped the making of an “enemy” and the maritime order of East Asia.