Yi Sam-pyeong
[3] Toyotomi Hideyoshi's campaign against Korea (1592–98) triggered great progress in Japanese pottery as hundreds of artisans were brought to Japan to encourage technological development.
He noted that the stories of the founding fathers of early modern pottery, including that of Yi Sam-pyeong, are not confirmed by contemporary sources and were developed as late as the second half of the 18th century.
He claimed that he carried (kiln) cars during the 1616 migration and noted that his group included three of the "original potters of Taku" (多久本皿屋), whose identities remain unclear.
A considerable number of Korean potters were patronized by the Hata clan of Karatsu in northern Saga, which was destroyed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1593.
He suggests that the Saga domain's brief attempt at gold and silver mining may have led to the accidental discovery of kaolin while searching for ore deposits.
Historical sources confirm that authorities frequently expelled potters due to conflict arising from the environmental impact of pottery production, which included forest destruction and clashed with agricultural interests.
It was only around the 1630s that technological advancements enabled potters to produce more profitable ceramics resembling Chinese styles, leading to their exemption from banishment.
[2] A memorandum from 1784 or 1796 added another claim to Kanagae Sanbee's achievements: during the Korean campaign of 1592-98, he allegedly risked his life guiding the Nabeshima army.
This modified version of the narrative omitted the earlier assertion that he served Nabeshima Naoshige as a storyteller, though it acknowledged that initially, he struggled to survive in the underdeveloped region rather than immediately pursuing pottery.
The first publication known to spread the myth nationwide was in 1877, which copied the story of the Kanagae family but used the alleged Korean name of Yi Sam-pyeong.
In the 1880s, several attempts were made in Arita to build a unified view, and during this process, the story of Kanagae Sanbee, now Yi Sam-pyeong, emerged as the most influential one.
