As the written conversation anthology of Chosõn’s 1763 mission to Japan, and the eleventh such mission, Ryököyowa (Lingering Conversations Between Two Friendly Neighbors, 兩好餘話) is notable for having more written conversations on various topics than others of its kind. 1t thus demands the attention of scholars, and as such this study examines the source’s structure and content to highlight its research value. Ryököyowa compiles conversations Japanese literati such as Okuda Mototsugu( 典田元繼)， Ku Sadakane(魔貞讓)， and Katsu Genshaku(勝元繹) had with members of the 1763 Chosõn mission. This study broke down and analyzed the book’s structure and content in four aspects. First, it examined the perception of Chosõn and the mission shared by Okuda and his peers in the book’ s forewords and afterword. Next, it observed the opinions of the author Okuda on scholarship and literature, as well as the response of the Chosõn scholars. The study then surveyed the works mentioned in Ryököyowa and focused on conversations on exchanging information and commentaries regarding them. Finally, the study investigated questions of historical research regarding customs, systems, and local products in the book. Ultimately the study demonstrates that Ryõkõyowa is valuable as a source for five reasons. First, as the book is mainly composed of written conversations, it arranges them by topic and then lists the conversations as entries. Second, the two forewords and afterword are interesting for simultaneously envying the dress and literary Sinitic skills of the Chosõn envoys while belittling their poetry. Third, although Okuda Mototsugu, the book’s author, was known to be a Neo-Confucian, the book reveals he respected the scholarship of Dazai Shundai of the Sorai school, an example unique only to this written conversation anthology. Fourth, the Ryõkõyowa cites various works from China, Chosõn, and Japan, illustrating the intellectual roadways Japanese scholars acquired through Chosõn, as well their reading preferences. Fifth, although other anthologies also have conversations on the customs, systems, and local products of Chosõn and Japan, this book covers a wide range of topics and attempts to be historically accurate by including many references. Lastly, the book is also valuable for having the written conversations of one of late Chosõn’s important literati, namely the poet Yi Onchin. In addition, Ryõkõyowa contains many other conversations on topics sure to interest other scholars in related fields. It is bound to be a valuable source for future research on Chosõn missions and other such areas.
