Huang Shen

Huang Shen was Hokkien merchant from Quanzhou who occasionally functioned as diplomatic envoy or agent between the Song Empire and the Kingdom of Korea.

Chinese merchants, especially the Hokkiens, were actively involved in diplomatic affairs between the Song Empire and the kingdom of Korea. This was the case because the Chinese government had no existing diplomatic channel available to communicate with Korea, thus the Hokkien merchants who regularly plied the waters between Quanzhou and Korea were chosen to transmit important messages between the two regimes.

In 1068, Huang Shen and another merchant, Hong Wanlai, were sent by the Song government to Korea, with a confidential letter written by the Emperor Shenzong asking for the establishment of friendly relations with the Kingdom of Korea. The envoys were warmly received by the Korean authorities, and returned the following year with an official reply from the Ceremonial Ministry of Korea. Huang Shen was dispatched again to Korea in 1070, but the aim and the outcome of his mission is unknown.