本文從「國際秩序原理」的角度，切入1882年在朝鮮京城爆 發的壬午兵變，考察當時中韓日三方對朝鮮王國之「宗藩」與「獨立」的地位，進行國際秩序原理之論述與論辯。中國以《中華世界秩序原理》的〈封貢體制論〉堅持出兵援護朝鮮，持續中韓宗藩關係。日本則依《國際法》以鮮日《修好條規》為據主張日韓對等關係。朝鮮開化派穩健系也主張在宗藩關係下朝鮮走向改革自強，急進系則主張依賴日本擺脫宗藩關係。於是，中日各自出兵朝鮮較勁，最後馬建忠以封貢體制之「欺王實輕皇帝」的名義，逮捕大院君解決壬午兵變的難題。僅就理論而言，三方所以爆發國際秩序原理的論爭，其實問題出在〈以不治治之論〉與〈實效管轄領有論〉為基礎的東西國際秩序原理之爭。

This study examines the Imo Incident that occurred in the capital of Korea in 1882 from the perspective of the world order principle. The author delivers discourse and arguments on the world order principle by examining the stances of Korea, China and Japan on the suzerainty versus independence of the Korean dynasty in the Imo Incident. Due to the tributary system as part of the Chinese world order principle, China insisted on sending troops to protect Korea to continue the suzerainty relationship between China and Korea. According to international law, Japan, on the other hand, claimed an equal relationship between Japan and Korea based on the Korea-Japan Friendship Treaty. As for Korea, the "moderate gaehwapa" (the Enlightenment Party) asserted that Korea should reform and pursue self-reliance while maintaining a suzerain relationship with China, but the progress party stated that Korea should turn to Japan to remove the suzerainty relationship. Consequently, China and Japan both dispatched troops to Korea, and Ma Jian-jhong eventually arrested the daewongun and settled the Imo Incident in the name of the tributary system. Theoretically, this dispute on the world order theory was triggered by the eastern-western world order principle founded on the non-ruling governance theory and the effective governance theory.