Mamoru Akamine
Robert Huey (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780824855178
- eISBN:
- 9780824872953
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824855178.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
This English translation of an Okinawan scholarly voice provides a compelling new picture of the role played by the Ryukyu Kingdom in pre-modern East Asia. Mamoru Akamine first examines the early ...
More
This English translation of an Okinawan scholarly voice provides a compelling new picture of the role played by the Ryukyu Kingdom in pre-modern East Asia. Mamoru Akamine first examines the early history of the Ryukyu Islands, then goes on to detail the vital role the Ryukyu Kingdom played in a vibrant East Asian trade sphere, which centered on Ming China, and connected what we now call Japan, Korea, and China with Southeast Asia. Despite the successful 1609 invasion of Ryukyu by Japan’s Satsuma domain, the kingdom was able to maintain quasi-independence for two and a half more centuries by skillfully mediating between Japan and China, who rarely dealt directly with each other. The narrative draws to a close as Akamine describes the steps leading to Ryukyu’s eventual annexation by Japan in 1879 as Okinawa Prefecture.
What distinguishes this book is Akamine’s deployment of Chinese and Korean sources, depicting an East Asia made up of many moving parts, not just nation states pursuing their own interests. Yet these same sources allow him to zoom in on the small, telling particulars that make up that big picture. The reader can understand as never before the complexity of Ryukyu’s relations with its neighbors.Less
This English translation of an Okinawan scholarly voice provides a compelling new picture of the role played by the Ryukyu Kingdom in pre-modern East Asia. Mamoru Akamine first examines the early history of the Ryukyu Islands, then goes on to detail the vital role the Ryukyu Kingdom played in a vibrant East Asian trade sphere, which centered on Ming China, and connected what we now call Japan, Korea, and China with Southeast Asia. Despite the successful 1609 invasion of Ryukyu by Japan’s Satsuma domain, the kingdom was able to maintain quasi-independence for two and a half more centuries by skillfully mediating between Japan and China, who rarely dealt directly with each other. The narrative draws to a close as Akamine describes the steps leading to Ryukyu’s eventual annexation by Japan in 1879 as Okinawa Prefecture.
What distinguishes this book is Akamine’s deployment of Chinese and Korean sources, depicting an East Asia made up of many moving parts, not just nation states pursuing their own interests. Yet these same sources allow him to zoom in on the small, telling particulars that make up that big picture. The reader can understand as never before the complexity of Ryukyu’s relations with its neighbors.
Mamoru Akamine
Robert Huey (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780824855178
- eISBN:
- 9780824872953
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824855178.003.0010
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
The author summarizes Ryukyu’s historical position in East Asia, noting how its own changes reflected the broader changes East Asian was going through. He argues that, though part of Japan today, ...
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The author summarizes Ryukyu’s historical position in East Asia, noting how its own changes reflected the broader changes East Asian was going through. He argues that, though part of Japan today, Okinawa is still different, and he calls that difference the “its heritage from the Ryukyu Kingdom and its ‘Asian experience.’” Chinese elements in Okinawan culture, for example, are not just the result of centuries of trade and diplomatic contact, but also come from the Kingdom’s conscious effort to “sinify” in the seventeenth century. As for Okinawan’s status today, the author notes that Okinawa’s sovereignty is still seen as an open question by China.Less
The author summarizes Ryukyu’s historical position in East Asia, noting how its own changes reflected the broader changes East Asian was going through. He argues that, though part of Japan today, Okinawa is still different, and he calls that difference the “its heritage from the Ryukyu Kingdom and its ‘Asian experience.’” Chinese elements in Okinawan culture, for example, are not just the result of centuries of trade and diplomatic contact, but also come from the Kingdom’s conscious effort to “sinify” in the seventeenth century. As for Okinawan’s status today, the author notes that Okinawa’s sovereignty is still seen as an open question by China.
Richard Pearson
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824837129
- eISBN:
- 9780824870980
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824837129.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
Who are the people of the Ryukyu Islands? How could they survive and prosper on small, isolated islands? How did the independent Ryukyu Kingdom become a major player in East Asian medieval trade? ...
More
Who are the people of the Ryukyu Islands? How could they survive and prosper on small, isolated islands? How did the independent Ryukyu Kingdom become a major player in East Asian medieval trade? This book explores 30,000 years of human occupation in the Ryukyu Islands, from the earliest human presence in the region up to AD 1609 and the emergence of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It focuses on the unique geopolitical position of the islands, their environment, and the many human communities whose historical activities can be discerned. The book describes explorers and sojourners and colonists who arrived thousands of years ago, and their ancient trade links to Japan, Korea, and China. Through a case study focused on the medieval castles and palaces of the Ryukyu Kingdom, it demonstrates the vigorous trade taking place in East Asia before the arrival of the Europeans in the sixteenth century AD It also shows how archaeologists have sought to reconstruct monuments on Okinawa Island that were obliterated in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The book shows that many modern features of the culture, politics, and economy of the Ryukyu Islands have very deep roots. It concludes with a discussion of aspects of Ryukyu archaeology that are significant for world archaeology and the archaeology of islands.Less
Who are the people of the Ryukyu Islands? How could they survive and prosper on small, isolated islands? How did the independent Ryukyu Kingdom become a major player in East Asian medieval trade? This book explores 30,000 years of human occupation in the Ryukyu Islands, from the earliest human presence in the region up to AD 1609 and the emergence of the Ryukyu Kingdom. It focuses on the unique geopolitical position of the islands, their environment, and the many human communities whose historical activities can be discerned. The book describes explorers and sojourners and colonists who arrived thousands of years ago, and their ancient trade links to Japan, Korea, and China. Through a case study focused on the medieval castles and palaces of the Ryukyu Kingdom, it demonstrates the vigorous trade taking place in East Asia before the arrival of the Europeans in the sixteenth century AD It also shows how archaeologists have sought to reconstruct monuments on Okinawa Island that were obliterated in the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The book shows that many modern features of the culture, politics, and economy of the Ryukyu Islands have very deep roots. It concludes with a discussion of aspects of Ryukyu archaeology that are significant for world archaeology and the archaeology of islands.
Richard Pearson
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824837129
- eISBN:
- 9780824870980
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824837129.003.0009
- Subject:
- History, Asian History
This chapter studies the archaeology of the Ryukyu Kingdom from the time of the defeat of its rivals in the early fifteenth century AD to its subjugation by Satsuma in AD 1609. In this period the ...
More
This chapter studies the archaeology of the Ryukyu Kingdom from the time of the defeat of its rivals in the early fifteenth century AD to its subjugation by Satsuma in AD 1609. In this period the newly unified Ryukyu Kingdom, consisting of Chūzan and its defeated rivals of Sanhoku and Sannan, reached its full development. It interacted on several levels with communities of all types, from royal courts to small traders and pirates, throughout East and Southeast Asia. Within the Ryukyus a distinctive high culture was created. While old connections with the Japanese main islands took on a new form, an entirely new status as tributary state was consolidated with China.Less
This chapter studies the archaeology of the Ryukyu Kingdom from the time of the defeat of its rivals in the early fifteenth century AD to its subjugation by Satsuma in AD 1609. In this period the newly unified Ryukyu Kingdom, consisting of Chūzan and its defeated rivals of Sanhoku and Sannan, reached its full development. It interacted on several levels with communities of all types, from royal courts to small traders and pirates, throughout East and Southeast Asia. Within the Ryukyus a distinctive high culture was created. While old connections with the Japanese main islands took on a new form, an entirely new status as tributary state was consolidated with China.
Steve Rabson
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824835347
- eISBN:
- 9780824871772
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824835347.003.0002
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Asian Studies
This chapter acts as a general overview to the Okinawa Prefecture—its history, geographical quirks, demographics, climate, wildlife, migration patterns, and so on. What the Japanese government ...
More
This chapter acts as a general overview to the Okinawa Prefecture—its history, geographical quirks, demographics, climate, wildlife, migration patterns, and so on. What the Japanese government designated as Okinawa Prefecture in 1879 encompasses most of the islands in the Ryukyu chain. First recorded in China, the place-name Liu Ch'iu (Ryūkyū in Japanese) means “circle of jewels.” The boundaries of the Japanese prefecture today include the island groups of Okinawa, Yaeyama, and Miyako, but not the northernmost Amami group, which is administered separately by Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu. Patterns of migration from the prefecture's earlier days indicate that, in the centuries that followed, the cultures of Japan and the Ryukyus diverged in dwelling construction, clothing, diet, language, religion, and burial customs—differences that are still clearly evident in Okinawa today amid the ubiquitous influences of mainland Japanese culture.Less
This chapter acts as a general overview to the Okinawa Prefecture—its history, geographical quirks, demographics, climate, wildlife, migration patterns, and so on. What the Japanese government designated as Okinawa Prefecture in 1879 encompasses most of the islands in the Ryukyu chain. First recorded in China, the place-name Liu Ch'iu (Ryūkyū in Japanese) means “circle of jewels.” The boundaries of the Japanese prefecture today include the island groups of Okinawa, Yaeyama, and Miyako, but not the northernmost Amami group, which is administered separately by Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu. Patterns of migration from the prefecture's earlier days indicate that, in the centuries that followed, the cultures of Japan and the Ryukyus diverged in dwelling construction, clothing, diet, language, religion, and burial customs—differences that are still clearly evident in Okinawa today amid the ubiquitous influences of mainland Japanese culture.
Danny Orbach
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781501705281
- eISBN:
- 9781501708343
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501705281.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, Military History
This chapter focuses on the Taiwan Expedition of 1874 and its ramifications for the development of military insubordination in Japan. On December 17, 1871, two ships from the Kingdom of Ryūkyū were ...
More
This chapter focuses on the Taiwan Expedition of 1874 and its ramifications for the development of military insubordination in Japan. On December 17, 1871, two ships from the Kingdom of Ryūkyū were washed up on the coast of southern Taiwan. The crew of these ships were butchered, sparking a debate about whether Japan should invade Taiwan. The chapter first describes the events that culminated in the Taiwan Expedition. In particular, it considers Japanese Foreign Lord Soejima Taneomi's diplomatic mission of inquiry to China in 1873 and the Taiwan problem under the administration of Ōkubo Toshimichi. It then examines the decision of Lieutenant General Saigō Tsugumichi, the commander of the Taiwan Expeditionary Force, to invade Taiwan against explicit government orders. Finally, the chapter discusses the end of the Taiwan Expedition.Less
This chapter focuses on the Taiwan Expedition of 1874 and its ramifications for the development of military insubordination in Japan. On December 17, 1871, two ships from the Kingdom of Ryūkyū were washed up on the coast of southern Taiwan. The crew of these ships were butchered, sparking a debate about whether Japan should invade Taiwan. The chapter first describes the events that culminated in the Taiwan Expedition. In particular, it considers Japanese Foreign Lord Soejima Taneomi's diplomatic mission of inquiry to China in 1873 and the Taiwan problem under the administration of Ōkubo Toshimichi. It then examines the decision of Lieutenant General Saigō Tsugumichi, the commander of the Taiwan Expeditionary Force, to invade Taiwan against explicit government orders. Finally, the chapter discusses the end of the Taiwan Expedition.
Steve Rabson
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- November 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780824835347
- eISBN:
- 9780824871772
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Hawai'i Press
- DOI:
- 10.21313/hawaii/9780824835347.003.0003
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Asian Studies
This chapter examines the patterns of trade and migration between Okinawa and mainland Japan, particularly from the Okinawan side. Despite the strict prohibitions on immigration and travel during the ...
More
This chapter examines the patterns of trade and migration between Okinawa and mainland Japan, particularly from the Okinawan side. Despite the strict prohibitions on immigration and travel during the Tokugawa shogunate, evidence strongly suggests that people from Ryukyu went for gainful employment to Japan. Moreover, in 1879, the year the Japanese government abolished Ryukyu and renamed it Okinawa Prefecture, a growing commerce emerged between the prefecture and the mainland—particularly Osaka—thus encouraging more Okinawans to settle on mainland soil. Yet despite the business opportunities these developments had provided, Okinawa's business community found themselves increasingly being put at a disadvantage. Thus, this chapter reveals an asymmetrical economic paradigm persists to this day in business relations between Okinawa and the mainland.Less
This chapter examines the patterns of trade and migration between Okinawa and mainland Japan, particularly from the Okinawan side. Despite the strict prohibitions on immigration and travel during the Tokugawa shogunate, evidence strongly suggests that people from Ryukyu went for gainful employment to Japan. Moreover, in 1879, the year the Japanese government abolished Ryukyu and renamed it Okinawa Prefecture, a growing commerce emerged between the prefecture and the mainland—particularly Osaka—thus encouraging more Okinawans to settle on mainland soil. Yet despite the business opportunities these developments had provided, Okinawa's business community found themselves increasingly being put at a disadvantage. Thus, this chapter reveals an asymmetrical economic paradigm persists to this day in business relations between Okinawa and the mainland.
