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Chūzan

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385: 980:, then ten years of age. Seii's reign was relatively short, and defined by the interference and political abuses of his mother which led to an erosion of what little support the young king may have had from the territorial lords. It is important to note that the three "kingdoms" were little different from the loosely unified chiefdoms which came before, and the "kings" did not wield considerably greater power, nor were their administrations more organized or more politically stable than what came before. However, this became gradually less true over the generations; the king's power and organization advanced considerably by the time all three kingdoms were unified as the Kingdom of Ryukyu. 141: 1096:, by the name of Hashi, deposed his neighboring lord of Azato in 1402 and seized his territory. Five years later, he led a rebellion and overthrew Bunei, establishing his own father, Shishō, as King of Chūzan. Hashi effectively ruled from the behind the scenes, and led Chūzan's army against the neighboring kingdoms, conquering Hokuzan in 1419 and Nanzan in 1429. In the intervening years, he formally succeeded his father to the throne and received investiture and the dynastic family name "Shang" ( 391: 356: 1051:, having sent a mission in 1403. These political advantages, coupled with control of Naha, the most active port on Okinawa, allowed Chūzan to gain significant political and economic superiority over its two neighbors. It also benefited greatly culturally; trade always brings cultural exchange along with it, and many of the states in the region were experiencing great cultural surges as a result. In particular, it is believed that 25: 987:, marked the emergence of Chūzan as a small but not insignificant player in regional trade and politics. A number of domestic policies and foreign relations begun at this time would continue until the end of the kingdom five hundred years later. Satto established diplomatic and trade relations with a number of states in the region, including the 1019:, a community for Chinese immigrants was established; the Chinese living here, and their Ryukyuan descendants, would serve Chūzan (and later the unified kingdom) as diplomats, interpreters, and government officials. Kumemura quickly grew into Ryukyu's cultural capital, something of a complement to the political capital at 1038:
succeeded him in 1395, and oversaw the continuation of the policies and developments of his father's reign. Relations with China grew stronger, and a number of institutions were established to cater to Chinese envoys to Chūzan. Trade boomed, and relations with other countries likewise continued to be
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with China. From then on, Chūzan (and unified Ryukyu later) would send frequent tribute missions, and would rely upon the Chinese court to officially recognize each successive Ryukyuan king with a formal statement of investiture. China would have an incredibly strong influence on Ryukyu for the next
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in the Japanese pronunciation, and continued to be compiled fairly regularly until 1619. However, this increased organization was not accompanied by political stability; the kings of Nanzan and Hokuzan, along with the emperor of China, all died within the span of just a few years (1395–1398). These
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Domestically, Bunei's reign saw significant development in the organization and formalization of the royal administration, and increased literacy and education among the administrative officials. Government documents, particularly those concerning trade and diplomacy, were first compiled in 1403.
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from Japan were first introduced to Okinawa to a significant extent at this time. Students and other travelers to Korea brought back texts, statues, rituals, and other Buddhist objects and ideas, and in exchange, King Bunei promised to send shipwrecked Koreans, and those who were the victims of
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expanded. Though China accepted tributary missions from Hokuzan and Nanzan as well at this time, they officially recognized only the King of Chūzan as a head of state in Ryukyu. Chūzan continued to enjoy formal diplomatic relations with Ayutthaya and Korea, and trade relations with
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events heightened tensions between the three kingdoms, all of which sought the favor of the Ming court, which was largely unresponsive; Bunei only received his formal investiture in 1406, ten years after succeeding his father, and less than a year before his own death.
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This period also saw the beginnings of a bureaucracy in the royal government which would later grow to rule in the king's place and in his name, replacing direct monarchical rule.
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in China, and the first Ryukyuans to study in China's capital did so at this time as well, again establishing precedents for developments which would continue for centuries.
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at the age of nineteen, in 1314. However, he lacked the charisma or leadership abilities to command the respect and loyalty of the various territorial lords (
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in the 14th century. Okinawa, previously controlled by a number of local chieftains or lords, loosely bound by a paramount chieftain or king of the entire
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five hundred years, politically, economically, and culturally, as it did with its numerous other tributary states.
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in Japanese or Okinawan) from the Ming court. Thus, the three kingdoms were united into the Ryūkyū Kingdom;
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Kerr, George H. (2000). Okinawa: The History of an Island People. (revised ed.) Boston: Tuttle Publishing.
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continued to be used to refer to the unified kingdom, or its king, up until the late 19th century.
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was king of Chūzan in 1419, and neither was called "Shō" until that name was granted them by the
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Seii was overthrown by the lord of Urasoe around 1349–1355; the reign of the new king,
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thus began, and would end roughly one hundred years later, when Chūzan's King
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Kingdom from 1314 to 1429 on the island of Okinawa, now part of Japan
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This compilation, the "Treasury of Royal Succession", is called
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fled south and, along with his followers, formed the kingdom of
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envoys arrived in Okinawa in 1372, marking the beginning of
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Tamagusuku died in 1336, and was succeeded by his son
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Eiji is also identified as head chieftain of Okinawa
1084:As a result of these political instabilities, the 953:), and many rebelled soon afterwards. The Lord of 1346: 1115: 1109: 1103: 1097: 1091: 1085: 1073: 1061: 969:(北山, Northern Mountain). Thus, Tamagusuku, in 890: 866: 1262:Continued to rule united Ryukyu until 1439. 51:introducing citations to additional sources 961:(南山, Southern Mountain), while the Lord of 897:was one of three kingdoms which controlled 1360:States and territories established in 1314 873: 859: 139: 1023:and the commercial center at the port of 924:The united Okinawan state was called the 41:Relevant discussion may be found on the 1347: 1114:was not truly abolished, and the term 18: 149:) of Okinawa, with Chūzan in purple 13: 14: 1391: 389: 383: 354: 328: 34:relies largely or entirely on a 23: 1355:1872 disestablishments in Asia 1291: 1274: 1: 1380:Tributaries of Imperial China 1303: 1280:Technically, Hashi's father 820:Missions from Imperial China 7: 1116: 1110: 1104: 1092: 1086: 1074: 1062: 745:Okinawa Reversion Agreement 145:Map of the Three Kingdoms ( 10: 1396: 931: 815:Missions to Imperial China 113: 1098: 973:, became king of Chūzan. 891: 810: 781: 777: 767: 753: 743: 733: 723: 713: 703: 693: 683: 679: 671: 657: 648: 644: 634: 624: 614: 596: 586: 576: 572: 562: 552: 548: 538: 524: 514: 504: 500: 490: 476: 466: 462:16616 BC?– 1186 AD? 456: 452: 442: 429: 419: 406: 307: 303: 290: 277: 267: 263: 255: 251: 241: 229: 219: 209: 205: 194: 186: 178: 164: 154: 138: 133: 123: 1268: 1331:26.24583°N 127.72194°E 1068:), back home safely. 939:succeeded his father 840:Independence movement 165:Common languages 830:Missions from Joseon 783:Kagoshima Prefecture 695:Civil Administration 672:U. S. administration 421:Early Kaizuka Period 281:Ryukyuan unification 47:improve this article 1336:26.24583; 127.72194 1327: /  1125: 1009:tributary relations 685:Military Government 598:Japanese Annexation 431:Late Kaizuka Period 269:• Established 116:中山 (disambiguation) 1123: 1060:Japanese pirates ( 1049:Ashikaga shogunate 825:Missions to Joseon 787:1953–present 773:1972–present 769:Okinawa Prefecture 564:Second Shō dynasty 472:1187?– 1259? 435:300 BC–1100 425:8,000–300 BC 336:Lordship of Urasoe 1266: 1265: 989:Ayutthaya Kingdom 883: 882: 848: 847: 795: 794: 791: 790: 763: 762: 755:Okinawa Reversion 667: 666: 659:Battle of Okinawa 610: 609: 606: 605: 554:First Shō dynasty 534: 533: 486: 485: 482:1260?– 1349 412:pre–10,000 377:History of Ryukyu 371: 370: 367: 366: 363: 362: 341: 340: 294:Japanese invasion 243:• 1422–1429 231:• 1398–1406 221:• 1355–1397 211:• 1314–1336 182:Ryukyuan religion 125:Kingdom of Chūzan 112: 111: 97: 1387: 1342: 1341: 1339: 1338: 1337: 1332: 1328: 1325: 1324: 1323: 1320: 1298: 1295: 1289: 1278: 1126: 1124:Kings of Chūzan 1122: 1119: 1113: 1107: 1101: 1100: 1095: 1089: 1079: 1067: 896: 894: 893: 875: 868: 861: 808: 807: 779: 778: 715:Tokara Reversion 681: 680: 646: 645: 636:Pre-World War II 578:Satsuma Invasion 574: 573: 550: 549: 530:1314?–1429 520:1314?–1429 510:1314?–1416 502: 501: 454: 453: 404: 403: 393: 387: 373: 372: 359: 358: 357: 345: 344: 332: 331: 325: 324: 309: 308: 143: 121: 120: 107: 104: 98: 96: 55: 27: 19: 1395: 1394: 1390: 1389: 1388: 1386: 1385: 1384: 1375:Former kingdoms 1345: 1344: 1335: 1333: 1329: 1326: 1321: 1318: 1316: 1314: 1313: 1306: 1301: 1296: 1292: 1279: 1275: 1271: 1140:Line or dynasty 1055:from Korea and 934: 888: 879: 850: 849: 844: 835:Missions to Edo 805: 797: 796: 725:Amami Reversion 709:1952–1972 699:1950–1972 689:1945–1950 675:1945–1972 640:1926–1945 630:1912–1926 620:1879–1912 592:1872–1879 568:1469–1879 558:1429–1469 544:1429–1879 496:1314–1429 468:Shunten dynasty 448:1187–1314 401: 388: 355: 353: 329: 296: 283: 270: 244: 232: 222: 212: 150: 129: 126: 119: 108: 102: 99: 56: 54: 40: 28: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1393: 1383: 1382: 1377: 1372: 1370:Ryukyu Islands 1367: 1365:Ryukyu Kingdom 1362: 1357: 1311: 1310: 1305: 1302: 1300: 1299: 1290: 1272: 1270: 1267: 1264: 1263: 1260: 1257: 1254: 1251: 1245: 1244: 1242: 1237: 1234: 1231: 1225: 1224: 1222: 1219: 1216: 1213: 1207: 1206: 1204: 1199: 1196: 1193: 1187: 1186: 1184: 1181: 1178: 1175: 1169: 1168: 1162: 1157: 1154: 1151: 1145: 1144: 1141: 1138: 1135: 1130: 997:Joseon Dynasty 933: 930: 926:Ryūkyū Kingdom 881: 880: 878: 877: 870: 863: 855: 852: 851: 846: 845: 843: 842: 837: 832: 827: 822: 817: 811: 806: 803: 802: 799: 798: 793: 792: 789: 788: 785: 775: 774: 771: 765: 764: 761: 760: 757: 751: 750: 747: 741: 740: 737: 731: 730: 727: 721: 720: 717: 711: 710: 707: 701: 700: 697: 691: 690: 687: 677: 676: 673: 669: 668: 665: 664: 661: 655: 654: 652: 642: 641: 638: 632: 631: 628: 622: 621: 618: 612: 611: 608: 607: 604: 603: 600: 594: 593: 590: 584: 583: 580: 570: 569: 566: 560: 559: 556: 546: 545: 542: 540:Ryukyu Kingdom 536: 535: 532: 531: 528: 522: 521: 518: 512: 511: 508: 498: 497: 494: 488: 487: 484: 483: 480: 474: 473: 470: 464: 463: 460: 458:Tenson dynasty 450: 449: 446: 440: 439: 433: 427: 426: 423: 417: 416: 410: 402: 399: 398: 395: 394: 380: 379: 369: 368: 365: 364: 361: 360: 351: 349:Ryukyu Kingdom 342: 339: 338: 333: 321: 320: 315: 305: 304: 301: 300: 297: 291: 288: 287: 284: 278: 275: 274: 271: 268: 265: 264: 261: 260: 257: 253: 252: 249: 248: 245: 242: 239: 238: 233: 230: 227: 226: 223: 220: 217: 216: 213: 210: 207: 206: 203: 202: 199: 192: 191: 188: 184: 183: 180: 176: 175: 166: 162: 161: 156: 152: 151: 144: 136: 135: 131: 130: 127: 124: 110: 109: 45:. 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Index


single source
talk page
improve this article
introducing citations to additional sources
"Chūzan"
news
newspapers
books
scholar
JSTOR
中山 (disambiguation)
Map of the Three Kingdoms (Sanzan) of Okinawa, with Chūzan in purple
Urasoe
Ryukyuan
Chinese
King
Bunei
Ryukyuan unification
Japanese invasion
Lordship of Urasoe
Ryukyu Kingdom
History of Ryukyu


Palaeolithic
BC
Early Kaizuka Period
Late Kaizuka Period
AD

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