The Ryukyu Kingdom: A Bridge Between Nations

Nestled between China, Japan, and Southeast Asia, the Ryukyu Kingdom (modern-day Okinawa) thrived as a vital maritime trading hub. By the early 17th century, this island chain had cultivated a unique cultural identity, blending Chinese tributary relations with regional autonomy. The kingdom’s prosperity, however, attracted the attention of Japan’s powerful Satsuma domain, leading to a pivotal conflict in 1609 that would reshape Ryukyu’s destiny.

### The Ming-Ryukyu Tributary System

Ryukyu’s relationship with Ming China was formalized in 1372 when King Satto of Chūzan accepted Chinese suzerainty. The Ming bestowed the name “Liúqiú” (琉球) upon the islands, integrating them into its tributary network. This system allowed Ryukyu to trade extensively, leveraging its position as a middleman between China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The kingdom’s “Ten Thousand Nations’ Bridge Bell” (万国津梁钟), cast in 1458, symbolized this role, proclaiming Ryukyu as a crossroads of commerce and culture.

Yet Ryukyu’s autonomy faced growing threats. Japan’s unification under Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the 1590s marked a turning point. Hideyoshi’s demands for Ryukyuan support in his failed invasions of Korea (1592–1598) exposed the kingdom’s vulnerability. His successor, Tokugawa Ieyasu, saw Ryukyu as a tool to reopen trade with Ming China—a privilege Japan had lost after the 1540s wokou (pirate) raids.

The Satsuma Invasion: A Campaign of Conquest

In 1606, Ming envoy Xia Ziyang arrived in Ryukyu to crown King Shō Nei, unaware that Satsuma’s daimyō, Shimazu Tadatsune, was plotting invasion. By 1609, Tadatsune secured Tokugawa approval to “punish” Ryukyu for refusing to submit to Japan.

### The Invasion Unfolds

In March 1609, a 3,000-strong Satsuma force led by Kabayama Hisataka and Hirata Masamune set sail. Their advance was brutal:
– Amami Islands: Rapidly subdued by March 8, with local leaders like Tadomari Ōsanto surrendering.
– Tokunoshima: The heroic resistance of the “Oki brothers”—Sotaira and Sokura—ended in their deaths against Satsuma’s firearms.
– Okinawa: The Shimazu army landed at Unten Port, bypassing Naha’s defenses. By April 5, Shuri Castle fell, and King Shō Nei was captured.

### The Human Cost

Satsuma’s forces pillaged Shuri, seizing treasures and burning records. The Jahana Nikki, a diary by courtier Jahana Shōan, lamented: “Seven treasures and centuries of archives—all lost.” Resistance leaders like the Jahana brothers died fighting at Shikina Field, while royal hostages, including Prince Shō Kō, were taken to Kagoshima.

Cultural Erasure and Economic Exploitation

The 1611 “Fifteen Injunctions” formalized Ryukyu’s vassalage:
1. Trade Control: All commerce required Satsuma approval.
2. Land Seizures: The Amami Islands were annexed, becoming sugar plantations worked by indentured laborers.
3. Forced Tribute: Ryukyu paid annual levies of rice, cloth, and sulfur, crippling its economy.

### The Martyrdom of Tei Dō

Chief Minister Tei Dō (Cheng Rui), a Ming-educated statesman, refused to sign the humiliating Tenbatsu Reisha Kishōmon oath acknowledging Satsuma’s rule. Executed in 1611, he became a folk hero. Legends claim his defiant toudi (karate) display inspired the “Mitsudomoe” crest of Ryukyu—a symbol of resistance.

Legacy: The Ryukyu Dispossession

The invasion’s repercussions endure:
– Dual Subjugation: Ryukyu became a puppet state, paying tribute to both China and Japan until 1879, when Japan fully annexed it as Okinawa Prefecture.
– Cultural Survival: Despite bans on Ryukyuan language and customs, traditions like eisa dance and shima-uta music persisted.
– Modern Tensions: Okinawa’s post-WWII U.S. occupation and ongoing military base disputes trace back to 1609’s geopolitical fracture.

As historian Gregory Smits notes, “The Shimazu invasion didn’t just conquer a kingdom—it fractured a civilization.” Today, Okinawans still grapple with this colonial legacy, balancing their Ryukyuan heritage with Japanese identity.

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### Key Themes Expanded
– Military Tactics: Satsuma’s use of tanegashima (matchlock guns) vs. Ryukyu’s outdated spears.
– Economic Impact: Satsuma’s sugar monopoly and the 1634 Satsuma-han debt crisis.
– Diplomatic Fallout: Ming China’s 1611 embargo and the Tokugawa shogunate’s isolationist sakoku policy.

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