Government of the Ryukyu Kingdom

The government of the Ryûkyû Kingdom was patterned after that of Ming Dynasty China, with the king at the top, followed by several groups of top advisors who oversaw a series of bureaus and offices staffed by scholar-officials ranked into eighteen levels of court ranks.

History

The structure and organization of government in the mature Ryûkyû Kingdom (from the 15th century onward) were largely a continuation of those from the previous century, when the Kingdom of Chûzan established such governmental structures based on Ming models. Over the course of the ensuing centuries, various reforms and adaptations were built atop this foundation.

Organization

An official known as the sessei (a position which has been compared to Prime Minister) and three known as the Sanshikan (Council of Three) were the chief royal advisors, advising the king and deciding or confirming most decisions of governance and legislation. Alongside two ministries known in Japanese as Môshikuchihô and Mono bugyôsho (O: Umun bujôju), they formed the Hyôjôjû, the highest administrative and legislative body in the kingdom. This highest echelon of the government was also known as wii-nu-uza (J: ue no oza), or "the upper seats."

They worked closely with the Council of Fifteen (J: omote jûgonin), the heads of the various bureaus and offices of government which constituted the "lower seats" of the government (O: shimu nu uza, J: shimo no oza). Policy decisions and actions were discussed between these "upper" and "lower" bodies, with decisions being ultimately determined by the king.

References

• Akamine Mamoru, Lina Terrell (trans.), Robert Huey (ed.), The Ryukyu Kingdom: Cornerstone of East Asia, University of Hawaii Press (2017), 81.