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The work consists of five volumes in total. The first volume covers the royal lineage of [[Shunten]], the second the lines of [[Eiso]] and [[Satto]], the third the line of [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]], the fourth that of [[Sho En|Shô En]], and the fifth the reign of [[Sho Sei|Shô Sei]]. There is no discussion of the reign of [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]]; the reason for this is unknown.

The work consists of five volumes in total. The first volume covers the royal lineage of [[Shunten]], the second the lines of [[Eiso]] and [[Satto]], the third the line of [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]], the fourth that of [[Sho En|Shô En]], and the fifth the reign of [[Sho Sei|Shô Sei]]. There is no discussion of the reign of [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]]; the reason for this is unknown.

Emulating the political culture of Chinese dynastic histories, the ''Chûzan seikan'' speaks often of the [[Mandate of Heaven]], and represents the final rulers of fallen dynasties (such as [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]], last ruler of the First Shô Dynasty) as violent and cruel, distracted by dalliances, or otherwise lacking in virtue.

Emulating the political culture of Chinese dynastic histories, the ''Chûzan seikan'' speaks often of the [[Mandate of Heaven]], and represents the final rulers of fallen dynasties (such as [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]], last ruler of the First Shô Dynasty) as violent and cruel, distracted by dalliances, or otherwise lacking in virtue. However, in many other respects, the ''Chûzan seikan'' emphasizes Ryûkyû's relationship to Japan over that with China. The text describes Okinawans as having come from Japan<ref name=smits>Smits, Gregory. ''Visions of Ryukyu: Identity and Ideology in Early-Modern Thought and Politics''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999. pp51-62.</ref>, and relates a narrative of Okinawan subordinate relations to [[Satsuma province]] going back many centuries, a fiction to which King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] was forced to agree roughly 40 years earlier, following [[Invasion of Ryukyu|Satsuma's invasion of the kingdom]]. This reflects the fact that, unlike some more Sinophilic administrators in the history of the kingdom, Shô Shôken frequently expressed concern with how Ryukyuan practices would look to Satsuma, which he saw as model for policy and practice<ref name=smits/>.

The text describes Okinawans as having come from Japan<ref name=smits>Smits, Gregory. ''Visions of Ryukyu: Identity and Ideology in Early-Modern Thought and Politics''. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1999. pp51-62.</ref>, and relates a narrative of Okinawan subordinate relations to [[Satsuma province]] going back many centuries, a fiction to which King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] was forced to agree roughly 40 years earlier, following [[Invasion of Ryukyu|Satsuma's invasion of the kingdom]]. This reflects the fact that, unlike some more Sinophilic administrators in the history of the kingdom, Shô Shôken frequently expressed concern with how Ryukyuan practices would look to Satsuma, which he saw as model for policy and practice<ref name=smits/>.

The text devotes considerable space to elaboration of the story of 12th century samurai [[Minamoto no Tametomo]] being the father of the Okinawan king Shunten, thus linking the Ryukyuan royal family with the Japanese imperial line (via Tametomo, a member of the [[Seiwa Genji]] line of the [[Minamoto clan]], which claimed descent from [[Emperor Seiwa]]), and also with the [[Tokugawa clan]] (who also claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji). Scholars today consider this story and link to the Minamoto a falsehood, but the tale was believed quite widely at the time, appearing in numerous Japanese works on Ryukyuan history, including [[Arai Hakuseki]]'s ''[[Nantoshi|Nantôshi]]''. The ''Chûzan seikan'' is among the earliest works in which this story appears, but the actual origin of the story is unclear.

The text includes the story of 12th century samurai [[Minamoto no Tametomo]] being the father of Shunten, and thus progenitor of the Ryukyuan royal lineage. This served to link the Ryukyuan royal family to the Japanese imperial line, via Tametomo, the [[Seiwa Genji]] line of the [[Minamoto clan]], and [[Emperor Seiwa]], and also to the [[Tokugawa clan]] (who also claimed descent from the Seiwa Genji) in tune with the political leanings of the time, as Ryûkyû had just been subjugated by Satsuma some 40 years earlier, and Shô Shôken was a member of a faction at court advocating a more pro-Japanese stance. Scholars today consider this story and link to the Minamoto a falsehood, but the tale was believed quite widely at the time, appearing in numerous Japanese works on Ryukyuan history, including [[Arai Hakuseki]]'s ''[[Nantoshi|Nantôshi]]''. The ''Chûzan seikan'' is among the earliest works in which this story appears, but the actual origin of the story is unclear.

Advantageous during the early modern period in representing Ryûkyû in a pro-Japanese light to Japanese official audiences (such as Satsuma and shogunate officials), the ''Chûzan seikan'' was also deployed during the [[Meiji period]] in support of arguments for [[Okinawa prefecture|Okinawa prefecture's]] fundamental belonging to the Empire of Japan.

In [[1701]]-[[1712]], [[Sai On]] produced a [[Chinese language]] history entitled ''[[Chuzan seifu|Chûzan seifu]]'' and based upon the ''Chûzan seikan''.

In [[1701]]-[[1712]], [[Sai Taku]] produced a [[Chinese language]] history entitled ''[[Chuzan seifu|Chûzan seifu]]'' and based upon the ''Chûzan seikan''; this was later heavily edited by Sai Taku's son [[Sai On]], and served similar political/discursive purposes, but for official Chinese audiences.

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