Changes

====Shureimon====

====Shureimon====

The symbolic entrance to the castle proper was the Shureimon, originally constructed around [[1555]]<ref name=Turnbull44/> during the reign of [[Sho Sei (尚清)|Shô Sei]] (r. [[1527]]-[[1555]]). It remains today one of the most famous symbols of Okinawa, and of the kingdom and the castle more specifically. Architecturally patterned after a Chinese ''paifang'' gate, the Shureimon is just over seven meters tall, and just under eight meters wide. It was declared a National Treasure in 1933, but was destroyed in World War II; the current gate dates to 1958.<ref name=shurei>Plaques on-site at Shureimon.</ref> The Shureimon takes its name from the plaque installed upon it which declares Ryûkyû to be ''shurei no kuni'' (守禮之邦), often translated as "(a) Nation of Propriety." This plaque was created during the reign of [[Sho Ei|Shô Ei]] (r. [[1573]]-[[1588]]), and was originally only displayed when Chinese investiture envoys were visiting the kingdom, but during the reign of King [[Sho Shitsu|Shô Shitsu]] (r. [[1648]]-[[1668]]), the plaque came to be hung at the gate permanently. Historian [[Mark McNally]] has suggested that the plaque was especially seen as a reminder that the kingdom should strive to aspire to being a "kingdom of propriety."<ref>[[Mark McNally]], presentation at "[http://www.hawaii.edu/asiaref/japan/event2013/Index.htm#symposium Interpreting Parades and Processions of Edo Japan]" symposium, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 11 Feb 2013.</ref> Previously, plaques had been hung from the gate reading "Awaiting the Bearers of Virtue" (待賢, ''taiken''), and then, during the reign of Shô Sei, this was replaced with a plaque reading, simply, "Shuri";<ref>Chan, Ying Kit. “A Bridge between Myriad Lands: The Ryukyu Kingdom and Ming China (1372-1526).” Thesis, National University of Singapore, 2010, 73. http://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/20602.</ref> as a result, the gate was previously known as Taikenmon, and then Shurimon, after these plaques displayed at that time.<ref name=shurei/> The "Shurei no kuni" plaque currently hanging over the Shureimon, as well as those on several of the other gates to the castle, were produced by lacquerware artist [[Maeda Koin|Maeda Kôin]].

The symbolic entrance to the castle proper was the Shureimon, originally constructed around [[1555]]<ref name=Turnbull44/> during the reign of [[Sho Sei (尚清)|Shô Sei]] (r. [[1527]]-[[1555]]). It remains today one of the most famous symbols of Okinawa, and of the kingdom and the castle more specifically. Architecturally patterned after a Chinese ''paifang'' gate, the Shureimon is just over seven meters tall, and just under eight meters wide. It was declared a National Treasure in 1933, but was destroyed in World War II; the current gate dates to 1958.<ref name=shurei>Plaques on-site at Shureimon.</ref> The Shureimon takes its name from the plaque installed upon it which declares Ryûkyû to be ''shurei no kuni'' (守禮之邦), often translated as "(a) Nation of Propriety." This plaque was created during the reign of [[Sho Ei|Shô Ei]] (r. [[1573]]-[[1588]]), and was originally only displayed when Chinese investiture envoys were visiting the kingdom, but during the reign of King [[Sho Shitsu|Shô Shitsu]] (r. [[1648]]-[[1668]]), the plaque came to be hung at the gate permanently. Historian [[Mark McNally]] has suggested that the plaque was especially seen as a reminder that the kingdom should strive to aspire to being a "kingdom of propriety."<ref>[[Mark McNally]], presentation at "[http://www.hawaii.edu/asiaref/japan/event2013/Index.htm#symposium Interpreting Parades and Processions of Edo Japan]" symposium, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 11 Feb 2013.</ref> Previously, plaques had been hung from the gate reading "Awaiting the Bearers of Virtue" (待賢, ''taiken''), and then, during the reign of Shô Sei, this was replaced with a plaque reading, simply, "Shuri";<ref>Chan, Ying Kit. “A Bridge between Myriad Lands: The Ryukyu Kingdom and Ming China (1372-1526).” Thesis, National University of Singapore, 2010, 73. http://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/20602.</ref> as a result, the gate was previously known as Taikenmon, and then Shurimon, after these plaques displayed at that time.<ref name=shurei/> The "Shurei no kuni" plaque currently hanging over the Shureimon, as well as those on several of the other gates to the castle, were produced by lacquerware artist [[Maeda Koin|Maeda Kôin]].<ref name=maedakoin>>"Ryûkyû shikki" 琉球漆器, ''Fee nu kaji'' 南ぬ風 3 (2007/4-6), 4.</ref>

Just within the gate can be found the stone gate to [[Sonohyan utaki]], a sacred space of the native Ryukyuan religion, where the king and others would often pray. The gate was constructed in [[1519]], upon the orders of King Shô Shin, by a stonemason from [[Taketomi Island]] named [[Nishito|Nishitô]]. Along the main path, just across from the stone gate to the ''utaki'' stand reconstructions of two stelae (stone monuments) erected there in [[1522]]. One, the ''[[Madama minato himon]]'', commemorates the construction by King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] of a series of roads and bridges for the defense of the city; the other, the ''[[Kokuo shotokuhi|Kokuô shôtokuhi]]'', commemorates various other accomplishments of King Shô Shin, including his receiving of sacred beads and the sword ''[[Chiyoganemaru]]'' from [[Miyako Island]] as symbols of the subordination of Miyako and other islands at that time.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 140.</ref>

Just within the gate can be found the stone gate to [[Sonohyan utaki]], a sacred space of the native Ryukyuan religion, where the king and others would often pray. The gate was constructed in [[1519]], upon the orders of King Shô Shin, by a stonemason from [[Taketomi Island]] named [[Nishito|Nishitô]]. Along the main path, just across from the stone gate to the ''utaki'' stand reconstructions of two stelae (stone monuments) erected there in [[1522]]. One, the ''[[Madama minato himon]]'', commemorates the construction by King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] of a series of roads and bridges for the defense of the city; the other, the ''[[Kokuo shotokuhi|Kokuô shôtokuhi]]'', commemorates various other accomplishments of King Shô Shin, including his receiving of sacred beads and the sword ''[[Chiyoganemaru]]'' from [[Miyako Island]] as symbols of the subordination of Miyako and other islands at that time.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 140.</ref>

[[File:Shuri-throne.jpg|right|thumb|400px|The throne in the second floor throne room. The plaque behind the throne, one of several in this room, bears the calligraphy of the [[Kangxi Emperor]], and reads ''Chûzan seido'', meaning roughly "this land has been ruled [benevolently] by Chûzan for generation after generation."<ref>"[http://okinawa-rekishi.cocolog-nifty.com/tora/2007/04/post_6b10.html 首里城にある「書」のヒミツ]." 目からウロコの琉球・沖縄史 blog, 14 April 2007.</ref>]]

[[File:Shuri-throne.jpg|right|thumb|400px|The throne in the second floor throne room. The plaque behind the throne, one of several in this room, bears the calligraphy of the [[Kangxi Emperor]], and reads ''Chûzan seido'', meaning roughly "this land has been ruled [benevolently] by Chûzan for generation after generation."<ref>"[http://okinawa-rekishi.cocolog-nifty.com/tora/2007/04/post_6b10.html 首里城にある「書」のヒミツ]." 目からウロコの琉球・沖縄史 blog, 14 April 2007.</ref>]]

The second floor was called the ''ufugui'' (大庫理), and was the site of more private rituals and ceremonies performed only amongst the royalty and court ladies. It contained the throne room, but was largely a women's space. The throne room itself (also called ''usasuka'' like the audience chamber below) was decorated lavishly in gold and vermillion, as was the entire Seiden, inside and out. Two dragon pillars, painted gold, flank the throne, a Chinese-style chair elaborately carved, lacquered, and gilded, with mother-of-pearl inlay design. As part of the restoration of the castle in 1992, master lacquerware artist [[Maeda Koin|Maeda Kôin]] recreated this throne based on portraits of King Shô Shin and other sources, a project which took about two years.<ref>"Ryûkyû shikki" 琉球漆器, ''Fee nu kaji'' 南ぬ風 3 (2007/4-6), 4.</ref> The dais upon which the throne sat resembled that of a Buddha statue, and was adorned with carvings of grape vine and squirrel designs. Some other elements of the decor featured gold inlay in black lacquered wood. Plaques given as gifts to the king by Chinese Emperors, bearing inscriptions of the Emperors' own calligraphy, adorn the throne room, where various more private rituals, as well as royal banquets, were held. As no photos or thorough descriptions of these plaques survived the war, these (like much else in the castle) were recreated based on research in Chinese imperial archives and the expertise of historical experts.<ref>Yasuyuki Uezu, "The Path towards the Restoration of Shurijo Castle," n.d., 6.</ref> Various objects would be brought out for rituals, including [[incense]], candle-stands in the form of dragons, cedars, decorative golden flowers, and paintings of Confucius<ref name=seiden/>.

The second floor was called the ''ufugui'' (大庫理), and was the site of more private rituals and ceremonies performed only amongst the royalty and court ladies. It contained the throne room, but was largely a women's space. The throne room itself (also called ''usasuka'' like the audience chamber below) was decorated lavishly in gold and vermillion, as was the entire Seiden, inside and out. Two dragon pillars, painted gold, flank the throne, a Chinese-style chair elaborately carved, lacquered, and gilded, with mother-of-pearl inlay design. As part of the restoration of the castle in 1992, master lacquerware artist [[Maeda Koin|Maeda Kôin]] recreated this throne based on portraits of King Shô Shin and other sources, a project which took about two years.<ref name=maedakoin/> The dais upon which the throne sat resembled that of a Buddha statue, and was adorned with carvings of grape vine and squirrel designs. Some other elements of the decor featured gold inlay in black lacquered wood. Plaques given as gifts to the king by Chinese Emperors, bearing inscriptions of the Emperors' own calligraphy, adorn the throne room, where various more private rituals, as well as royal banquets, were held. As no photos or thorough descriptions of these plaques survived the war, these (like much else in the castle) were recreated based on research in Chinese imperial archives and the expertise of historical experts.<ref>Yasuyuki Uezu, "The Path towards the Restoration of Shurijo Castle," n.d., 6.</ref> Various objects would be brought out for rituals, including [[incense]], candle-stands in the form of dragons, cedars, decorative golden flowers, and paintings of Confucius<ref name=seiden/>.

For certain ceremonies, including New Year's celebrations and those occasions when the king formally dispatched a missive to the Chinese Emperor, the throne (御轎椅, O: ''uchuui'') would be moved forward, and shutters on the front of the castle opened, so that the king would look down from under the ''karahafu'' gable upon the courtiers gathered in the ''unâ''<ref name=seiden/>.

For certain ceremonies, including New Year's celebrations and those occasions when the king formally dispatched a missive to the Chinese Emperor, the throne (御轎椅, O: ''uchuui'') would be moved forward, and shutters on the front of the castle opened, so that the king would look down from under the ''karahafu'' gable upon the courtiers gathered in the ''unâ''<ref name=seiden/>.