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The walls themselves were tall and thick, composed of stones fit together to form a smooth, steep surface difficult to climb. Flat, narrow walkways topped the walls, but they lacked merlons (aka battlements or crenelations) or loopholes which would have protected defenders atop the walls while allowing them to fire down upon invaders<ref name=Turnbull44/>.
The walls themselves were tall and thick, composed of stones fit together to form a smooth, steep surface difficult to climb. Flat, narrow walkways topped the walls, but they lacked merlons (aka battlements or crenelations) or loopholes which would have protected defenders atop the walls while allowing them to fire down upon invaders<ref name=Turnbull44/>.
===Shureimon===
===Gates===
[[Image:Shureimon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Shureimon (守礼門)]]
[[Image:Shureimon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Shureimon (守礼門)]]
[[Image:Sonohyan utaki ishimon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The stone gate to Sonohyan utaki (園比屋武御嶽石門)]]
[[Image:Sonohyan utaki ishimon.jpg|right|thumb|250px|The stone gate to Sonohyan utaki (園比屋武御嶽石門)]]
[[Image:Kankaimon.jpg|right|thumb|Kankaimon (歓会門)|250px]]
[[Image:Kankaimon.jpg|right|thumb|Kankaimon (歓会門)|250px]]
[[Image:Kyukeimon.jpg|right|thumb|Kyûkeimon (久慶門)|250px]]
[[Image:Kyukeimon.jpg|right|thumb|Kyûkeimon (久慶門)|250px]]
[[Image:Zuisenmon.jpg|right|thumb|Zuisenmon (瑞泉門)|250px]]
[[Image:Zuisenmon.jpg|right|thumb|Zuisenmon (瑞泉門)|250px]]
[[Image:Rokokumon.jpg|right|thumb|Rôkokumon (漏刻門)|250px]]
[[Image:Rokokumon.jpg|right|thumb|Rôkokumon (漏刻門)|250px]]
Some distance to the west, before even the Shureimon, the outermost gate of the castle was known as Chûzanmon. Built in the style of a Chinese ''paifang'' gate in [[1428]], it was originally known as Kenkokumon ("Establishment of the Country Gate"). It was the same size and same style as the Shureimon, and had its roof switched from wooden planks to ceramic tiles in 1681. The name "Chûzanmon" derives from a plaque hung on the gate, reading "Chûzan," gifted to the kingdom by [[Chai Shan]]<!--柴山-->, a [[Ming Dynasty]] official who came to Ryûkyû in [[1425]] for the investiture of King [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]]. Following the abolition of the kingdom, the gate was allowed to simply fall into decay, and in [[1908]] it was torn down and has not been re-erected. Marking the entrance to Shuri's Aijo-ufumichi (Aijo Boulevard), the Chûzanmon was previously also known as ''shimu nu aijo'' (J: ''shita no ayamon'') and ''shimun tui'' (J: ''shita no [[torii]]''). A ''[[bingata]]'' [[Ryukyuan textiles|textiles]] workshop and shop stands today at the former site of the gate.<ref>Plaque at the former site of the Chûzanmon.</ref>
Some distance to the west was the outermost gate of the castle, known as Chûzanmon. Built in the style of a Chinese ''paifang'' gate in [[1428]], it was originally known as Kenkokumon ("Establishment of the Country Gate"). It was the same size and same style as the Shureimon, and had its roof switched from wooden planks to ceramic tiles in 1681. The name "Chûzanmon" derives from a plaque hung on the gate, reading "Chûzan," gifted to the kingdom by [[Chai Shan]]<!--柴山-->, a [[Ming Dynasty]] official who came to Ryûkyû in [[1425]] for the investiture of King [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]]. Following the abolition of the kingdom, the gate was allowed to simply fall into decay, and in [[1908]] it was torn down and has not been re-erected. Marking the entrance to Shuri's Aijo-ufumichi (Aijo Boulevard), the Chûzanmon was previously also known as ''shimu nu aijo'' (J: ''shita no ayamon'') and ''shimun tui'' (J: ''shita no [[torii]]''). A ''[[bingata]]'' [[Ryukyuan textiles|textiles]] workshop and shop stands today at the former site of the gate.<ref>Plaque at the former site of the Chûzanmon.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15466021215]</ref>
====Shureimon====
The symbolic entrance to the castle proper was the Shureimon, originally constructed around [[1555]]<ref name=Turnbull44/>, which remains today one of the most famous symbols of Okinawa, and specifically of the kingdom and the castle. Architecturally patterned after a Chinese ''paifang'' gate, 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 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 [[Sho Sei (尚清)|Shô Sei]] (r. [[1527]]-[[1555]]), 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>
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]].
Also known as Wii-nu-Aijô ("Upper Grand Gate"), the Shureimon also marks the beginning of [[Aijo-ufumichi|Aijô-ufumichi]], the main boulevard running west from the castle.<ref>Plaques on-site at Aijô-ufumichi.</ref>
Beyond the symbolic Shureimon, the main gate granting entry through the outer walls of the compound is the Kankaimon, flanked by two stone ''[[shisa]]'' (lion dogs). Like most of the gates in the walls of Shuri Castle, the Kankaimon consists of a gap in the stone wall, with a wooden structure atop it, with a flared tiled roof. "Kankaimon" can be translated as "Gate of Welcome," a name given to it to better convey a spirit of welcome for visiting envoys of the Chinese Emperor. It was built originally sometime around 1477-1500<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Kankaimon." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.
Beyond the symbolic Shureimon, the main gate granting entry through the outer walls of the compound is the Kankaimon, flanked by two stone ''[[shisa]]'' (lion dogs). Like most of the gates in the walls of Shuri Castle, the Kankaimon consists of a gap in the stone wall, with a wooden structure atop it, with a flared tiled roof. "Kankaimon" can be translated as "Gate of Welcome," a name given to it to better convey a spirit of welcome for visiting envoys of the Chinese Emperor. It was built originally sometime around 1477-1500<ref>"Shisetsu annai: Kankaimon." Shuri Castle Park Official Website.</ref>.