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===The Investiture Ceremony===

===The Investiture Ceremony===

[[File:Sappogishi.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The investiture ceremony, as depicted in a model on display at Shuri castle]]

[[File:Sappogishi.jpg|right|thumb|320px|The investiture ceremony, as depicted in a model on display at Shuri castle]]

The investiture ceremony itself was performed in the central courtyard (O: ''unaa'') of Shuri Castle, where a structure was erected to represent the Chinese Imperial Court. At dawn on the day of the ceremony, the Imperial patent<ref>For a brief overview of Chinese Imperial patents, see [http://www.npm.gov.tw/exh96/treasure/02_en.html this page] at the official website of the National Palace Museum, Beijing.</ref>, Imperial edict of investiture, and Imperial gifts to the king and queen were placed in small portable pavilions. A group of Ryukyuan officials involved with the ceremony met the Chinese envoys at the [[Shuri_castle#Gates|Chûzanmon]]<ref name=chan39/> (the second outer gate of the castle), kowtowed to the patent, edict, and Imperial gifts, and then led the envoys and these Imperial objects in procession to the ''unaa'', a distance of about three miles (ten ''[[Japanese Measurements|ri]]'') from the Envoys' Residence, passing huge crowds of people who had turned out on the sides of the road to see the procession<ref name=chen/>.

The investiture ceremony itself was performed in the central courtyard (O: ''unaa'') of Shuri Castle, where a structure called ''kettei'' (闕庭) was erected to represent the Chinese Imperial Court. A temporary wooden structure ringed with yellow curtains, it had a table in the center called an "incense platform" (香案), with incense burners, candlesticks in the form of dragons, and metal flower ornaments atop it. Five smaller platforms behind it held the Imperial seal, formal letters of investiture, and gifts from the Emperor. Much of the ceremony took place either within or just in front of this structure.<ref name=plaques>Plaques on-site at Shuri castle.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/30647141921/in/dateposted-public/][https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/30735555565/sizes/l]</ref> At dawn on the day of the ceremony, the Imperial patent<ref>For a brief overview of Chinese Imperial patents, see [http://www.npm.gov.tw/exh96/treasure/02_en.html this page] at the official website of the National Palace Museum, Beijing.</ref>, Imperial edict of investiture, and Imperial gifts to the king and queen were placed in small portable pavilions. A group of Ryukyuan officials involved with the ceremony met the Chinese envoys at the [[Shuri_castle#Gates|Chûzanmon]]<ref name=chan39/> (the second outer gate of the castle), kowtowed to the patent, edict, and Imperial gifts, and then led the envoys and these Imperial objects in procession to the ''unaa'', a distance of about three miles (ten ''[[Japanese Measurements|ri]]'') from the Envoys' Residence, passing huge crowds of people who had turned out on the sides of the road to see the procession<ref name=chen/>.

The procession met the king and his top advisors at the [[Shuri_Castle#Shureimon|Shureimon]], the symbolic entrance to the castle grounds. The king, and all the officials of the royal government, arranged by rank, kowtowed to the objects held in the portable pavilions, an act symbolic of receiving the Chinese Emperor himself. The king then led the procession into the castle and to the ''unaa'', where the objects were placed upon a table and flanked by the envoys, atop the raised platform, the king remaining below, at ground level<ref name=chen/>.

The procession met the king and his top advisors at the [[Shuri_Castle#Shureimon|Shureimon]], the symbolic entrance to the castle grounds. The king, and all the officials of the royal government, arranged by rank, kowtowed to the objects held in the portable pavilions, an act symbolic of receiving the Chinese Emperor himself. The king then led the procession into the castle and to the ''unaa'', where the objects were placed upon a table and flanked by the envoys, atop the raised platform, the king remaining below, at ground level<ref name=chen/>.

After another kowtow and some music played by the Ryukyuan royal ensemble, the king knelt as the investiture edict was read. He then performed another kowtow, and the title of "king" (C: ''guó wáng''; J: ''kokuô'') was formally granted to him. Further kowtows accompanied the presentation of the Imperial gifts and of the Imperial patent and edict. Though Chinese custom dictated that the edict and patent be returned to the envoys afterward, Ryûkyû always requested to keep the objects as national heirlooms. The envoys' request to have them returned, Ryukyuan request to keep them, and granting of permission quickly became part of the investiture ritual. Before granting permission, the envoys also requested that the patents and edicts from previous investitures be shown to them<ref name=chen/>.

After another kowtow and some music played by the Ryukyuan royal ensemble, the king knelt as the investiture edict was read. He then performed another kowtow, and the title of "king" (C: ''guó wáng''; J: ''kokuô'') was formally granted to him. Further kowtows accompanied the presentation of the Imperial gifts and of the Imperial patent and edict. Though Chinese custom dictated that the edict and patent be returned to the envoys afterward, Ryûkyû always requested to keep the objects as national heirlooms. The envoys' request to have them returned, Ryukyuan request to keep them, and granting of permission quickly became part of the investiture ritual. Before granting permission, the envoys also requested that the patents and edicts from previous investitures be shown to them<ref name=chen/>.

The investiture ceremony concluded with the envoys being led by the king on a tour of the castle, and by a mutual kowtow of farewell. Throughout, the king was swathed in formal Chinese costume gifted him by the Imperial Court (from the mid-17th century onwards, Ryûkyû produced its own Ming-style costume for this purpose; it was not provided by the Qing<ref>[[Watanabe Miki]], "Ryûkyû kara mita Shinchô" 琉球から見た清朝, in Okada Hidehiro (ed.), ''Shinchô to ha nani ka'' 清朝とは何か, Fujiwara Shoten (2009), 256.</ref>). The formal outfit, or ''hibenfuku'' in Japanese (皮弁服), included a [[dragon robe]], belt (J: ''sekitai''), black silk shoes called ''kanku'', ritual sword (J: ''chiyoganemaru''), and black silk crown. The crown, called ''hibenkan'' in Japanese (皮弁冠; C: ''pí biàn guàn'')<ref>Garrett, Valery. Chinese Clothing: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford University Press, 1994. pp5-6.</ref>, was made of a mixture of black ''tsumugi'' and bast fibers, which formed a sort of crepe, molded over a rigid frame and lined with jewels and gold decorations. The crown, visible in official Ryukyuan royal portraits, originally had nine ridges, but after [[1756]], it came to have twelve ridges, indicating a greater honorary rank for the king. An eleven-inch golden [[hairpin]] with a dragon motif was then stuck through the crown, which was additionally held on with red-orange braided tassels.<ref name=dress>''Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 6: East Asia''. Oxford University Press, 2010. p422.</ref> These formal garments, crown, and other accoutrements were provided by the Chinese envoys during the Ming Dynasty, but in the Qing Dynasty, the envoys would provide garments only, and the Ryukyuan Court had to provide the crown and other accoutrements itself.<ref>Tomiyama Kazuyuki 豊見山和行, "''Edo nobori kara Edo dachi he - Ryûkyû shisetsu zô no tenkai''" 「江戸上り」から「江戸立」へー琉球使節像の転回, in ''Ryûkyû shisetsu, Edo he iku!'' 琉球使節、江戸へ行く！, Okinawa Prefectural Museum (2009), 60.</ref>

The investiture ceremony concluded with the envoys being led by the king on a tour of the castle, and by a mutual kowtow of farewell. Throughout, the king was swathed in formal Chinese costume gifted him by the Imperial Court (from the mid-17th century onwards, Ryûkyû produced its own Ming-style costume for this purpose; it was not provided by the Qing<ref>[[Watanabe Miki]], "Ryûkyû kara mita Shinchô" 琉球から見た清朝, in Okada Hidehiro (ed.), ''Shinchô to ha nani ka'' 清朝とは何か, Fujiwara Shoten (2009), 256.</ref>). The formal outfit, or ''hibenfuku'' in Japanese (皮弁服), included a [[dragon robe]], belt (J: ''sekitai''), black silk shoes called ''kanku'', ritual sword (J: ''chiyoganemaru''), and black silk crown. The crown, called ''hibenkan'' in Japanese (皮弁冠; C: ''pí biàn guàn'')<ref>Garrett, Valery. Chinese Clothing: An Illustrated Guide. Oxford University Press, 1994. pp5-6.</ref>, was made of a mixture of black ''tsumugi'' and bast fibers, which formed a sort of crepe, molded over a rigid frame and lined with jewels and gold decorations. The crown, visible in official Ryukyuan royal portraits, originally had nine ridges, but after [[1756]], it came to have twelve ridges, indicating a greater honorary rank for the king. An eleven-inch golden [[hairpin]] with a dragon motif was then stuck through the crown, which was additionally held on with red-orange braided tassels.<ref name=dress>''Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion, Volume 6: East Asia''. Oxford University Press, 2010. p422.</ref> These formal garments, crown, and other accoutrements were provided by the Chinese envoys during the Ming Dynasty, but in the Qing Dynasty, the envoys would provide garments only, and the Ryukyuan Court had to provide the crown and other accoutrements itself.<ref>Tomiyama Kazuyuki 豊見山和行, "''Edo nobori kara Edo dachi he - Ryûkyû shisetsu zô no tenkai''" 「江戸上り」から「江戸立」へー琉球使節像の転回, in ''Ryûkyû shisetsu, Edo he iku!'' 琉球使節、江戸へ行く！, Okinawa Prefectural Museum (2009), 60.</ref>