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The first floor, called the ''shicha-gui'' (下庫理) in Okinawan, was mainly used for government matters, and for more public rituals and ceremonies in which the king himself participated<ref name=seiden/> A series of sliding doors at the center of the front of the building opened directly onto the main audience chamber, or ''usasuka'' (御差床), above which (on the second floor) was the throne room. A throne sat here as well, where the king would sit to preside over government business, formal audiences and various rituals. Seats to his sides were reserved for the queen, their children, and royal grandchildren. The vermillion pillars to both sides of the throne were adorned with paintings of gold dragons and multi-colored clouds; hanging scroll paintings of ''[[kirin]]'' and [[phoenix]]es flanked the throne as well<ref name=seiden/>.
The first floor, called the ''shicha-gui'' (下庫理) in Okinawan, was mainly used for government matters, and for more public rituals and ceremonies in which the king himself participated<ref name=seiden/> A series of sliding doors at the center of the front of the building opened directly onto the main audience chamber, or ''usasuka'' (御差床), above which (on the second floor) was the throne room. A throne sat here as well, where the king would sit to preside over government business, formal audiences and various rituals. Seats to his sides were reserved for the queen, their children, and royal grandchildren. The vermillion pillars to both sides of the throne were adorned with paintings of gold dragons and multi-colored clouds; hanging scroll paintings of ''[[kirin]]'' and [[phoenix]]es flanked the throne as well<ref name=seiden/>.
A narrow staircase behind the throne led directly to the throne room above, allowing the king, queen, and other top-ranking royals and officials to make their appearance traveling directly from the throne room to the audience chamber. A system of ropes and bells were used to communicate between the two floors.<ref name=plaques/>
A narrow staircase behind the throne led directly to the throne room above, allowing the king, queen, and other top-ranking royals and officials to make their appearance traveling directly from the throne room to the audience chamber. A system of ropes and bells were used to communicate between the two floors.<ref name=plaques/> This system was also used to communicate between the governmental, administrative, and otherwise "outer," men's spaces such as the ''kinjû-tsumesho'', ''ochanizume'' hallway, and ''suzuhiki'' hallway, and on the other side, the "inner" women's spaces and ''kugani udun''.<ref name=seiden/>
[[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>]]