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The ''Chûzan Seikan'', or "Mirror of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]]," was the first official history of Okinawa to be compiled. It was written in [[1650]], in [[Japanese language|Japanese]], by high-ranking [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryukyuan]] government minister [[Sho Shoken|Shô Shôken]].

The ''Chûzan Seikan'', or "Mirror of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]]," was the first official history of Okinawa to be compiled. It was written in [[1650]], in [[Japanese language|Japanese]], by high-ranking [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryukyuan]] government minister [[Sho Shoken|Shô Shôken]].

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 (尚清)|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. 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/>.

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/>.