Changes

==History==

==History==

[[Satto]] became, in [[1372]], the first Ryukyuan king to submit to Chinese suzerainty<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. (revised ed.) Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p65.</ref>. Beginning with the investiture of Satto's successor, [[Bunei]], in [[1406]]<ref name=kerr83>Kerr. p83.</ref>, twenty-two such missions traveled to Ryûkyû in total<ref name=shimpo>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41495-storytopic-121.html Sappôshi]." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). 1 March 2003. Accessed 7 November 2009.</ref>, the last in [[1866]], for the investiture of [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]]<ref name=kerr352>Kerr. p352.</ref>.

[[Satto]] became, in [[1372]], the first Ryukyuan king to submit to Chinese suzerainty<ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. (revised ed.) Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p65.</ref>. Beginning with the investiture of Satto's successor, [[Bunei]], in [[1404]]<ref name=kenpaku-nenpyo>''Ryûkyû shisetsu, Edo he iku!'' 琉球使節、江戸へ行く！, Okinawa Prefectural Museum (2009), 47.</ref>, twenty-two such missions traveled to Ryûkyû in total<ref name=shimpo>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41495-storytopic-121.html Sappôshi]." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). 1 March 2003. Accessed 7 November 2009.</ref>, the last in [[1866]], for the investiture of [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]]<ref name=kerr352>Kerr. p352.</ref>.

The Ming Dynasty capital of Beijing fell to Manchu invaders in [[1644]], marking the beginning of Qing Dynasty control of China; Ming loyalists continued to hold out in southern China and Taiwan, however, for several decades. For a time, King [[Sho Ken|Shô Ken]] maintained the kingdom's allegiance to, and relations with, the Ming, in part because of pragmatic economic concerns, namely Ming willingness to resume the raw silk trade. Chinese envoy [[Xie Bizhen]]<!--謝必振--> traveled alongside Ryukyuan representatives within China, and to & from Ryûkyû, numerous times, attempting to convince the kingdom to sever its ties with the Ming loyalists, and enter into relations with the Qing Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty capital of Beijing fell to Manchu invaders in [[1644]], marking the beginning of Qing Dynasty control of China; Ming loyalists continued to hold out in southern China and Taiwan, however, for several decades. For a time, King [[Sho Ken|Shô Ken]] maintained the kingdom's allegiance to, and relations with, the Ming, in part because of pragmatic economic concerns, namely Ming willingness to resume the raw silk trade. Chinese envoy [[Xie Bizhen]]<!--謝必振--> traveled alongside Ryukyuan representatives within China, and to & from Ryûkyû, numerous times, attempting to convince the kingdom to sever its ties with the Ming loyalists, and enter into relations with the Qing Dynasty.

==Timeline of Missions==

==Timeline of Missions==

* 1406 - First investiture mission arrives for the investiture of Bunei<ref name=kerr83/>.

* 1404 - First investiture mission, led by Shi Zhong<!--時中-->, arrives for the investiture of Bunei<ref name=kenpaku-nenpyo/>.

* 1534 - [[Chen Kan]] leads the mission.<ref>Thompson, Robin. "The Music of Ryukyu." Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. p311.</ref>

* 1534 - [[Chen Kan]] leads the mission.<ref>Thompson, Robin. "The Music of Ryukyu." Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music. Surrey: Ashgate Publishing, 2008. p311.</ref>