Changes

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 and 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 ''[[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 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 and 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 ''[[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 [[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/>.