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Shô Hashi was the first king of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] (today [[Okinawa Prefecture]]), having united the islands' three kingdoms of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], [[Hokuzan]], and [[Nanzan]] by conquest.

Shô Hashi was the first king of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]] (today [[Okinawa Prefecture]]), having united the islands' three kingdoms of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], [[Hokuzan]], and [[Nanzan]] by conquest.

As lord (''[[anji]]'') of [[Soshiki Mairi]], he was seen as an able, well-liked administrator within his own lands, who rose in prominence at the opening of the 15th century. He led a small rebellion against the lord of [[Azato district]] in [[1402]]. Hashi then went on to overthrow King [[Bunei]] of Chûzan in [[1404]]<ref>Sources appear to differ somewhat on the dates involved here, which range from 1404 to 1407. Kerr gives 1407, while Frederic gives 1404, Smits cites 1405, and the ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' gives 1406 as the date.</ref> and placed his father [[Sho Shisho|Shô Shishô]] on the throne. Even with his father as King, however, Hashi held true political power, and organized envoys to [[Nanking]], to assure [[China]], to which the Ryûkyû kingdoms were [[tribute|tributaries]], of his kingdom's continued cooperation and friendship. He also reorganized much of the administrative organs of the kingdom to better fit Chinese models. The people of Chûzan also quickly adopted many elements of Chinese culture, and came to be recognized as "civilized", at least somewhat more so than earlier, by the Chinese. Hashi also oversaw the expansion and embellishment of [[Shuri castle]], and the placement of distance markers throughout the land, marking the distance to [[Shuri]].

As lord (''[[anji]]'') of [[Soshiki Mairi]], he was seen as an able, well-liked administrator within his own lands, who rose in prominence at the opening of the 15th century. He led a small rebellion against the lord of [[Azato district]] in [[1402]]. Hashi then went on to overthrow King [[Bunei]] of Chûzan in [[1404]]<ref>Sources appear to differ somewhat on the dates involved here, which range from 1404 to 1407. Kerr gives 1407, while Frederic gives 1404, Smits cites 1405, and the ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' gives 1406 as the date.</ref> and placed his father [[Sho Shisho|Shô Shishô]] on the throne. Even with his father as King, however, Hashi held true political power, and organized envoys to [[Nanking]], to assure [[Ming Dynasty]] China, to which the Ryukyuan kingdoms were [[tribute|tributaries]], of his kingdom's continued cooperation and friendship. He also reorganized much of the administrative organs of the kingdom to better fit Chinese models, not only to impress or satisfy the Chinese Court, but to consolidate power unto his throne. Political authority in Ryûkyû up until this time was quite volatile, and subject to individual rulers' military might (as proven by Hashi's own violent seizure of power), and perceptions of their spiritual power and legitimacy. Yingkit Chan even argues that there had not really been a concept of "state" or "kingship" at all up until this time, and so Hashi worked to construct such notions based on the Chinese model. He situated himself, as king, as “the benevolent power that united and sustained the archipelago, rendering no principal difference between him and the newfound kingdom,” and with the considerable help of the Confucian scholar-elite community of [[Kumemura]], constructed a discourse in which the king's legitimacy was not based on military might, but on his personal virtue.<ref>Chan, Ying Kit. “A Bridge between Myriad Lands: The Ryukyu Kingdom and Ming China (1372-1526).” MA Thesis, National University of Singapore, 2010, 29. http://scholarbank.nus.edu.sg/handle/10635/20602.</ref>

 

The elites of Chûzan also quickly adopted many elements of Chinese culture, and came to be recognized as "civilized", at least somewhat more so than earlier, by the Chinese. Hashi also oversaw the expansion and embellishment of [[Shuri castle]], and the placement of distance markers throughout the land, marking the distance to [[Shuri]].

Meanwhile, though Hokuzan, the neighboring kingdom to the north, held no advantages over Chûzan economically or in terms of political influence, Hashi viewed their capital city castle of [[Nakijin gusuku]] as a threat militarily. When the opportunity presented itself in [[1419]], after three Hokuzan ''anji'' (local lords) turned to his side, Hashi led his father's army, and conquered [[Nakijin]] in a swift series of attacks. The king of Hokuzan, along with his closest retainers, committed suicide after a fierce resistance. A year after his father's death in [[1421]], Hashi requested official recognition and investiture from the Chinese imperial court, and received it in due course. It may be interesting to note that, despite the nominal independence of Ryûkyû into the 19th century, this practice would continue. The court bestowed upon him the family name Shang (''[[Sho Dynasty|Shô]]'' in Japanese), registered a new title in their annals: ''Liuqiu Wang'' (琉球王, Japanese: ''Ryûkyû-Ô'', King of Ryûkyû), and sent Hashi's emissary back with a ceremonial [[dragon robe]], and a [[lacquer]] tablet with the word ''Chûzan'' inscribed upon it. This Chûzan tablet was then placed on display outside Shuri Castle, where it remained until the 20th century.

Meanwhile, though Hokuzan, the neighboring kingdom to the north, held no advantages over Chûzan economically or in terms of political influence, Hashi viewed their capital city castle of [[Nakijin gusuku]] as a threat militarily. When the opportunity presented itself in [[1419]], after three Hokuzan ''anji'' (local lords) turned to his side, Hashi led his father's army, and conquered [[Nakijin]] in a swift series of attacks. The king of Hokuzan, along with his closest retainers, committed suicide after a fierce resistance. A year after his father's death in [[1421]], Hashi requested official recognition and investiture from the Chinese imperial court, and received it in due course. It may be interesting to note that, despite the nominal independence of Ryûkyû into the 19th century, this practice would continue. The court bestowed upon him the family name Shang (''[[Sho Dynasty|Shô]]'' in Japanese), registered a new title in their annals: ''Liuqiu Wang'' (琉球王, Japanese: ''Ryûkyû-Ô'', King of Ryûkyû), and sent Hashi's emissary back with a ceremonial [[dragon robe]], and a [[lacquer]] tablet with the word ''Chûzan'' inscribed upon it. This Chûzan tablet was then placed on display outside Shuri Castle, where it remained until the 20th century.