Changes

The rise of Okinawa, and concordant fall of Amami, Kikai, and Tokara, as the chief center in the region came in the 14th century, and may have contributed to (or been aided by) a shift in or around the 1340s in regional trade routes, as merchant ships increasingly came to travel from [[Fujian]] to [[Higo province]] ([[Kumamoto prefecture]]) via Okinawa, rather than from [[Ningbo]] to [[Hakata]].<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 31, 35.</ref>

The rise of Okinawa, and concordant fall of Amami, Kikai, and Tokara, as the chief center in the region came in the 14th century, and may have contributed to (or been aided by) a shift in or around the 1340s in regional trade routes, as merchant ships increasingly came to travel from [[Fujian]] to [[Higo province]] ([[Kumamoto prefecture]]) via Okinawa, rather than from [[Ningbo]] to [[Hakata]].<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 31, 35.</ref>

By the beginning of the 14th century, the various chiefs of areas of Okinawa Island were unified under a single head chieftain, sometimes today retroactively called a "king." However, in the 1310s, the headchieftain [[Eiji]] was succeeded by his son [[Tamagusuku]] who, whether for lack of personal charisma or leadership ability, or for some other reason, failed to command the loyalty of the other chieftains. The island of Okinawa thus came to be divided into three chiefdoms, or kingdoms, known as [[Hokuzan]], [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], and [[Nanzan]]. This period of division is known as the [[Sanzan period]].

According to official histories produced in the 17th-18th centuries by the Ryûkyû Kingdom, the various chiefs of areas of Okinawa Island were unified under a single head chieftain, sometimes today retroactively called a "king," by the beginning of the 14th century. However, in the 1310s, the headchieftain [[Eiji]] was succeeded by his son [[Tamagusuku]] who, whether for lack of personal charisma or leadership ability, or for some other reason, failed to command the loyalty of the other chieftains. The island of Okinawa thus came to be divided into three chiefdoms, or kingdoms, known as [[Hokuzan]], [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], and [[Nanzan]]. This period of division is commonly known as the [[Sanzan period]]. Recent scholarship suggests, however, that there was never one ruler, or even three, who truly exercised control over the entire island prior to the 16th century; according to such interpretations, Okinawa continued to be home to numerous competing lords, the most powerful of whom claimed the title of "king" in order to engage in legitimate [[tribute]] trade relations with the [[Ming Empire]]. The notion of three territorial states which actually controlled sizable portions of the island, and the associated notion of the island being unified under a single ruler before and after this "Sanzan period," was then retroactively constructed by 17th-18th century court officials in order to assert a narrative of greater historical legitimacy for Ryûkyû as a distinct kingdom with a grand and noble history.

Chûzan entered into [[tribute|tributary relations]] with [[Ming Dynasty]] China in [[1372]], with the other two doing the same within the ensuing several years. Chûzan quickly grew more wealthy and more powerful than the other two, conquering them and uniting the island of Okinawa under its control by [[1429]].

The lord of [[Urasoe gusuku|Urasoe]] or [[Shuri castle|Shuri]] in central Okinawa entered into tributary relations with Ming Dynasty China in [[1372]], being recognized as "king of Chûzan" in the process. He was swiftly followed by the lords of [[Nakijin]] and [[Ozato gusuku|Shimasoe Ôzato]] (the "kings" of "Hokuzan" and "Nanzan") in the ensuing several years. The king of Chûzan then quickly grew more wealthy and more powerful than the other two, conquering them and uniting the island of Okinawa under his control by [[1429]].

Over the rest of the 15th and 16th centuries, the Ryûkyû Kingdom, as the Okinawan state might now be called, extended its influence to the north and to the south, making islands as far south as Yonaguni and Hateruma, and as far north as the Amamis its tributaries, or conquering them outright. As the Northern and Central Ryukyus, with their prehistoric ties to Japan, became more interlinked with the Sakishimas, with people and goods traveling between them in increasing volume, cultural exchange came with it, bringing Austronesian / Southeast Asian influences into the Northern and Central Ryukyus, and a more Japonic or East Asian culture into the Sakishima Islands.<ref>Akamine, 12.</ref> The kingdom meanwhile engaged quite actively in overseas trade, becoming a crucial hub of maritime trade between Korea, Japan, China, and various polities of Southeast Asia.

Over the rest of the 15th and 16th centuries, the Ryûkyû Kingdom, as the Okinawan state might now be called, extended its influence to the north and to the south, making islands as far south as Yonaguni and Hateruma, and as far north as the Amamis its tributaries, or conquering them outright. As the Northern and Central Ryukyus, with their prehistoric ties to Japan, became more interlinked with the Sakishimas, with people and goods traveling between them in increasing volume, cultural exchange came with it, bringing Austronesian / Southeast Asian influences into the Northern and Central Ryukyus, and a more Japonic or East Asian culture into the Sakishima Islands.<ref>Akamine, 12.</ref> The kingdom meanwhile engaged quite actively in overseas trade, becoming a crucial hub of maritime trade between Korea, Japan, China, and various polities of Southeast Asia.

Fifteenth century Korean records indicate that dry-land rice cultivation was common in the Ryukyus at that time; archaeological finds suggest that rice was the chief crop in northern Okinawa and the Amamis, while in central and southern Okinawa, barley and wheat were more common. Up until the end of the 14th century, people on Okinawa are believed to have grown only one crop of rice a year, avoiding the dangerous typhoon season; however, from the 1400s onwards, they began to grow two crops a year. This rice would have been primarily standard Japanese rice (''Oryza japonica''), which was introduced into the islands around the year 800.

Fifteenth century Korean records indicate that dry-land rice cultivation was common in the Ryukyus at that time; archaeological finds suggest that rice was the chief crop in northern Okinawa and the Amamis, while in central and southern Okinawa, barley and wheat were more common. Up until the end of the 14th century, people on Okinawa are believed to have grown only one crop of rice a year, avoiding the dangerous typhoon season; however, from the 1400s onwards, they began to grow two crops a year. This rice would have been primarily standard Japanese rice (''Oryza japonica''), which was introduced into the islands around the year 800.