Changes

The government of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] was patterned after that of [[Ming Dynasty]] China, with the king at the top, followed by several groups of top advisors who oversaw a series of bureaus and offices staffed by scholar-officials ranked into eighteen levels of [[Ryukyuan court ranks|court ranks]].

The government of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]] was patterned after that of [[Ming Dynasty]] China, with the king at the top, followed by several groups of top advisors who oversaw a series of bureaus and offices staffed by scholar-officials ranked into eighteen levels of [[Ryukyuan court ranks|court ranks]].

==History==

==Medieval Ryûkyû==

The structure and organization of government in the mature Ryûkyû Kingdom (from the 15th century onward) were largely a continuation of those from the previous century, when the Kingdom of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]] established such governmental structures based on Ming models. Over the course of the ensuing centuries, various reforms and adaptations were built atop this foundation.

The structure and organization of government in the mature Ryûkyû Kingdom (from the 15th century onward) were largely a continuation of those from the previous century, when the Kingdom of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]] established such governmental structures based on Ming models. Over the course of the ensuing centuries, various reforms and adaptations were built atop this foundation.

Initially, under Kings [[Sho Shisho|Shô Shishô]] and [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]] at the beginning of the 15th century, the top three officials were known as ''ôsô'' (王相, C: ''wáng xiāng'') or ''kokusô'' (国相, C: ''guó xiāng''), sometimes translated as "prime minister", and a pair of ''chôshi'' (長史, C: ''zhǎng shǐ'', "head officials") of the "left" and "right." The ''chôshi'' of the right also served as head of [[Kumemura]] (with the title Kumemura-okite) and oversaw the [[tribute]] trade.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii (2019), 111-112.</ref> Though ostensibly serving under the king, these Chinese-born officials exercised considerable power, especially in the realm of coordinating Ryûkyû's trade and relations otherwise with the [[Ming dynasty]] and other foreign courts, and sometimes seem to have even acted on behalf of all of Okinawa, despite the [[Sanzan period|three kingdoms]] on the island being ostensibly distinct sovereign entities. As early as the 1450s, however, these Chinese-born officials were replaced as the most prominent and influential figures in kingdom governance by individuals presented as the younger brothers of the kings, and by scholar-officials from Kumemura; it was at this time that the [[Sanshikan]] (Council of Three, the top three royal advisors and administrators) and the bureaucratic hierarchy under them, began to come into form.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 112-113.</ref>

Initially, under Kings [[Sho Shisho|Shô Shishô]] (r. [[1406]]-[[1421]]) and [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]] ([[1422]]-[[1439]]) at the beginning of the 15th century, the top three officials were known as ''ôsô'' (王相, C: ''wáng xiāng'') or ''kokusô'' (国相, C: ''guó xiāng''), sometimes translated as "prime minister", and a pair of ''chôshi'' (長史, C: ''zhǎng shǐ'', "head officials") of the "left" and "right." The ''chôshi'' of the right also served as head of [[Kumemura]] (with the title Kumemura-okite) and oversaw the [[tribute]] trade.<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii (2019), 111-112.</ref> Though ostensibly serving under the king, these Chinese-born officials exercised considerable power, especially in the realm of coordinating Ryûkyû's trade and relations otherwise with the [[Ming dynasty]] and other foreign courts, and sometimes seem to have even acted on behalf of all of Okinawa, despite the [[Sanzan period|three kingdoms]] on the island being ostensibly distinct sovereign entities. As early as the 1450s, however, these Chinese-born officials were replaced as the most prominent and influential figures in kingdom governance by individuals presented as the younger brothers of the kings, and by scholar-officials from Kumemura; it was at this time that the [[Sanshikan]] (Council of Three, the top three royal advisors and administrators) and the bureaucratic hierarchy under them, began to come into form.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 112-113.</ref>

 

 

A separate bureaucratic structure meanwhile came into existence for the priestesses and other female religious officials of the kingdom, with the ''[[kikoe-ogimi|kikôe-ôgimi]]'' (chief priestess, often the king's sister or another close relative) at the top. She oversaw three "Ôamu priestesses" (O: ''[[Oamushirare|Ufuanshitari]]'', J: ''Ôamushirare''), each of whom was associated with one of the three districts of Shuri and oversaw, in turn, a hierarchy of thirty-three priestesses known as ''kimi'', based in districts across the realm.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 164-165.</ref>

Though the kingdom was [[invasion of Ryukyu|invaded]] by [[Satsuma han|Kagoshima domain]] in [[1609]] and made a vassal to the [[Shimazu clan]] of that domain, the royal government was allowed to continue intact, maintaining its structures, practices, and administrative authority in most areas, albeit subject at times to Satsuma requests or edicts.

Though the kingdom was [[invasion of Ryukyu|invaded]] by [[Satsuma han|Kagoshima domain]] in [[1609]] and made a vassal to the [[Shimazu clan]] of that domain, the royal government was allowed to continue intact, maintaining its structures, practices, and administrative authority in most areas, albeit subject at times to Satsuma requests or edicts.

==Organization==

==Early Modern Organization==

An official known as the ''[[sessei]]'' (a position which has been compared to Prime Minister) and three known as the ''[[Sanshikan]]'' (Council of Three) were the chief royal advisors, advising the king and deciding or confirming most decisions of governance and legislation. Alongside two ministries known in Japanese as [[Moshikuchiho|Môshikuchihô]] and [[Umun bujo|Mono bugyôsho]] (O: ''Umun bujôju''), they formed the ''[[Hyojoju|Hyôjôjû]]'', the highest administrative and legislative body in the kingdom. This highest echelon of the government was also known as ''wii-nu-uza'' (J: ''ue no oza''), or "the upper seats."

An official known as the ''[[sessei]]'' (a position which has been compared to Prime Minister) and three known as the ''[[Sanshikan]]'' (Council of Three) were the chief royal advisors, advising the king and deciding or confirming most decisions of governance and legislation. Alongside two ministries known in Japanese as [[Moshikuchiho|Môshikuchihô]] and [[Umun bujo|Mono bugyôsho]] (O: ''Umun bujôju''), they formed the ''[[Hyojoju|Hyôjôjû]]'', the highest administrative and legislative body in the kingdom. This highest echelon of the government was also known as ''wii-nu-uza'' (J: ''ue no oza''), or "the upper seats."