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The royal lineage of King Satto, whose power was centered in Shuri, goes on with his heir, Bunei, taking the throne. He, however, was overthrown by Sho Hashi, a powerful leader from Sashiki, one of the districts in the south.
After Sho Hashi takes control of Chuzan (central fiefdom), the most powerful amongst the three, in 1406, he appoints his father, Sho Shisho, king. He seizes both the northern and southern fiefdoms by 1429, and thus was one step closer to the realization of a unified country. Sho Shisho and Sho Hashi receive envoys from the Ming dynasty in 1407 and 1430, respectively.
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| Drawing of the Sapposhi procession / Okinawa Prefectural Museum |
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| Shuri Castle Seiden(Main hall) |
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| Shuri Castle Hokuden(North Hall) |
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However, signs of unrest appear less than 30 years after unification. Various rebellions break out and the Sho clan royal lineage that lasted for seven generations ends when "Kanamaru," an attendant to the king, renames himself "Sho En" and takes the throne after the death of the seventh king in 1470. This was the start of the second Sho dynasty.
The second Sho lineage was stable and a power-centralized country is realized. This was also the era in which royal culture started to bloom. A unique Ryukyuan culture blossomed from the influences of Japan and China brought about by trade.
This was the time when Enkakuji temple, Benzaitendo temple and Sonohiyan Utaki shrine were constructed one-after-another. In 1508, dragon pillars were built in the main hall of Shuri Castle, and the north hall was built in order to accommodate the Chinese envoys, thus completing the royal castle.
Editing the "Omoro" also began in 1532, and a materialistically and spiritually prosperous era unprecedented in Okinawan history unfolded.
It is needless to say that since then, trade with the Ming dynasty and Japan also became a means of defense. In other words, the relationships with Japan and China were also the lifeline for the existence of the Ryukyu Kingdom. |
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