Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. Author’s Note vii
4. Translators’ Note and Acknowledgments ix
5. Introduction. What Do We Mean by the “Ryukyu Kingdom”? 1
6. 1. The Gusuku Period 10
7. 2. Founding of the Ming Dynasty and the Rise of the Ryukyu Kingdom 20
8. 3. Ryukyu in the East Asian Trade Sphere 32
9. 4. The Ryukyu Kingdom under the Bakuhan System 58
10. 5. Reform and Sinification of the Kingdom 79
11. 6. The Ryukyu Kingdom’s Tribute Trade 100
12. 7. The Imperial Investiture System and the Ryukyu Kingdom 127
13. 8. The End of the Kingdom 142
14. Afterword. Traces of the Ryukyu Kingdom 163
15. Notes 167
16. Bibliography 181
17. Index 191
18. About the Author 201