The Paper's reporter Huang Song compiled
When you think of Okinawa, people think of the sea. The original name of Okinawa was Ryukyu, and the name Ryukyu was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty.
The Surging News has learned that the Tokyo National Museum recently launched a special exhibition "Ryukyu", which focuses on the Ryukyu Kingdom established in the second half of the 15th century. Focus on the formation of its unique history and culture, and how it continues and inherits its traditions after experiencing modernization. This also makes the Chinese people look at it, and they can't help but feel that the topic is heavy and the mood is complicated.
Located on the eastern outskirts of the East China Sea, the Ryukyu Islands have a total length of more than 1,000 kilometers from north to south, and historically, the Ryukyu Islands have long been a vassal state of China.
After the end of World War II, it was under the jurisdiction of Japan, a country defeated in World War II, but some areas were still exercised by the United States, and the US military later handed over the Ryukyu Islands to The Japanese Trusteeship, and the Ryukyu people gathered to protest the US military's denial of their right to independence and self-determination. Historically, due to the large number of immigrants from southern Fujian in China, their customs and habits were quite different from Japanese culture. Ryukyu has always been a vassal state of China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Maintain close cultural exchanges and overseas trade with China, Japan, North Korea and Southeast Asian countries.
Shurijo Castle Map, 2nd Shoji Era (19th Century); depicts Shurijo Castle in the first half of the 19th century, and is a precious drawing that reflects the style of Shurijo Castle in the Kingdom Era.
Plaque of the former Ryukyu Shurijo Castle
In fact, until 1919, when Xu Shichang, then president of the Republic of China, organized a collection of Qing poems, The Collection of Late Qing poetry (compiled in 1929), he still included the poems of Ryukyu poets as "national" works in the last volume.
In 1925, the poet Wen Yiduo published "The Song of the Seven Sons", which compared the seven places of Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Weihaiwei (present-day Weihai, Shandong), Guangzhou Bay (present-day Zhanjiang, Guangdong), Kowloon, and Dalian, which were then forcibly occupied by the great powers, to seven sons who left their mother's arms.
In the section "Taiwan" he writes about Ryukyu:
"We are a string of pearls from the East China Sea,
Ryukyu is my brother, I am Taiwan.
I still have the heroic soul of the Zheng clan in my chest,
The red blood of jingzhong stained my family heirloom. ......”
Today's Ryukyu (Okinawa) is administratively administered by Japan, speaking Japanese and writing in Japanese.
Exhibition site
The Tokyo National Museum has a large collection of Ryukyu artifacts (including collections purchased from Okinawa during the Meiji period and later donated in Japan), and the special exhibition "Ryukyu" is based on the "Sea Way" exhibition held in 1992 to showcase the sparkling Ryukyu culture on a larger scale.
Preparations for the exhibition lasted five years, during which Shurijo Castle in Okinawa burned down on October 31, 2019, and the COVID-19 pandemic has also prevented the work from going as expected, and the exhibition was held as scheduled under the coordination of various staff. The exhibition tells the history that is not discussed in depth in textbooks, but uses the cultural relics of Ryukyu and Okinawa and its revival process to reveal the significance of the formation and inheritance of the Ryukyu Kingdom and its unique culture.
Wonders of the Ryukyu Kingdom, Edo Period (19th Century), Tokyo National Museum Collection
Ryukyu as the "Wanguo Jinliang"
After the 12th century, the Ryukyu Kingdom entered the Imperial Castle Era, which was dominated by farming culture, and formed a cultural belt. At the beginning of the 15th century, King Bazhi unified Ryukyu, was given the surname Shang by the Ming Dynasty of China, began to build Shuri Castle, and carried out frequent commercial exchanges with China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula and Southeast Asia, as a trade transit point connecting all parts of Asia, the Ryukyu Kingdom was the most powerful at the end of the 15th century, and King Shangzhen wang believed in Buddhism, devoted himself to the development of trade and cultural revitalization. In Naha, the port city of the Ryukyu Kingdom, it is full of objects from various countries, showing the prosperity of Ryukyu as a bridge to Asia.
The exhibition opens with the "Wanguo Jinliang" (a bridge connecting many Asian countries), and one of the large bronze bells with an inscription on it claims that the Ryukyu Kingdom connected all parts of Asia through ship trading, and it is said that this Bell once hung in the main hall of Shurijo Castle.
Bronze Bell of the Main Hall of the Old Shurijo Castle (The Bell of wanguojin Liang), Fujiwaragi Kunisaku, 1st Shogun Dynasty Tenshun 2nd Year (1458), Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum Collection
Specific to the exhibits, there is an ancient song and ballad "Amoro" circulating in the Ryukyu Islands, whose themes involve faith, sacrifice, castle building, shipbuilding, trade, navigation, taxation, island rule and other aspects.
In the exhibition, a pair of three-colored pottery from China are in a cute state, with duck-shaped water injections showing feather details and the body embellished with yellow and green glaze; and crane-shaped water injections fired in Fujian at the end of the Ming Dynasty. They were brought to Ryukyu through trade in the 16th century. Crane-shaped water injections have been excavated in Shurijo Castle in large quantities, which shows the Ryukyu people's preference for Chinese pottery, and some studies believe that it was given to Noro (the woman in charge of village sacrifices) by the Shuritsu imperial court.
Sancai duck-shaped and crane-shaped pottery water injection, Ming Dynasty (16th century)
Rich in natural resources and deep ties with East Asian countries, the Ryukyu people have created a unique history and culture. Particularly special of these is the female control of the sacrifice, which is in common with the Okinawa "Gorijin Belief" (the soul of a married man is not a wife as a partner, but a sister). Noro was the woman in charge of the village's sacrifices, appointed by the Shurikyō Clan to support the kingdom's rule religiously.
Norotu, 2nd Shoji Era (19th century), Tokyo National Museum Collection
Shingashi fan, Edo period or second Shoshi era (19th century), Tokyo National Museum collection; performing ritual sacrifices for goddesses used large-shaped fans.
The forms of life and prayer on the island of Okinawa explore the diverse cultures and regional personalities that are rooted in the land. People's aesthetic consciousness also has a deep relationship with the nature and terroir of the island. In the exhibition, a butterfly coat shows the cultural characteristics of tropical islands. At the same time, it can also be seen that it originated from the Chinese mainland - in China and other places, there is also a tradition of sewing various printed and dyed fabrics into hundreds of garments, revealing the origins of Okinawa culture.
Butterfly Hyakugo, Edo period or second Shoshi era (19th century), Tokyo National Museum collection, butterfly in Ryukyu has the meaning of warding off evil spirits.
Diplomacy and culture
Beginning in 1470, king Shang of Ryukyu ruled Ryukyu for about 400 years. Successive kings accepted the canonization of the Ming and Qing dynasties of China and were vassal states of China.
According to the history of the Ryukyu Kingdom and various historical records, since the sixteenth year of Hongwu (1383), successive Ryukyu kings have requested the Chinese emperor to be canonized and formally determine the relationship between kings and subjects. This relationship lasted for five centuries, and even in the fourteenth year of Keicho(1609), the Shimazu clan of the Satsuma Domain (present-day Kagoshima Prefecture) invaded Ryukyu, and the Ryukyu Kingdom remained unchanged under satsuma's constraints. In the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu (1392), Zhu Yuanzhang "gave the Min people thirty-six surnames" into Liu. These Chinese immigrants mainly taught Ryukyu advanced Chinese production technology and culture. The Ryukyu Kingdom also took the initiative to ask for the granting of people, such as in 1606, when king Shangning was canonized, he asked the ming people to be naturalized. For example, the Cai family who went from China is a descendant of Cai Xiang, and the Lin family is a descendant of the Lin hejing family. At the same time, the Ryukyu King often sent his sons to study in China.
From the fifth year of Ming Hongwu (1372), the Ryukyu Kingdom has been using the Chinese era name, adhering to the Chinese Zhengshuo. (Until the fifth year of the Qing Dynasty (1879), Japan forcibly "abolished Ryukyu Prefecture") The official documents, diplomatic treaties, and history of the Ryukyu Kingdom were written in Chinese. Even the palace of Shurijo Castle, the capital of the country, does not sit north and faces south, but faces the west, fully expressing its admiration for China. The Ryukyuans also did business with the Japanese, but whenever a Chinese envoy came to Ryukyu, they would ban kana, waka, and Kanaga Tongbao (Japanese yen) and wear Tang costumes instead. Ryukyu also cooperated with China's resistance to the Wu, and it is recorded in the History of the Ming Dynasty, such as the thirty-sixth year of Jiajing (1557), "First, the Wokou returned from Zhejiang and arrived in the Ryukyu Realm. Shizi Shangyuan sent troops to attack, annihilated them, and obtained six Chinese plunderers, and returned them. ”
Goten Unryu Golden Hairpin, held by the High Lord of smell in the 2nd Shogunate era (15th-16th centuries), the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum, which is said to be the highest status of the goddess who prays for the abundance of grain and the peace of the royal palace. The shape of the golden hairpin hemisphere is metaphorically referred to as the "sun", and it is delicately carved with water dragon patterns.
Akachi Ruiyun pattern satin dragon robe, Second Shoji Era (18th-19th century), Collection of the Naha City Museum of History in Okinawa, National Treasure; Ceremonial Dress (Winter Tunic) worn for important national ceremonies, using brocade given to Ryukyu by the Qing Emperor, wide sleeves retain the tradition of Ming Dynasty dresses, and the draped collar is the style of Ryukyu clothing.
Red orb Ruiyun pattern jacket, second Shon era (18th-19th century), Okinawa Naha City History Museum collection, national treasure; royal boy's clothes, on which the jewel double dragon pattern symbolizes the royal family. This jacket uses the Ryukyu unique weaving and dyeing process, the "Red Type", which dyes the pattern into bright colors through paper molds, which is particularly dazzling in the dazzling southern sun.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, Ryukyu frequently sent emissaries to China, and in Fuzhou there was also a special "Rouyuan Station" for envoys to stay and rest in China, commonly known as "Ryukyu Hall" (a memorial hall was now built on the ruins). China also often had canonized envoys come to Ryukyu, and a large number of its people came from Fujian.
Yamaguchi Zongji (Wu Shiqian), Floral Diagram, Second Shang Era (18th century); Yamaguchi Zongji (1672-1743) was a royal painter who studied flower and bird painting in Fujian, China. His works are said to have been introduced to Japan through Satsuma and have also received praise in Kyoto.
The foot basin of the Ryukyu landscape figure, the second Shogun period (16th-17th century), okinawa Uraso City Museum of Art collection; the Ryukyu unique shape of the foot basin. The surface of the vessel is painted with vermilion lacquer, and the carving is decorated with a deep gold technique folded into gold leaf, showing a celebrity living in the mountains and forests.
Among the royal treasures dotted in Shurijo Castle are exquisite lacquerware, dyeing fabrics, calligraphy and paintings, which will be paid tribute to the Chinese emperor, and some of which are obtained through international exchanges, all of which reflect the superb skills and aesthetic consciousness of Ryukyu craftsmen. In the Shurijo Castle complex, there are also seven inscriptions such as "Zhongshan First" written by Xu Baoguang of the Qing Dynasty. Xu Baoguang traveled to Ryukyu as an envoy and forged a deep friendship with local cultural people. This is a collection of poems that befriended the Ryukyu literati. It can be seen that in Ryukyu and Japan, the calligraphy of Chinese literati was valued.
Xu Baoguang, "Cursive Writing Five Words and Verses Axis", Qing Dynasty (18th century), Tokyo National Museum collection; Xu Baoguang, a Qing dynasty official, traveled to Ryukyu as an envoy and formed a deep friendship with local cultural people. This is a collection of poems that befriended the Ryukyu literati.
Prehistoric culture of the Ryukyu Islands
In the Ryukyu Islands, known as the South Islands, the Ryukyu Islands can be divided into two eras, the Paleolithic period and the Shell Period, before it is documented. The Shell Era gave birth to a unique "shell culture" along with the coral reef sea, where shells were processed into practical tools such as axes, or made into necklaces, bracelets and other ornaments to wear.
Sphenoid bone products, excavated from the original ruins of the village of Yomitan in Okinawa Prefecture in the late Jomon period (1000 BC - 400 BC); ornaments of Okinawa prehistoric culture, made of dugong bones, show that the people of that time took full advantage of the bounty of life of the sea.
At the beginning of the Kaizuka period, a large number of earthen artifacts were excavated in the southern part of the Ryukyu Islands. By the late Beizuka period, large remains began to appear in the coastal area, and the Discovery of the Tang Dynasty currency Kaiyuan Tongbao shows the arrival of Chinese immigrants and the great influence of the Chinese mainland on the island region.
Shell spoon, late Toyrazuka period (6th-7th century), Kagoshima Prefecture Amami City Kominato Valley ruins excavated, Kagoshima Amami City Municipal Museum collection, an important cultural property of Japan; the use of shells and other materials from the sea to make daily necessities and ornaments, is a feature of local culture. This work is made by partially breaking the shell and presenting a different luster of the nacre layer according to different degrees of grinding.
To this day, Okinawa has striven to extend its history and culture into the future. The local government has restored the handicrafts of the Kingdom era through the "Ryukyu Kingdom Cultural Heritage Integration and Revitalization Project". At the end of the exhibition, focusing on the resurrection of Shurijo Castle, we explore the revival and inheritance of Ryukyu culture.
Since 2015, the Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum has been working on the restoration of cultural heritage and its production techniques, and has completed 65 works in 8 fields, including painting, wood carving, stone carving, lacquer art, dyeing and weaving, pottery, and metalworking, with more than 100 experts and technicians involved. This exhibition introduces Okinawa's "craftsmanship" and how to bring its technology to the future.
Statue of Renwang of the old Yuanjueji Temple (contemporary replica), Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum Collection
The exhibition concludes with a focus on the preservation of Ryukyu and Okinawa culture, and the current cultural heritage of a small number of Ryukyu Kingdoms is still under restoration, reminding the world that it is a difficult journey to recover the skills and culture that were lost.
Note: This article is compiled from relevant historical materials and the Tokyo National Museum website, and the exhibition will last until June 26
Editor-in-Charge: Weihua Gu
Proofreader: Yan Zhang