The Aji of the Gusuku Period
s agriculture flourished and people gradually began to live inland, various forms of communal labor within and outside of villages became necessary. A person was needed to unite these large, community-based groups. This led to the appearance of the “Aji,” a leader and ruler for the people in various regions.
The local Aji built castles called “Gusuku” and used them as their base. During this era, trade centered around China’s Song Dynasty was flourishing in East Asia, and many merchants came to the Ryukyu Islands. The Aji who became central to this trade are thought to have accumulated wealth and military power, expanding their influence by fighting with neighboring Aji.
An Aji who built a large Gusuku and subjugated many other Aji was called a “King.” Following a period of conflict among these Aji, many were brought together into three countries in the 14th century, and Okinawa Main Island was divided into three spheres of influence known as Hokuzan (Sanboku), Chūzan, and Nanzan (Sanzan).
Into the “Sanzan Period”: An Era of Conflict Among Three Small Nations.
Entering the 14th century, Okinawa Main Island was plunged into the “Sanzan Period,” an era of conflict among three small nations. This period saw the formation of the Hokuzan Kingdom, based at Nakijin Gusuku; the Chūzan Kingdom, based at Urasoe Gusuku; and the Nanzan Kingdom, based at Shimajiri Ōzato Gusuku (also known as Shimazoe Ōzato Gusuku).
Even today, Okinawa Main Island is talked about in three distinct regions—the northern region (Kunigami), the central region (Nakagami), and the southern region (Shimajiri)—which is said to be a remnant of this Three Kingdoms period.
| Kingdom | Major Gusuku | 支配地域 |
|---|---|---|
| Hokuzan Kingdom (Sanboku) | Nakijin | Northern Okinawa Main Island |
| Chūzan Kingdom | Urasoe, Shuri | Central Okinawa Main Island |
| Nanzan Kingdom (Sanzan) | Ōzato, Tamagusuku, and Itokazu | Southern Okinawa Main Island |
The Aji who governed these three kingdoms claimed the title of “King” and exercised political and military authority within their territories. However, it seems that power struggles frequently occurred even among the Aji within those small nations.
Unification of the Three Kingdoms, Leading to the Ryukyu Kingdom.
In the 15th century, Shishō, the Aji of Sashiki (based at Sashiki Ue Gusuku) who was under the rule of the Nanzan Kingdom, and his son Shō Hashi, attacked Urasoe Gusuku in 1406, defeated King Bun’ei of Chūzan, and took control of the Chūzan Kingdom.
Immediately after Shishō became the King of Chūzan, Shō Hashi moved the kingdom’s base from Urasoe Gusuku to Shuri Gusuku (Shuri Castle) and developed it as his royal residence, laying the foundation for the later Ryukyu Kingdom.
Afterward, in 1416, Shō Hashi sent a large army to Nakijin Gusuku, the base of the Hokuzan Kingdom, and defeated King Han’anchi. At this point, the unification of the three kingdoms left only the Nanzan Kingdom remaining.
Following the death of Shishō in 1421, Shō Hashi succeeded him as the second king of the First Shō Dynasty. In 1429, he attacked the Nanzan Kingdom’s base at Shimajiri Ōzato Gusuku, defeated King Tarumii, and the unified state known as the Ryukyu Kingdom was born.
The royal line of the Shō clan that unified the land is referred to as the “First Shō Dynasty.”
References
- Arashiro, T. (2014). Kyōyō Kōza Ryukyu-Okinawa-shi (Kaiteiban) [General Education Course: The History of Ryukyu and Okinawa (Revised Edition)]. Henshū Kōbō Tōyō Kikaku.
- JCC Publishing Department. (2011). E de Wakaru Ryukyu Ōkoku: Rekishi to Jinbutsu [The Ryukyu Kingdom Explained with Illustrations: History and People]. JCC Publishing.
- Shuri Castle Research Group. (2016). Shuri-jō Handbook [Shuri Castle Handbook]. Shuri Castle Park Friendship Association.
- Takara, K. (1993). Ryukyu Ōkoku [The Ryukyu Kingdom]. Iwanami Shinsho.
