The Research On The Relationship Between China And Ryukyu In The Early Ming Period

The Early Ming was the establishing stage of the relationship between China and Ryukyu.In addition,it was also the unified period of Ryukyu Kingdom.It laid the foundation for bilateral exchanges.Moreover,it was the starting point and the premise to deeply understand the development and the evolution of the bilateral relations.When we research the relationship,should not only look at the two countries and merely unscramble the basic historical facts,but using the holistic and related perspective from the evolution of the East Asia’s geopolitical landscape.The establishment of the diplomatic relations was closely related with the domestic situation in both countries.Before the fifth year of Hong Wu,Ming had already made preparations for surrendering Ryukyu.In the second year of Hong Wu,Yang Zai had a visit to Ryukyu.After two years when Ming elucidated its foreign policies for the first time,Ryukyu was set up a typical example.Surrendering Ryukyu in the fifth year of Hong Wu had two intentions: firstly,protecting the East China Sea and distracting Japan;secondly,strengthening legitimacy.Except securing the advantage over Shan Nan and Shan Bei,gaining trade benefits,Ryukyu’s immediately paying tribute to Ming mainly aimed at intensifying royalty and consolidating national defense.Bought horses from Ryukyu by Li Hao in the seventh year of Hong Wu had close contacts with asking for horses from Tamna and tributing horses from Ryukyu.Ming deliberately urged Korea to fight against Tamna by asking for horses which was designed to search Korea’s domestic intelligence,prompt Korea to break off the relations with Bei Yuan,destroy the anti-Ming’s fortified point and push Japan to pay tribute to Ming.After hearing about this,Ryukyu misunderstood that Ming was short of horses.Then,Ryukyu actively sent messengers to Ming for acquiring ceramic and iron wok.Ming had found the close connection between Ryukyu and Tamna from Wu Zhen’s meeting pirates in Ryukyu Ocean and the initial tribute horses by Ryukyu.In order to win over Ryukyu and avoid that Ryukyu would replace Tamna to become the new anti-Ming base.The Liang Min’s visit to Ryukyu in the sixteenth year of Hong Wu was the first attempt to throw linkage effect on Korea and Japan by Zhu Yuanzhang.Rewarding the stamp didn’t signified Cefeng which was aimed at eradicating fake messengers from Ryukyu and integrating the East China Sea by working with the reward of Jinfu.Purchasing horses from Ryukyu had three goals: firstly,urge the Ryukyu’s three Kings to pay tribute to Ming;secondly,impel Korea to give up the Liang-duan diplomacy and yield to Ming;thirdly,heighten Japan’s tension by exerting linkage influence on the horses circulate in Japan.Meanwhile,frighten Japan by sending enormous naval.Exiled Di Baonu to Ryukyu in the twenty-one year of Hong Wu was the part of Ming’s policy towards Korea.Operated Tieling in the twenty year of Hong Wu was for the sake of limiting Korea’s expansion to the northeast and constraining Korea to yield to Ming.However,on account of the lack of mutual trust,Korea ultimately decided to fight against Ming.After the withdrawal of Weihua Island,Ming wanted to improve the relations with Korea.In this context,Ming had made a decision to release assuasive signal and search the domestic intelligence in Korea by exiling Di Baonu to Ryukyu.The relationship between Ming and Ryukyu in the Yong Le and Xuan De period had close connection with Japan.In the early Yong Le period,the situation in East Asia was basically stable.Ming hadn’t keep a watchful eye on Ryukyu,in contrast,Ryukyu frequently paid tribute to Ming and zealously played up to Ming.Its main performance was the tribute by Wang Yingzu that Shan Nan King’s brother and the actively horses tribute in the eighth year of Yong Le.After the middle Yong Le period,the relationship between Ming and Japan became worse,pirate’s invasion came back.In this context,Ming had twice attempt to negotiate with Japan relying on Ryukyu.Nevertheless,didn’t achieved the desired goal.Instead,it made Ryukyu interrupt tribute for three years.After the battle of Wanghaiguo,pirate’s invasion gradually disappeared,but the diplomatic relations between Ming and Japan still cut off.Entering the Xuan De period,Ming sent Chai Shan to Ryukyu three times,step by step raised a claim towards Ryukyu which helped Ming to negotiate with Japan.For its national interest,Ryukyu didn’t want to get involved and processed the incident of Balang.At last,Ming’s plan ended in failure.The relationship between Ming and Ryukyu was closely linked with the North Yuan,Korea and Japan.At that time,East Asia Sea Area was an organic whole which had the characteristics of relevance and linkage.In a manner of speaking,Ming regarded Ryukyu as the strategic support to build the regional order of the East Asia.After the Xuan De period,the relationship between Ming and Japan had become calm,pirate’s invasion gradually died down,the relationship between Ming and Korea was also basically stable.In this context,the importance of Ryukyu reduced by degrees.Ming changed the preferential policies toward Ryukyu by making excuses.Until the Jia Jing period when the relationship between Ming and Japan had deteriorated,Ryukyu was taken seriously again by Ming.