Nanzan
Encyclopedia
Nanzan sometimes called Sannan (山南), was one of three kingdoms which controlled Okinawa in the 14th century. Okinawa, previously controlled by a number of local chieftains or lords, loosely bound by a paramount chieftain or king of the entire island, split into these three more solidly defined kingdoms within a few years after 1314; the Sanzan period
thus began, and would end roughly one hundred years later, when Chūzan
's King Shō Hashi
conquered Hokuzan
in 1419 and Nanzan in 1429.
inherited the role of head chieftain of all of Okinawa from his father Eiji; he did not have the charisma or leadership qualities to command the loyalty of all the local lords, and so the Lord of Ozato
, one of many powerful local chieftains, fled south from his home in Urasoe
, with a number of lesser chieftains loyal to him, and established himself in Ozato gusuku near the town of Itoman
. Another powerful chieftain fled north and established the kingdom of Hokuzan, leaving Tamagusuku in control only of the central part of the island, which thus became the kingdom of Chūzan.
Nanzan, like the two kingdoms with which it shared the tiny island of Okinawa, consisted of a minuscule territory, and correspondingly limited resources. Nevertheless, the kingdom survived for roughly a century, benefiting from sea trade, and from the advantageous location of Ozato castle, situated atop tall bluffs, with an inlet from the sea and its own dedicated dock. Though its ports were not nearly as active as Naha, the chief port of Chūzan, the kingdom enjoyed its share of trade with Southeast Asia, China, and other nearby powers. Chūzan entered a tributary relationship
with Ming Dynasty
China
in 1372. Nanzan was granted similar commercial status shortly afterwards, along with Hokuzan, but was restricted to sending only one ship per tribute mission. Over roughly the next thirty years, nineteen tribute missions were sent from Nanzan to China; Hokuzan sent nine and Chūzan sent fifty-two. Though these missions were meant to be limited to formal trade between the governments of Okinawa and China, it was not unknown for Nanzan officials, like those from the other two kingdoms, to engage in private trade and smuggling. Around 1381, a Nanzan envoy was severely reprimanded for bringing silver into China with which he intended to purchase porcelains for his own personal material gain.
It is believed that, for a time, there may have been two lords vying for control of Nanzan. Ofusato
, the first lord of Nanzan, presented himself to the Chinese Imperial Court in 1388, and died while in Korea
, ten years later. Theories abound about whether the process of succession in Nanzan was a natural, peaceful one, or whether each successive king achieved his position by rising up again, and killing, his predecessor. As a result, the true lineage is also obscured.
In the 1390s, the kings of all three kingdoms died within a few years, and succession disputes erupted across the island; similar events occurred in Nanking at the same time, with the death of the Hongwu Emperor
in 1398. When the Lord of Nanzan, Ofusato, died that same year, his brother Yafuso seized power, and sought formal recognition from China. Previously, China had only ever recognized one head of state on Okinawa, but now all three kingdoms sent envoys and vied for the prestige, wealth, and power that would come with China's favor; no response came from China for eleven years. In 1406, Bunei
, King of Chūzan, was formally invested by representatives of the Ming Court in his position; Taromai
, king of Nanzan, received this honor in 1415, but quarrels within his royal court prevented Nanzan from ever gaining power.
Following Taromai's death in the late 1420s, succession disputes further weakened Nanzan. Shō Hashi
, lord of Chūzan, who had conquered Hokuzan ten years earlier, now seized the opportunity to take Nanzan. He thus united the island of Okinawa into the Ryūkyū Kingdom
, marking the end of the independent kingdom of Nanzan.
Sanzan period
The is a period of history of the Ryūkyū Kingdom that lasted from 1322 until 1429.The early 13th century saw a growth in the construction of Gusuku by a number of powerful kings leading to the emergence of three kingdoms in the 14th century: , and...
thus began, and would end roughly one hundred years later, when Chūzan
Chuzan
Chūzan was one of three kingdoms which controlled Okinawa in the 14th century. Okinawa, previously controlled by a number of local chieftains or lords, loosely bound by a paramount chieftain or king of the entire island, split into these three more solidly defined kingdoms within a few years after...
's King Shō Hashi
Sho Hashi
Shō Hashi was the first king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom , uniting the three kingdoms of Chūzan, Hokuzan, and Nanzan by conquest...
conquered Hokuzan
Hokuzan
Hokuzan was one of three kingdoms which controlled Okinawa in the 14th century. Okinawa, previously controlled by a number of local chieftains or lords, loosely bound by a paramount chieftain or king of the entire island, split into these three more solidly defined kingdoms within a few years...
in 1419 and Nanzan in 1429.
History
Nanzan first came into being in 1314 when TamagusukuTamagusuku
was a king of the Ryūkyū Islands.Tamgusuku was a "king" of the Okinawan kingdom of Chūzan from roughly 1314-1336.He was the third son of Eiji , he was the fourth ruler of the lineage of Eiso was a king of the Ryūkyū Islands.Tamgusuku was a "king" of the Okinawan kingdom of Chūzan from roughly...
inherited the role of head chieftain of all of Okinawa from his father Eiji; he did not have the charisma or leadership qualities to command the loyalty of all the local lords, and so the Lord of Ozato
Ozato, Okinawa
was a village located in Shimajiri District, Okinawa, Japan.On January 1, 2006 Ōzato was merged with the town of Sashiki, and the villages of Chinen and Tamagusuku, all from Shimajiri District, to form the new city of Nanjō....
, one of many powerful local chieftains, fled south from his home in Urasoe
Urasoe, Okinawa
is a city located in Okinawa, Japan. The neighboring municipalities are Naha to the south, Ginowan to the north, and Nishihara to the east.Urasoe was the original capital of the Okinawan kingdom of Chūzan for several centuries until it was supplanted by Shuri in the late 14th or early 15th century...
, with a number of lesser chieftains loyal to him, and established himself in Ozato gusuku near the town of Itoman
Itoman, Okinawa
is a city located in Okinawa, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 56,953 and the density of 1,220 persons per km². The total area is 46.63 km².The city was founded on December 1, 1971.-External links:...
. Another powerful chieftain fled north and established the kingdom of Hokuzan, leaving Tamagusuku in control only of the central part of the island, which thus became the kingdom of Chūzan.
Nanzan, like the two kingdoms with which it shared the tiny island of Okinawa, consisted of a minuscule territory, and correspondingly limited resources. Nevertheless, the kingdom survived for roughly a century, benefiting from sea trade, and from the advantageous location of Ozato castle, situated atop tall bluffs, with an inlet from the sea and its own dedicated dock. Though its ports were not nearly as active as Naha, the chief port of Chūzan, the kingdom enjoyed its share of trade with Southeast Asia, China, and other nearby powers. Chūzan entered a tributary relationship
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
with Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1372. Nanzan was granted similar commercial status shortly afterwards, along with Hokuzan, but was restricted to sending only one ship per tribute mission. Over roughly the next thirty years, nineteen tribute missions were sent from Nanzan to China; Hokuzan sent nine and Chūzan sent fifty-two. Though these missions were meant to be limited to formal trade between the governments of Okinawa and China, it was not unknown for Nanzan officials, like those from the other two kingdoms, to engage in private trade and smuggling. Around 1381, a Nanzan envoy was severely reprimanded for bringing silver into China with which he intended to purchase porcelains for his own personal material gain.
It is believed that, for a time, there may have been two lords vying for control of Nanzan. Ofusato
Ofusato
Ofusato was the first king of Nanzan, a kingdom in the southernmost end of Okinawa.He presented himself to the Chinese imperial court for recognition in 1388. After Ofusato died while in Korea, his brother Yafuso seized power and sought formal recognition from China....
, the first lord of Nanzan, presented himself to the Chinese Imperial Court in 1388, and died while in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, ten years later. Theories abound about whether the process of succession in Nanzan was a natural, peaceful one, or whether each successive king achieved his position by rising up again, and killing, his predecessor. As a result, the true lineage is also obscured.
In the 1390s, the kings of all three kingdoms died within a few years, and succession disputes erupted across the island; similar events occurred in Nanking at the same time, with the death of the Hongwu Emperor
Hongwu Emperor
The Hongwu Emperor , known variably by his given name Zhu Yuanzhang and by his temple name Taizu of Ming , was the founder and first emperor of the Ming Dynasty of China...
in 1398. When the Lord of Nanzan, Ofusato, died that same year, his brother Yafuso seized power, and sought formal recognition from China. Previously, China had only ever recognized one head of state on Okinawa, but now all three kingdoms sent envoys and vied for the prestige, wealth, and power that would come with China's favor; no response came from China for eleven years. In 1406, Bunei
Bunei (Ryukyu)
Bunei , also known as Wuning, was the last king of Chūzan, one of three kingdoms on the island of Okinawa, before it was united into the Ryūkyū Kingdom by Shō Hashi.Bunei inherited the throne upon the death of his father, King Satto...
, King of Chūzan, was formally invested by representatives of the Ming Court in his position; Taromai
Taromai
' was the last king of the Okinawan kingdom of Nanzan.The details of Taromai's birth are not known for sure, and a number of theories exist...
, king of Nanzan, received this honor in 1415, but quarrels within his royal court prevented Nanzan from ever gaining power.
Following Taromai's death in the late 1420s, succession disputes further weakened Nanzan. Shō Hashi
Sho Hashi
Shō Hashi was the first king of the Ryūkyū Kingdom , uniting the three kingdoms of Chūzan, Hokuzan, and Nanzan by conquest...
, lord of Chūzan, who had conquered Hokuzan ten years earlier, now seized the opportunity to take Nanzan. He thus united the island of Okinawa into the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...
, marking the end of the independent kingdom of Nanzan.
| Name | Kanji Kanji Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet... | Reign | Line or Dynasty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofusato Ofusato Ofusato was the first king of Nanzan, a kingdom in the southernmost end of Okinawa.He presented himself to the Chinese imperial court for recognition in 1388. After Ofusato died while in Korea, his brother Yafuso seized power and sought formal recognition from China.... |
承察度 | 1337?-1396? | Ozato Line | Ofusato Lord of Ozato established Nanzan Kingdom |
| Oueishi | 汪英紫 | 1388-1402 | Ozato Line | Ofusato's uncle |
| Ououso | 汪応祖 | 1403?-1413 | Ozato Line | Oueishi's second son |
| Tafuchi | 達勃期 | 1413?-1414? | Ozato Line | Oueishi's eldest son |
| Taromai Taromai ' was the last king of the Okinawan kingdom of Nanzan.The details of Taromai's birth are not known for sure, and a number of theories exist... |
他魯毎 | 1415?-1429 | Ozato Line | Ououso's eldest son; last king of Nanzan |