Shunten - First Recorded
Ryukyu King
Shunten was the son of legendary warrior Minamoto Tametomo. Raised by his Okinawan mother, he became lord
of Urasoe at age 15. At age 22 he became
king after leading a successful attack on the traitor Riyu who had betrayed and
poisoned the previous ruler.
King Shunten is the first recorded king of the Ryukyu Islands. Whether he was really “king” of all Okinawa
or simply a very powerful chieftain is debated among scholars.
He started a family dynasty that
would end after a series of disasters befell his grandson’s reign as
king. Up until then it was a time of
relative peace and harmony. Shunten was
a good leader. He had the loyalty of the other aji and brought peace and prosperity
to the land.
Shunten ruled until his death in 1237 at the age of 71 years. He had a
50 year reign. During his time he
did much to develop the political, economic and social lives of the Okinawan
people. His dynasty lasted only two more
generations, ending in 1259.
King Shumba-Junki – Shunten’s
Son
Upon Shunten’s death the throne passed to his son Shumba-Junki
who ruled from 1238 to his death in
1248. He was also considered a good
ruler, and the kingdom had much prosperity.
Progress for the Okinawan people continued. His reign saw the construction of Shuri
castle. He introduced the kana phonetic
system of writing. New clothing styles
and headdresses came into fashion.
Gihon – the Last of the Line
When Shumba-Junki died, he passed the throne to his son and Shunten's
grandson, Gihon. Gihon was 44 years old
in the year 1248. He was an unlucky
king.
During his reign the islands were struck with many typhoons and floods
that destroyed crops, followed by famine, and sickness. It is said that over half the population died. Distraught over the deteriorating
conditions, he appointed a regent named Eiso to manage the affairs of the country.
Finally, despondent over what had befallen the kingdom, he abdicated
and went into self-imposed exile in the wilderness. It is said that he vanished somewhere in the
hills at the remote northern tip of the island at Heda-misaki.
The regent Eiso became king in 1260 and launched the Eiso dynasty
which was to last five generations.
Meanwhile in Japan - The Shogun and Samurai Warriors
The Minamoto clan had taken
over rule of mainland Japan in 1185. The first military dictator, or Shogun, a man named Minamoto no Yoritomo, moved the capital from Kyoto to
Kamakura and continued to consolidate his power there.
The word “samurai” originally meant “one who serves”. In Japan, Yoritomo established the samurai
class as a privileged and regulated military order. The term became virtually synonymous with “bushi”
or warrior. The samurai followed a code
of conduct referred to as “bushido”. Samurai
typically fought on horseback in full armor.
Other fighting men fought on foot and had lighter armor. Zen (Chan) Buddhism
was introduced from China at this time.
It was widely accepted by the military class as a direct means to
enlightenment through self-discipline and inner control.
The evolution of “samurai” to mean only “bushi” did not happen in
Okinawa. Okinawans had warriors, but
they maintained the distinction.
And in China - The Song and Jin Dynasties and Kublai Khan
During this time China was split into the Song dynasty in the south
and the Jin Dynasty in the north. The
Song dynasty invented many things including the abacus, printing press, and
gunpowder. Arts and culture also
flourished. They were in constant
skirmishes with the Jin Dynasty. The Mongols,
led by Kublai Khan, grandson of Genghis Khan, were also a threat.
The Okinawans would have an encounter with Kublai Khan’s forces in 1272,
shortly after Eiso became king.
Next Post: Eiso
Dynasty
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