Table of contents : Contents Author’s Note Translators’ Note and Acknowledgments Introduction. What Do We Mean by the “Ryukyu Kingdom”? 1. The Gusuku Period 2. Founding of the Ming Dynasty and the Rise of the Ryukyu Kingdom 3. Ryukyu in the East Asian Trade Sphere 4. The Ryukyu Kingdom under the Bakuhan System 5. Reform and Sinification of the Kingdom 6. The Ryukyu Kingdom’s Tribute Trade 7. The Imperial Investiture System and the Ryukyu Kingdom 8. The End of the Kingdom Afterword. Traces of the Ryukyu Kingdom Notes Bibliography Index About the Author