Ryukyu Chronology
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Western Calendar | Ryukyu King | Japanese Calendar | Chinese Calendar | Entry | Japanese Era | Chinese Era |
1187 | Shunten 1 | Bunji 3 | Chunxi 14 | Shunten kills Riyu and becomes the first king of Ryukyu. He establishes the Chuzan Kingdom and has the Kuniden built. | Heian | Southern Song |
1260 | Eiso 1 | Bun-o [?] 1 | Jingding 1 | Eiso takes the throne. He initially uses Iso Castle as a residence but later moves to Urasoe Castle. | 1192 Kamakura begins | Southern Song |
1265 | Eiso 6 | Bun-ei 1 | Xianchun 1 | The Buddhist monk Zenkan visits, and King Eiso founds Gokurakuji Temple in Urasoe, marking the beginning of Buddhism in Ryukyu. | Kamakura | 1271 Yuan begins. |
1299 | Eiso 40 | Shoan 1 | Dade 3 | King Eiso dies and is buried at Gokurakuji Temple in Urasoe. | 1366 Namboku begins | Yuan |
1350 | Satto 1 | Kanno 1 | Zhizheng 10 | King Satto takes the throne. | Namboku | 1368 Ming |
1372 | Satto 23 | Oan 5 Bunchu 1 | Hongwu 5 | Ming Emperor Hongwu sends an official seal to Ryukyu accepting it as a tributary state. King Satto dispatches his younger brother to China as an envoy. | Namboku | Ming |
1392 | Satto 43 | Genchu 9 | Hongwu 25 | King Satto builds a lookout tower. Ming Emperor Hongwu bestows 36 surnames (later known as “Kumemura samurai”). | 1392 Muromachi begins. | Ming |
1406 | Sho Shisho 1 | Oei 13 | Yongle 4 | Sho Shisho takes the throne, beginning the First Sho Dynasty. | Muromachi | Ming |
1420 | Sho Shisho 15 | Oei 27 | Yongle 4 | Lord Gosamaru builds Zakimi Castle and moves there from Yamada Castle. | Muromachi | Ming |
1427 | Sho Hashi 6 | Oei 34 | Xuande 2 | Oldest surviving written text in Okinawa, a stone inscription on a monument known as “Ankokuzan juboku no kihi,” dates from this year. | Muromachi | Ming |
1428 | Sho Hashi 7 | Shocho 1 | Xuande 3 | Chuzan Gate constructed. | Muromachi | Ming |
1429 | Sho Hashi 8 | Eikyo 1 | Xuande 4 | Sho Hashi unifies the Three Kingdoms (Sanzan, or “Three Mountains”). | Muromachi | Ming |
1433 | Sho Hashi 12 | Eikyo 5 | Xuande 8 | Saizan, an envoy from the Ming Emperor, arrives to initiate trade with Japan. | Muromachi | Ming |
1440 | Sho Chu 1 | Eikyo 12 | Zhengtong 5 | Lord Gosamaru expands Nakagusuku Castle and constructs the outer ward. | Muromachi | Ming |
1451 | Sho Kinpuku 2 | Kyotoku 3 | Jingtai 2 | Chokotei road is built. Chojuji Temple is built. Okigu and Sueyoshigu shrines are erected, and Amaterasu is enshrined. | Muromachi | Ming |
1450 | Sho Taikyu 1 | Kyotoku [?] 3 | Jingtai 5 | Shuri Castle is burned in the Shiro-Furi rebellion. [when was Shuri Castle built?] | Muromachi | Ming |
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1458 | Sho Taikyu 5 | Choroku[?] 2 | Tianshun 2 | Bell known as “Bankoku shinryō no kane” (Bridge of Nations Bell) is hung in the Main Hall (Seiden) of [reconstructed? was burned in 1450] Shuri Castle. | Muromachi | Ming |
1459 | Sho Taikyu 6 | Choroku[?] 3 | Tianshun 3 | Rinzai Buddhist temple Tenkaiji founded. | Muromachi | Ming |
1470 | Sho En 1 | Bunmei 2 | Chenghua 6 | King Sho En takes the throne, beginning the Second Sho Dynasty. | Muromachi | Ming |
1475 | Sho En 6 | Bunmei 7 | Chenghua 11 | King Sho En establishes Sogenji Temple. Tennoji and Ryufukuji (originally Gokurakuji) are also established. | Muromachi | Ming |
1492 | Sho Shin 16 | Meio 1 | Hongzhi 5 | Three years after King Sho Shin established Enkakuji Temple, priests from Nanzenji (Kyoto) are invited to visit. | Muromachi | Ming |
1501 | Sho Shin 25 | Bunki 1 | Hongzhi 14 | King Sho Shin constructs Tamaudun Royal Mausoleum. | Muromachi | Ming |
1502 | Sho Shin 26 | Bunki 2 | Hongzhi 15 | Benzaitendo hall [temple? described as "monument" below] and Tennyo Bridge are built. | Muromachi | Ming |
1519 | Sho Shin 43 | Eisho 16 | Jiajing 14 | Sonohyan-utaki and Bengatake (Bin nu Utaki) stone gates are built. | Muromachi | Ming |
1522 | Sho Shin 46 | Daiei 2 | Jiajing 1 | Madan Bridge is built. | Muromachi | Ming |
1547 | Sho Sei 21 | Tenbun 16 | Jiajing 26 | Shureimon Gate at Shuri Castle erected by this time. | Muromachi | Ming |
1554 | Sho Sei 28 | Tenbun 23 | Jiajing 33 | Miigusuku Castle is built in the northern Naha port; prior to this, Yarazamui Castle was built in the south. | Muromachi | Ming |
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1609 | Sho Nei 21 | Keicho 14 | Wanli 37 | Satsuma domain (Shimazu) of Kyushu, Japan, invades the Ryukyus. Nakijin Castle is captured, and Benzaitendo and other monuments in Shuri are burned. | 1603 Edo begins | Ming |
1620 | Sho Nei 32 | Genna 6 | Wanli 48 | King Sho Nei dies and is buried at Gokurakusan in Urasoe. | Edo | Ming |
1624 | Sho Ho 4 | Kanei 1 | Tianqi 4 | Yamakawa Mausoleum (Yamakawa Tamaudun) is built. | Edo | Ming |
1639 | Sho Ho 19 | Kanei 16 | Chongzhen 12 | Nakagusuku Palace is built. | Edo | 1639 Qing |
1660 | Sho Shitsu 13 | Manji 3 | Shunzhi 17 | Main Hall (Seiden) of Shuri Castle burns down. | Edo | Qing |
1661 | Sho Shitsu 14 | Kanbun 1 | Shunzhi 18 | Jionji Bridge is relocated to the road along the northern edge of the Ryutan pond and renamed the Yomochi Bridge. | Edo | Qing |
1671 | Sho Shitsu 3 | Kanei 11 | Kangxi 10 | Main Hall (Seiden) of Shuri Castle rebuilt with a tile roof. | Edo | Qing |
1674 | Sho Tei 6 | Enpo 2 | Kangxi 13 | Confucian temple (Shiseibyo) built in Kume Village. | Edo | Qing |
1677 | Sho Tei 9 | Enpo 5 | Kangxi 16 | Toen, also known as Uchaya Udun, is built. Bridge at Kanagushiku rebuilt in stone. | Edo | Qing |
1682 | Sho Tei 14 | Tenna 2 | Kangxi 21 | Sogenji Temple is given a tile roof. Ceramic pottery is introduced to Tsuboya, and the Chibana, Shuri Takarakuchi and Wakuta kilns are established. Dragon pillars are erected in front of the Main Hall (Seiden) of Shuri Castle. | Edo | Qing |
1687 | Sho Tei 19 | Jokyo 4 | Kangxi 26 | Izena Mausoleum (Izena Tamaudun) is renovated. | Edo | Qing |
1708 | Sho Tei 40 | Hoei 5 | Kangxi 47 | Madan Bridge is rebuilt in stone. | Edo | Qing |
1709 | Sho Tei 41 | Hoei 6 | Kangxi 48 | Fire destroys Southern Hall and Northern Hall of Shuri Castle. | Edo | Qing |
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1712 | Sho Eki 3 | Shotoku 2 | Kangxi 51 | Shuri Castle is rebuilt. | Edo | Qing |
1713 | Sho Kei 1 | Shotoku 3 | Kangxi 52 | [Seigitaifu no Mobuntetsu Uji no Saion] examines the feng-shui of Shuri Castle, Sogenji Temple, and the Tamaudun Mausoleum. | Edo | Qing |
1738 | Sho Kei 26 | Genbun 3 | Qianlong 3 | Bamboo fence erected around Tamaudun Mausoleum. | Edo | Qing |
1748 | Sho Kei 36 | Kan-en 1 | Ubanju guardhouses first erected to the east and west of the central gate of Tamaudun Royal Mausoleum. | Edo | Qing | |
1799 | Sho On 5 | Kansei 10 | Jiaqing 3 | Shikina’en Royal Garden constructed. | Edo | Qing |
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1837 | Sho Iku 3 | Tenpo 8 | Daoguang 17 | Confucian temple (Shuri Seibyo) established in Shuri. | Edo | Qing |
1846 | Sho Iku 12 | Koka 3 | Daoguang 26 | Shuri Castle Main Hall (Seiden) extensively repaired. | Edo | Qing |
1868 | Sho tai 21 | Meiji 1 | Tongzhi 7 | After a geomancer is sent to China to learn how the Tamaudun Royal Mausoleum should be repaired, repairs are made to various parts of the mausoleum. | 1868 Meiji begins | Qing |
1875 | Sho tai 28 | Meiji 8 | Guangxu 1 | Nakagusuku Palace moved to Ufuchun-Mura. | Meiji | Qing |
1879 | Sho tai 32 | Meiji 12 | Guangxu 5 | Meiji government of Japan abolishes the Ryukyu domain it had established in 1872 and establishes Okinawa Prefecture. | Meiji | Qing |