Making a Good Impression: Cultural Drama in the Ryukyu-China Relationship

The kingdom of Ryukyu existed in a potentially unstable political and diplomatic space between Japan and China. Among other functions, Ryukyu served as a conduit of information and goods from China to Japan during the early modern era (1609-1879). In this capacity, the small island kingdom was able to maintain a substantial degree of political autonomy as long as it maintained close ties to China. Impressions mattered in this context. Over time, the elite Ryukyuans who managed the relationship with China became increasingly skillful at what we might call “public relations.”