Ebook: The Ryukyu Kingdom: cornerstone of East Asia

The Gusuku Period -- Founding of the Ming dynasty and the rise of the Ryukyu Kingdom -- Ryukyu in the East Asian trade sphere -- The Ryukyu Kingdom under the bakuhan system -- Reform and sinification of the kingdom -- The Ryukyu Kingdom's tribute trade -- The imperial investiture system and the Ryukyu Kingdom -- The end of the kingdom.;This English translation of a key work by one of Okinawa's most respected historians, Mamoru Akamine, provides a compelling new picture of the role played by the Ryukyu Kingdom in the history of East Asia.