234:
29:
299:
295:, either in exile or due to being blown off-course in a storm. He greatly impressed the inhabitants, and briefly ruled over the island; the chief of Osato married his daughter to Tametomo, who bore his son Shunten around 1165. Shortly after Shunten's birth, Tametomo left his family to return to fight in Japan, where he committed suicide after his defeat in battle.
489:; he described various locations and artifactions traditionally associated with Shunten and Tametomo, arguing that the legend was kept alive through a tradition of ancestor worship, and that the Japanese origins of the kingdom justified its
366:
as regent and vanished into the forest around 1260. No historical evidence exists for
Shunten's existence. He was almost certainly a fictional ruler of Okinawa, which would not be unified until the 15th century.
717:
Itō, Yūshi (2011). "The Legend of
Minamoto no Tametomo: Controversy and Connections Between Ryūkyūan/Okinawan and Japanese Histories". In Edmond, Jacob; Johnson, Henry; Leckie, Jacqueline (eds.).
347:
Shunten was a popular and effective ruler who supported the well-being of the general populace. He reigned until his death in 1237, when he was succeeded by his son
428:
482:
375:
The
Tametomo narrative likely emerged from folk stories attested in southern and western Kyushu, spreading to Okinawa by around 1400. It appears in the
213:
folklore around 1400. It was recorded in both
Ryukyuan and Japanese histories by the 1500s and 1600s. His descent from Tametomo was used to justify the
259:) contain the most detailed account of his origins and reign. The histories claim that Shunten was born around 1165 as the son of the Japanese samurai
449:
394:
1029:
468:
393:, was descended from this dynasty. The narrative was spread back to Japan by Ryuykuan envoys in the late 1520s, including the Buddhist priest
233:
946:
186:
of Urasoe at age 15. Seven years later, he led a popular revolt against Riyū, who had usurped the throne of the ancient and mythical
325:
225:. No evidence exists to authenticate Shunten or his unification of Okinawa, which was historically unified in the 15th century.
448:
era, history textbooks reported
Tametomo's journey to Okinawa and Shunten's unification of the island as historical. Historian
1262:
324:, which was said to have ruled over the area for 17,000 years, had become decadent and was soon overthrown by his retainer
440:
popularized the
Tametomo legend throughout Japan and strongly influenced Japanese perspectives on the Ryukyus. During the
525:, writing primarily in the 1950s, rejected the historicity of Shunten, noting that he is never mentioned by name in the
881:
837:
768:
740:
537:". In 2020, Yoshinari Naoki theorized that the Shunten legend represented a memory of groups of Japanese traders on
28:
865:
821:
328:. Shunten led a popular revolt against Riyū in 1187, and became recognized as the overlord of all of Okinawa's
314:. He became recognized as a talented leader during his youth, and was chosen to succeed his grandfather as the
1252:
939:
718:
435:
332:, founding the kingdom of Chūzan and becoming the first human ruler of Okinawa. He was said to rule from
471:(1865–1939) published a scholarly critique of the narrative in 1906, describing it as a hoax created by
1257:
545:
in 1188. This date is nearly identical to the 1187 date given for
Shunten's unification of the island.
463:
supported the Shō dynasty's genealogical links to
Shunten and Tametomo in a 1904 geography textbook.
932:
1100:
390:
1247:
1242:
924:
542:
260:
238:
173:
120:
1183:
1052:
8:
381:, a collection of Okinawan folk songs and chants first compiled in the early 1500s. The
843:
799:
754:
490:
454:
406:
222:
218:
522:
268:
190:. He gained the recognition as the overlord of Okinawa chieftans in 1187, ruling from
177:
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833:
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760:
736:
724:
509:
95:
135:
869:
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791:
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476:
251:
245:
The official histories of the Ryukyu
Kingdom name Shunten as the first monarch of
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1004:
963:
472:
460:
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195:
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80:
1113:
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1080:
732:
377:
1236:
1221:
1019:
1009:
855:
811:
497:
333:
303:
280:
209:
The mythology surrounding
Shunten and Tametomo likely spread to Okinawa from
191:
1153:
445:
1070:
991:
505:
315:
276:
272:
181:
1065:
859:
847:
815:
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in 1609; Shunten's ancestry in Kyushu was used to justify the invasion by
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1143:
999:
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916:
534:
363:
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337:
298:
203:
59:
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1118:
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310:
Following Tametomo's return to Japan, Shunten and his mother settled in
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829:
420:
284:
1198:
1193:
1168:
1163:
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355:'s rule of the island would end under the reign of Shunten's grandson
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441:
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1133:
1108:
1060:
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246:
165:
40:
541:
who moved southward to Okinawa after its invasion by the forces of
105:
320:
of Urasoe when he was 15 years old. The 24th king of the divine
311:
264:
221:
in 1609; by the early 20th century, it was used to justify the
210:
599:
597:
1042:
1037:
341:
288:
954:
529:. Nakahara theorized that his name is derived from Japanese
594:
202:
disappeared into the forests and was succeed by his regent
291:. The Ryukyuan histories claim that Tametomo travelled to
168:
and human ruler of Okinawa. The official histories of the
693:
633:
389:, an early king of the unified Ryukyu Kingdom from the
681:
572:
570:
397:. He wrote down the narrative, which was spread among
176:
and a local noblewoman during his exile following the
512:, the shrine was dedicated to Minamoto, Shunten, and
669:
657:
621:
582:
555:
720:
Recentering Asia: Histories, Encounters, Identities
645:
567:
609:
1234:
415:Verses and Preface on the Chastisement of Ryukyu
263:(1139–1170). Tametomo, a historical figure from
33:19th century depiction of Shunten's enthronement
306:, traditionally ascribed as Shunten's residence
223:1879 Japanese annexation of the Ryukyu Kingdom
149:
940:
198:, which lasted until 1260, when his grandson
194:until his death in 1237. He inaugurated the
459:described it as "indisputable fact", while
947:
933:
27:
481:. This was strongly opposed by historian
172:claim that he was the son of the samurai
756:Okinawa: The History of an Island People
401:priests over the following decades. The
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232:
1235:
777:
561:
500:authorized the creation of the Shinto
928:
854:
810:
699:
687:
639:
615:
603:
576:
359:, who was said to have appointed the
749:
627:
588:
861:Early Ryukyuan History: A New Model
780:"Japan in the Life of Early Ryukyu"
716:
675:
663:
651:
336:, which was later the residence of
13:
14:
1274:
370:
164:was the legendary first king of
956:Ryūkyū Kingdom's King of Chūzan
784:The Journal of Japanese Studies
709:
1:
548:
155:
73:
1263:13th-century Ryukyuan people
228:
90:1237 (aged 70–71)
7:
866:University of Hawai'i Press
822:University of Hawai'i Press
279:after participating in the
241:, Shunten's supposed father
10:
1279:
817:Maritime Ryukyu, 1050–1650
516:, the last king of Ryukyu.
237:19th century depiction of
1207:
1099:
1051:
1028:
990:
962:
913:
903:
897:
733:10.1163/9789004212619_006
283:'s failed assault on the
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126:
116:
104:
94:
86:
69:
65:
55:
47:
38:
26:
21:
16:Legendary king of Chūzan
778:Nelson, Thomas (2006).
606:, pp. 19, 23, 191.
430:Chinsetsu Yumiharizuki
307:
242:
154:, traditionally dated
796:10.1353/jjs.2006.0058
301:
257:Reflections on Chūzan
236:
702:, pp. 111, 296.
543:Minamoto no Yoritomo
261:Minamoto no Tametomo
239:Minamoto no Tametomo
174:Minamoto no Tametomo
121:Minamoto no Tametomo
727:. pp. 85–109.
642:, pp. 154–155.
533:, meaning "flooded
1101:Second Shō dynasty
874:10.2307/jj.8441682
830:10.2307/j.ctvsrfmz
666:, pp. 98–100.
504:on the grounds of
487:Ryūkyū to Tametomo
407:invasion of Ryukyu
391:Second Shō Dynasty
308:
267:who fought in the
243:
219:Invasion of Ryukyu
1258:Founding monarchs
1230:
1229:
1053:First Shō dynasty
923:
922:
914:Succeeded by
761:Tuttle Publishing
690:, pp. 28–30.
678:, pp. 90–91.
654:, pp. 88–90.
630:, pp. 45–51.
591:, pp. 48–49.
141:
140:
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898:Preceded by
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180:. He became the
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31:
19:
18:
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1253:Kings of Ryūkyū
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964:Shunten dynasty
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491:1879 annexation
461:Shiga Shigetaka
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450:Taira Shidehara
433:
373:
353:Shunten dynasty
269:Hōgen rebellion
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196:Shunten dynasty
178:Hōgen rebellion
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111:Shunten dynasty
81:Urasoe, Okinawa
79:
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34:
17:
12:
11:
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1212:King of Ryukyu
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812:Smits, Gregory
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790:(2): 367–392.
775:
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579:, p. 153.
566:
564:, p. 374.
553:
552:
550:
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502:Okinawa Shrine
425:Takizawa Bakin
403:Satsuma Domain
372:
371:Historiography
369:
322:Tenson dynasty
287:-held city of
230:
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215:Satsuma Domain
188:Tenson dynasty
170:Ryukyu Kingdom
139:
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130:sister of the
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1030:Satto dynasty
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510:local deities
508:. In lieu of
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498:Home Ministry
496:In 1922, the
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484:
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478:Chūzan Seikan
474:
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405:launched the
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304:Urasoe Castle
302:The ruins of
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281:Minamoto clan
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992:Eiso dynasty
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864:. Honolulu:
860:
820:. Honolulu:
816:
787:
783:
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710:Bibliography
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647:
635:
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520:
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506:Shuri Castle
494:
486:
485:in his 1908
483:Kikuchi Yūhō
477:
467:
464:
429:
419:
414:
411:Nanpō Bunshi
395:Gesshū Jukei
382:
376:
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346:
329:
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277:Izu Province
273:Heian period
256:
250:
244:
208:
182:
146:
143:
142:
131:
1248:1237 deaths
1243:1166 births
1081:Shō Kinpuku
977:Shunbajunki
917:Shunbajunki
759:. Rutland:
562:Nelson 2006
453: [
434: [
385:claim that
378:Omoro sōshi
349:Shunbajunki
159: 1165
100:Shunbajunki
77: 1165
60:Shunbajunki
43:(legendary)
1237:Categories
1154:Shō Shitsu
1086:Shō Taikyū
1061:Shō Shishō
1015:Tamagusuku
911:1187–1237
848:j.ctvsrfmz
723:. Leiden:
700:Smits 2024
688:Smits 2024
640:Smits 2019
616:Smits 2019
604:Smits 2024
577:Smits 2019
549:References
521:Historian
473:Shō Shōken
469:Katō Sango
421:Edo period
1114:Shō Sen'i
1066:Shō Hashi
753:(2000) .
628:Kerr 2000
589:Kerr 2000
539:Kikaijima
423:novelist
399:Gozan Zen
229:Narrative
56:Successor
51:1187–1237
1174:Shō Boku
1119:Shō Shin
1091:Shō Toku
905:King of
858:(2024).
814:(2019).
804:25064649
676:Itō 2011
664:Itō 2011
652:Itō 2011
387:Shō Shin
39:King of
1199:Shō Tai
1194:Shō Iku
1184:Shō Sei
1169:Shō Kei
1164:Shō Eki
1159:Shō Tei
1149:Shō Ken
1139:Shō Nei
1129:Shō Gen
1124:Shō Sei
1071:Shō Chū
972:Shunten
514:Shō Tai
475:in the
413:in his
293:Okinawa
161:– 1237)
144:Shunten
22:Shunten
1189:Shō Kō
1179:Shō On
1144:Shō Hō
1134:Shō Ei
1109:Shō En
1005:Taisei
907:Chūzan
880:
846:
836:
802:
767:
739:
531:suiden
446:Taishō
351:. The
312:Urasoe
265:Kyushu
255:(lit.
249:. The
247:Chūzan
211:Kyushu
166:Chūzan
127:Mother
117:Father
41:Chūzan
1043:Bunei
1038:Satto
982:Gihon
844:JSTOR
800:JSTOR
725:Brill
535:paddy
527:Omoro
457:]
442:Meiji
438:]
383:Omoro
357:Gihon
342:Satto
289:Kyoto
285:Taira
200:Gihon
136:Ōzato
106:House
96:Issue
48:Reign
1020:Seii
1010:Eiji
1000:Eiso
878:ISBN
834:ISBN
765:ISBN
737:ISBN
444:and
364:Eiso
340:and
338:Eiso
330:anji
326:Riyū
317:anji
204:Eiso
183:anji
87:Died
70:Born
870:doi
826:doi
792:doi
729:doi
427:'s
361:aji
344:.
217:'s
134:of
132:aji
1239::
876:.
868:.
842:.
832:.
824:.
798:.
788:32
786:.
782:.
763:.
735:.
596:^
569:^
455:ja
436:ja
417:.
206:.
156:c.
151:舜天
74:c.
948:e
941:t
934:v
886:.
872::
850:.
828::
806:.
794::
773:.
745:.
731::
493:.
148:(
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