The Ryukyu State originally referred to the external term of the three countries established in the Ryukyu Islands in history: Shannan, Zhongshan and Shanbei. It later referred to the unified Ryukyu State (1429 - 1879).

The Ryukyu State is geographically located between China and Japan. It once paid tribute to the Ming and Qing dynasties of China and the Satsuma and Edo shogunate of Japan. The Ryukyu State was invaded by Japan many times. In 1609, Satsuma invaded and controlled the northern part of the Ryukyu State for a period of time. At this time, the Ryukyu State still paid tribute to China. On March 25, 1879, Japan invaded the Ryukyu State. On March 30, it was destroyed by Japan and incorporated into Japan. Most of the country was incorporated into Okinawa Prefecture, and the northern islands were incorporated into Kagoshima Prefecture.

Mudan Society Incident

On November 30, 1871 (the 10th year of Tongzhi of the Qing Dynasty and the 4th year of Meiji in Japan), two tribute ships (actually merchant ships in the name of tribute) from the ancient Ryukyu Palace islanders left Naha Port for the mainland of China. Unfortunately, it encountered a storm halfway and drifted to the sea. One ship was lucky enough to make it back, and the other drifted to Bayao Bay (now Mudan Township, Pingtung County) of the Paiwan Nationality Mudan Society on the southwest coast of China Taiwan. The ship had a crew of 69, of whom 3 drowned and 66 landed. Among the crew members who landed, 54 were killed by Taiwanese Paiwan aborigines, and 12 escaped and were protected by the Qing government in Fengshan County (now Fengshan City, Kaohsiung County). On December 11 of the same year, two tribute ships from Ryukyu Yaeyan Islanders left Ryukyu for China. They encountered a strong storm and drifted into the sea. One ship was missing, and the other drifted to Taiwan on December 28. The 45 crew members were also protected by Fengshan County orders. In February 1872, two batches of 57 Ryukyu refugees were sent to the Ryukyu Museum in Fuzhou by Taiwanese officials. In July, they returned safely to Naha. In April of the same year, four people from Oda Prefecture, Japan, were also killed and floated to Taiwan, where their clothes were snatched by Taiwanese aborigines. After the Meiji Restoration, the domestic situation was unstable, and Japan wanted to turn foreign affairs into internal affairs, so it sent 3,600 troops to occupy southern Taiwan. History called the "Mudan Society Incident."

Ryukyu Kingdom in the Sanshan Era

Ryukyu City Wall Ruins

In 1469, King Shang Zhen of the Second Shang Dynasty of the Ryukyu State