19세기말 琉球의 滅亡과 君主權

Abstract

This study focuses on the fall of the Ryukyu kingdom and her king's status in late 19th century. Most of the nations in East Asia including “Ryukyu” suffered from penetration or colonization by the world powers. Those nations became liberated and independent at the conclusion of the World War II and also has restyled themselves into democratic forms of governance. However, the fate of Ryukyu is of special example. Ryukyu was the communal suzerain of China and Japan until it was annexed into Japan and renamed as Okinawa-ken in 1879. Since its entrance into the tributary system of East Asia in 1372, it had developed unique history and culture on a stable monarchy. However, after the Japanese invasion of Korea(壬辰倭亂) in 1592, Japanese Satsuma Han invaded Ryukyu kingdom in 1609. It deprived the power of the monarchy, diplomatic independence, internal revenue comes, and the profit from tributary trade with China. Ryukyu acted as the depository of Satsuma from 1609 to 1879. Nevertheless Ryukyu kingdom managed to sustain monarchical power superficially for about 260 years and continued tributary trade relations with China. Ryukyu was finally collapsed in the late 19 century. During the Japanese Meiji Restoration, Ryukyu became the first victim of Japan’s expansionist ambition and was annexed into a county of Japan. However, Ryukyu already had a special connection with many other Western countries. At this time Japan took an advantage of the international law of that time which acknowledged the possession of territory over suzerain relations. Japan attacked Taiwan on the pretext of punishing Taiwanese indigenous people because they killed Ryukyu drifters who was asserted as Japanese subjects by Japanese government. Through this invasion, Japan established an excuse for future sole claims over Ryukyu. Ryukyu was incorporated into Japan’s ‘Ryukyu Han’ in 1872. Ryukyu’s tributary relation with China was prohibited in 1875 by Japan. It was finally incorporated into Okinawaken in 1879. This paper continues to explore the Ryukyu’s petition for assistance of Qing with the later years of its Monarch.