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Ryukyu–Ming tribute trade

Type Event Region Ryukyu Time 1372–1379

In 1372 Chuzan's King Satō sent envoys to pay tribute to the Ming, opening Ryukyu's tributary trade with the Ming house;…

Timeline

  1. 1372Nanjing · Ming dynastyIn 1372 Chuzan's King Satō sent envoys led by Abugu to the Ming court to present tribute, and the Hongwu Emperor dispatched envoys to invest and reward them. This was the first clearly recorded Ryukyu tribute to the Ming, marking Ryukyu's entry into the Ming tributary system.
  2. 1374–1379Quanzhou port · FujianIn 1374 the Ming court formally invested Satō as King of Chuzan, granting a seal, patent, and the Datong calendar. Thereafter Ryukyu regularly sent tribute ships to Fujian to trade, importing porcelain and silk and exporting sulfur, pepper, and blades; tribute trade became the lifeblood of the Ryukyu economy.

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