Names and extents Ryukyu Islands

1 names , extents

1.1 nansei islands
1.2 ryukyu

1.2.1 historical usage


1.3 okinawa
1.4 southern islands

names , extents

the english , japanese uses of term ryukyu differ. in english, term ryukyu may apply entire chain of islands, while in japanese ryukyu refers islands part of ryūkyū kingdom after 1624.

nansei islands

nansei-shotō (南西諸島) official name whole island chain in japanese. japan has used name on nautical charts since 1907. based on japanese charts, international chart series uses nansei shoto.

nansei literally means southwest , direction of island chain mainland japan. humanities scholars prefer uncommon term ryūkyū-ko (琉球弧, ryukyu arc ) entire island chain. in geology, however, ryukyu arc includes subsurface structures such okinawa trough , extends kyushu.

during american occupation of amami, japanese government objected them being included under name ryukyu in english, because worried might mean return of amami islands japanese control delayed until return of okinawa. however, american occupational government on amami continued called provisional government northern ryukyu islands in english, though translated rinji hokubu nansei-shotō seichō (臨時北部南西諸島政庁, provisional government northern nansei islands) in japanese.

ryukyu

the name of ryūkyū (琉球) associated ryūkyū kingdom, kingdom originated okinawa islands , subjected sakishima , amami islands. name considered outdated in japanese although entities of okinawa still bear name, such local national university.

in japanese, ryukyu islands (琉球諸島, ryūkyū-shotō) cover okinawa, miyako, , yaeyama islands, while in english includes amami , daitō islands. northern half of island chain referred satsunan ( south of satsuma ) islands in japanese, opposed northern ryukyu islands in english.

humanities scholars agree amami, okinawa, miyako, , yaeyama islands share cultural heritage, though characterized great degree of internal diversity well. there is, however, no name group. native population not have own name, since not recognize group size. ryukyu principal candidate because corresponds maximum extent of ryūkyū kingdom. however, not considered neutral people of amami, miyako, , yaeyama, marginalized under okinawa-centered kingdom. Ōsumi islands not included because culturally part of kyushu. there high degree of confusion in use of ryukyu in english literature. example, encyclopædia britannica equates ryukyu islands japanese ryūkyū-shotō or nansei-shotō in definition limits scope amami, okinawa , sakishima (miyako , yaeyama) in content.

historical usage

ryūkyū exonym , not self-designation. word first appeared in book of sui (636). obscure description of liuqiu (流求) source of never-ending scholarly debate on referred name taiwan, okinawa or both. nevertheless, book of sui shaped perceptions of ryūkyū long time. ryūkyū considered land of cannibals , aroused feeling of dread among surrounding people, buddhist monk enchin traveled tang china in 858 informant of hyōtō ryūkyū-koku ki traveled song china in 1243. later, chinese sources used great ryukyu (chinese: 大琉球; pinyin: dà liúqiú) okinawa , lesser ryukyu (chinese: 小琉球; pinyin: xiǎo liúqiú) taiwan. okinawan forms of ryūkyū ruuchuu (ルーチュー) or duuchuu (ドゥーチュー) in okinawan , ruuchuu (ルーチュー) in kunigami language. okinawan man recorded having referred himself doo choo man during commodore matthew c. perry s visit ryūkyū kingdom in 1852.

from 1829 until mid-20th century, islands english name spelled luchu, loochoo, or lewchew. these spellings based on chinese pronunciation of characters 琉球 , in mandarin liúqiú, okinawan language s form ruuchuu (ルーチュー).

okinawa

uchinaa (沖縄), okinawa in japanese, native name largest island in island chain. japanese map series known ryukyu kuniezu lists island wokinaha shima (悪鬼納嶋) in 1644 , okinawa shima (沖縄嶋) after 1702. name chosen meiji government new prefecture when annexed ryukyu kingdom in 1879. okinawa never extends kagoshima prefecture. outside prefecture, okinawa prefecture referred okinawa. in okinawa prefecture, however, okinawa associated okinawa island, , in sense, okinawa excludes miyako , yaeyama islands. people in yaeyama islands use expression go okinawa when visit okinawa island. people amami islands, kagoshima prefecture oppose being included in okinawa.

some scholars feel need group amami , okinawa islands because amami closer okinawa in respects, example linguistic point of view, miyako , yaeyama. japanese scholars use amami–okinawa while american , european scholars use northern ryukyuan. have no established single-word term group since native population had not felt need such concept.

southern islands

the folklorist kunio yanagita , followers used nantō (南島, southern islands ). term used imperial court of ancient japan. yanagita hypothesized southern islands origin of japanese people , preserved many elements subsequently lost in japan. term outdated today.