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The is a period in the history of the Okinawa Islands when three polities, namely , and , are said to have co-existed on Okinawa. It is said to have started during King Tamagusuku's reign (traditional dates: 1314–1336) and, according to Sai On's edition of the ''Chūzan Seifu'', ended in 1429 when Shō Hashi unified the island. Historical records of the period are fragmentary and mutually conflicting. Some even question the co-existence of the three polities. == Contemporary sources == Okinawa does not have their own contemporary records of the Sanzan period. Contemporary sources are limited to Chinese and, to a far lesser extent, Korean diplomatic records. They are in a fragmentary fashion and probably overshadowed by diplomatic fictions. Since the Chinese sources simply records local rulers who contacted China, they do not rule out the possibility that some other local rulers co-existed without establishing diplomatic contacts. For this reason, Okinawa's real situation remains largely a mystery. According to the ''Veritable Records of the Ming'', the newly formed Ming dynasty sent an envoy to what it called the "State of Ryūkyū," among many other countries, in 1372 to start tributary relations. In response, a ruler who was referred to as Satto, King of Chūzan, sent his younger brother Taiki to pay tribute. In 1380, the King of Nanzan Ofusato sent a mission to Ming China, which was followed by the King of Hokuzan Haniji in 1383. The names of Hokuzan and Nanzan are apparently Chūzan-centric. It is not clear who coined these names. Ming China's perception of the co-existence of the Sanzan can be found in an article of 1383 of the ''Veritable Records'', which was based on the report of a Ming envoy who visited Okinawa in 1382. The Ming considered that there were three rulers in the region who engaged in conflict. It recognized them as "kings" and called for peace. As for the King of Hokuzan, the ''Veritable Records'' record the un-Okinawan-looking names of three kings, Haniji, Min and Han'anchi, but make no mention of their blood relations. The last diplomatic contact of Hokuzan was of 1416.〔 The records of Nanzan are more complicated. The diplomatic missions under the name of the King of Nanzan Ofusato lasted from 1380 to 1396. An unusual characteristic of Nanzan was that the "King's father's younger brother" (王叔) Ōeiji also sent envoys from 1388 to 1397. In 1403, Ououso, who claimed to be Ofusato's younger brother or cousin, reported Ofusato's death in 1403 and was recognized as King of Nanzan the next year. In 1415, Crown Prince Taromai reported that King Ououso had been murdered by his "elder brother" Tafuchi. Taromai's blood relationship with Ououso was not mentioned. As the King of Nanzan, Taromai sent envoys from 1416 to 1429.〔 The ''Annals of the Joseon Dynasty'' of Korea records mysterious events about Nanzan. In 1394, the King of Chūzan Satto requested Korea to return the "Nanzan Prince" (山南王子) Ofusato, who had supposedly fled to Korea. In 1398, the King of Nanzan Oueishi fled to Korea after reportedly being banished by the King of Chūzan. He died there in the same year. These records clearly contradict with the ''Veritable Records'', raising questions about the reliability of Okinawa's diplomatic reports to foreign countries.〔 Chūzan sent envoys to China much more frequently than Hokuzan and Nanzan. The King of Chūzan paid tribute biennially from 1372 to 1382 and after that once or twice a year. Chūzan's missions were also unusual in that some of them were sent under the name of the crown prince although it should have been done by the king. In 1404, Crown Prince Bunei reported King Satto's death and was recognized as the next king. In 1407, Crown Prince Shō Shishō's envoy reported his "father" Bunei's death to seek the approval of the succession to the throne. An article of 1425 in the ''Veritable Records'' states that Ming China let Crown Prince Shō Hashi succeed the late King Shishō. Historians have noted suspicious patterns in the Sanzans' diplomatic missions. While Ming China bestowed vessels and their crews on Chūzan and Nanzan, Hokuzan has no such record. This may explain why Hokuzan's missions almost always coincided with Chūzan's even though they were supposedly in conflict. In addition, staffs in the missions were apparently shared. For example, Sangurumi, who was sent to China by the Nanzan King in 1392, claimed to be a nephew (姪) of the King of Nanzan Ofusato. In Chūzan's missions, however, he appeared as a nephew (従子) of the King of Chūzan Satto in 1403 and as a nephew (姪) of the Chūzan King Bunei in 1404. Even though historian Wada Hisanori regarded him as multiple persons with the same name, Wada acknowledged that the King of Nanzan Taromai's envoys and vessels clearly overlapped with those of the King of Chūzan.〔〔 The ''Annals of the Joseon Dynasty'' states that in 1418, Katsuren, the second son of the Chūzan King, called for trade with Korea and sent vessels that carried Chinese and Southeast Asian goods. Historians have no consensus on his true identity. It is noted by historians that the ''Veritable Records'' make no mention of the supposed unification. The only thing that can be inferred from the records is that Hokuzan and Nanzan ceased to send diplomatic missions. The King of Chūzan retained the title of "King of Chūzan" even after he became the sole ruler of the State of Ryūkyū.〔 In 1416, the Ashikaga shogun sent a letter in reply to the ''yo-no-nushi of the State of Ryūkyū'' (りうきう國のよのぬし). This rare record has been handed down only on the mainland Japanese side.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Sanzan period」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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