The book “Account of a Voyage of Discovery to the West Coast of Corea and the Great Loo-Choo Island” was published in Britain in 1818. Author and British Navy Colonel, Basil Hall, was dispatched to survey the East China Sea, but he also recorded his experiences across the forty days he spent in the Ryukyuan Kingdom two years prior. Having been reprinted countless times and translated into French, Dutch and many other languages, this account is a veritable bestseller.
How did the chronicle of a man’s stay in a tiny island nation in the Far East become such a hit in Europe?
We believe the answer lies in the way this book paints a picture of the Ryukyuan Kingdom.
According to Hall’s records, the Ryukyuan people quickly came to see the British vessel alight at the harbor, then offered them food and water free of charge. The local delegations were unarmed, carried themselves elegantly, and in a short time many of the locals acquired the English language and manners. They had a sense of humor and were sharply perceptive. They also spared no expense in treating the British to Ryukyuan delicacies, performing graceful dances, and regretfully waving folded fans at their inevitable departure.
In his book, Hall repeatedly uses the word “graceful” to describe the Ryukyuan delegates’ manners, stating that “The people of Ryukyu are remarkably civilized. They are unselfish, and seem perfectly content.” Anyone reading that would naturally become interested in such a Utopian-sounding island.
Naturally, there were circumstances at play beyond what Basil Hall saw. The locals refrained from asking for money during their entire stay since China and Japan did not sanction trade with the West back then, and they did not want to cause any trouble. Also, the “unarmed” delegations were actually under strict orders from Satsuma to do so.
What Hall witnessed was actually an urgent situation where the Ryukyuans had no choice but to officially put on appearances. However, the Ryukyuan culture was the very picture of civility and culture, and it took him very little time to acclimate to it all.
Back then the Ryukyuan Kingdom’s power within international society was not in its military, but in education and culture, and the dignity with which it guarded them. In addition, the Ryukyuan government appointed a “Minister of Dance” to research Chinese and Japanese arts and create unique new performances. They also established an official “Ministry of Lacquerware” to handle designing lacquerware for gifts and tributes. With this focus on the aesthetics of beauty and decorum, foreign relations with the Ryukyuan Kingdom expanded.
For small countries, it’s wiser to emphasise cultural power instead of military strength, don’t you think?
One would be right to assume that modern Japan took some pointers from that same philosophy as well!
While the Kingdom may be gone, the culture remains. The aesthetics, cuisine, libations, entertainment, and handicraft born from Shuri-jo Castle so long ago may have changed, but even now they endure in the hearts of the people.
After exploring Shuri-jo Castle, we encourage you to take a stroll through the town of Shuri and experience that culture for yourself!
