Shang Tai s character life, Shang Tai s personal works

Shang Tai is good at singing songs, and he can chant the words of Beisun at any time. One of the most popular works he wrote while he was under house arrest in Tokyo is translated as follows:

I haven't raised the whip for a long time, and the flowers in the mountains are like brocades.

The spring rain wet sleeves are scattered, and the plum fragrance in the court is intoxicating.

The bright moon sets at the end of the mountain, and the height is not cold. Imitation tomb chain.

Sitting high and full of ears of rice, deep hidden merit and fame.

Looking south at the sea and the cool breeze, can you see the familiar hometown?

Is the fishing fire in the sea, or the fireflies that are longing for you?

When will you be able to enjoy the smile again? While waiting, my heart is haggard.

Shotai (Ryukyu language: 1843 – 1901) was the 19th monarch of the Second Shoji Dynasty of the Ryukyus and the deceased ruler of the Ryukyu Kingdom. The child's name is the second good gold, and the name is the constitution.

He was the second son of King Shangyu, ascended the throne in 1848, and was canonized as King of Zhongshan in the Ryukyu Kingdom in 1866 by the Qing Dynasty, the suzerain. During his tenure, he signed treaties with the United States, France, and the Netherlands, opening the door to the Ryukyus. At this time, the internal and external troubles of the Ryukyus reached their extreme, and Japan carried out the Meiji Restoration and wanted to annex the Ryukyus.

In 1872, Shotai was named the King of the Ryukyu Domain by Japan, and was ranked among the Chinese people. In 1875, Japan forced the Ryukyus to sever their suzerain-vassal ties with the Qing Dynasty, but Shotai insisted on the position of both China and Japan and was unwilling to accept Japan's demands. Then the Shangtai faction asked Dehong, Lin Shigong and others to smuggle to the Qing Dynasty for help, but the Qing ** reacted negatively.

In 1879, Japan implemented the "Ryukyu Punishment", set up Okinawa Prefecture in the Ryukyus, and took Shotai to Tokyo under house arrest, and the Ryukyus perished. In 1885, Japan made Shotai a marquis. In 1901, Shang Taike died in Tokyo, Japan, at the age of 58.

Shotai is generally regarded as an enlightened king, especially among the intellectuals of Okinawa before the war. This is the evaluation of the Qinbo Dynasty and the Higa Chunchao, and the real realm name Anxing and the compilation of the "Shangtaihou Shilu" Dongenna Kuandun give it a higher evaluation. As Donna writes about it

When Hou (referring to Shang Tai) was born in a troubled diplomacy, he was deeply aware of the general trend, and often admired the (Meiji) Restoration's Hongmo, although he was obedient, but it was against his will, and he was annoyed (Japan)**, as for the difficult and inseparable situation. Hou was deeply ashamed, so when Shang Tai was in a hurry to go to Beijing, some of his relatives were confused, (Shang Tai) reprimanded him for hesitating and lamenting, and resolutely ordered himself to obey the order. After going to Beijing in the twelfth year of the Meiji era, he resolutely closed his doors, took flowers as his companion, and took reading as his pleasure.

The hands he left behind were all in philosophy, religion, medicine, and divination. Hou Tong's technique of medicinal bait can be autonomous and slightly ill. Not only these people, but also intellectuals born in the Meiji and Taisho periods also evaluated Shotai as a Ming monarch.

As for the reason for this evaluation, the main basis is that Shang Tai did not cause social chaos at the last moment, but accepted the abolition of the feudal domain. It can be inferred that unlike the surrounding bureaucrats, Shang Tai had a clearer understanding of the trend of the times, so he was named an enlightened king.