This English translation of a key work by one of Okinawa's most respected historians, Mamoru Akamine, provides a new picture of the role played by the Ryukyu Kingdom in the history of East Asia. Throughout the work Akamine's approach to Ryukyu history is distinguished by his use of Chinese and Korean sources, which allows him to examine events from several different angles. This contributes to a broad, sweeping narrative, revealing an East Asia made up of many shifting and interrelated parts.