琉球沿革志 下 - 翻刻

翻刻

【右丁】
　に香を焚き茶を給ひ後酒饌を賜ふ其盛華豊精なること
　いひ尽しがたし宴畢て後其卓子上の器皿を賜ふ各自
　是を携て回る貢使国に帰る時は接貢船に乗ず貢使清
　帝へ拝謁の時は琉服を用ゆ中山王冊封使を迎る時は
　明服を用ゆ昔祖先の時明帝の賜ものなるをもて国王
　はこれを服すことを免るす陪臣はこれを服すことをゆる
　さず北京城郭の周囲四十里《割書：唐山｜里数》清帝姓は覚羅なり故
　に覚羅姓の人多く大官に昇る今福建の布政司も覚羅
　伍といふ琉球冊封の正使は満人なり副使は漢人なり
　満人は文武兼備の人を挙用し漢人は文官武官各一道

【左丁】
　なり《割書：此外数箇条ありといへとも唯貢｜使に係る事のみを鈔出す》
　右に因て清国の琉球を優待せる事見るべし
　琉球冊封の事は原来明の行人揚載　本邦を招諭し帰
　る時に小琉球を過て中国に内附すべき由を説諭せしよ
　り起りし事にて明王の旨に出たることにあらずとも云
　然も福建より琉球に至る海路険難にして冊使帰国し
　て其険危を説に聞人甚だ驚怖しけるより冊使を彼国
　に遣る事を停めて貢使に賚回しめんと部議あれども
　帝聴すして前規に従ふ清朝に至り尚質明の先蹟を襲
　て冊封の事を請ふに因て勅諭印壐を賜ひ封王の儀を

現代語訳

【右丁】
に香を焚き、茶を給し、後に酒と食事を賜う。その盛大で華麗、豊かで精巧なることは言い尽くしがたい。宴が終わった後、その卓子上の器皿を賜う。各自これを携えて帰る。貢使が国に帰る時は接貢船に乗る。貢使が清帝へ拝謁の時は琉服を用いる。中山王が冊封使を迎える時は明服を用いる。昔祖先の時に明帝からの賜り物であるため、国王はこれを着用することを免れるが、陪臣はこれを着用することを許されない。北京の城郭の周囲は四十里（唐山里数）である。清帝の姓は覚羅であり、故に覚羅姓の人が多く大官に昇る。今福建の布政司も覚羅伍という。琉球冊封の正使は満人であり、副使は漢人である。満人は文武兼備の人を挙用し、漢人は文官武官各一道

【左丁】
である（この外数箇条あるといえども、ただ貢使に係る事のみを抄出す）。
右によって清国が琉球を優待していることが見られる。
琉球冊封の事は、元来明の行人楊載が本邦を招諭し帰る時に、小琉球を過ぎて中国に内附すべき由を説諭したより起こった事であって、明王の旨に出たことではないとも言う。
しかし福建より琉球に至る海路は険難であって、冊使が帰国してその険危を説くのを聞いた人は甚だ驚き恐れたので、冊使を彼国に遣わす事を止めて貢使に賚を持ち帰らせようと部議があったけれども、帝は聞かずして前規に従う。清朝に至り、尚質が明の先蹟を襲って冊封の事を請うに因って、勅諭と印璽を賜い、封王の儀を

英語訳

[Right Page]
incense is burned, tea is served, and then wine and food are bestowed. The magnificence, splendor, abundance, and refinement are beyond description. After the banquet ends, the vessels and dishes from the table are bestowed upon them. Each person carries these back with them. When the tribute envoys return to their country, they board reception ships for tribute missions. When tribute envoys have audience with the Qing emperor, they wear Ryukyu clothing. When the King of Chuzan receives investiture envoys, he wears Ming clothing. Since this was a gift from the Ming emperor in the time of their ancestors, the king is exempt from wearing it, but his retainers are not permitted to wear it. The circumference of Beijing's city walls is forty li (Tang dynasty li measurements). The Qing emperor's surname is Gioro, so many people with the Gioro surname rise to high official positions. The current Provincial Administration Commissioner of Fujian is also called Gioro Wu. The chief envoy for Ryukyu investiture is a Manchu, and the vice envoy is Han Chinese. For Manchus, people with both civil and military talents are selected; for Han Chinese, there is one each from civil and military officials

[Left Page]
(Though there are several other articles besides these, only matters relating to tribute envoys are excerpted here).
From the above, one can see how the Qing state treats Ryukyu with special favor.
The matter of Ryukyu investiture originally arose when Yang Zai, a Herald of the Ming, was returning after inviting submission from our country [Japan] and passed by Lesser Ryukyu, persuading them that they should become internally attached to China. This did not originate from the Ming emperor's directive, it is also said.
However, the sea route from Fujian to Ryukyu is treacherous and dangerous, and when investiture envoys returned and spoke of these perils, those who heard were greatly alarmed and frightened. Therefore, there was ministerial discussion about stopping the dispatch of investiture envoys to that country and having tribute envoys carry back the imperial gifts instead, but the emperor would not listen and followed previous precedent. When the Qing dynasty came to power, Shō Shitsu requested investiture following Ming precedents, and consequently was granted an imperial edict and seal, and the ceremony of royal investiture was