A Study on Joseon’s Gift of Tiger and Leopard Skins to the Ryukyu Kingdom and Establishment of Friendly Relations

In the late 14th century, the Ryukyu Kingdom emerged as a pivotal player of the East Asian triangular trade. It is no exaggeration to state that during the early modern era, the Ryukyu Kingdom served as a crucial link connecting the waters of East and Southeast Asia. Relations between the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Ming Dynasty initiated when Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty sent an official letter to King Qiao of Zhongshan in Ryukyu, requesting tribute. Subsequently, Ryukyu Kingdom took advantage of the Ming Dynasty's tributary system and maritime prohibition policy. In other words, they actively exploited the preferential policies of the Ming Dynasty and engaged in extensive trade with port cities in Southeast Asia using the sea ships they received from the Ming Dynasty. Furthermore, they forged a new maritime Silk Road by connecting Joseon and Japan. Ming goods were exported to various foreign countries, while foreign products were imported and sold within the Ming Dynasty, establishing a profitable trading system based on intermediation. This paper examines the Ryukyu Kingdom as an integral component of a broader study on East Eurasian states and societies, with a particular focus on the attributes of non-human commodities, notably tiger and leopard skins. Comprehending the relationship between Joseon and the Ryukyu Kingdom necessitates an examination of its political, economic, and diplomatic dimensions. However, if we move away from the institutional aspect and turn our attention to the goods, we may be able to identify the cultural nature of the contact between Joseon and the Ryukyu Kingdom from a new angle. While the King of Ryukyu Kingdom professed that both Joseon and his kingdom were vassals of the Ming Dynasty within the Ming's tributary system, the reality forced him to acknowledge substantial disparities in how the Ming Dynasty treated the two countries and the regulations that governed them. As a result, he aimed to establish a diplomatic framework that portrayed Joseon as Ryukyu’s older brother and Ryukyu as Joseon’s younger brother, all while preserving their communal relations. Meanwhile, Joseon, well aware of the Ryukyu Kingdom's stance, presented the Ryukyu King with gifts in the form of tiger skins and leopard skins, items laden with distinctive attributes signifying authority and status.