268 APPENDIX I. 



Here, however, th.e tradition stops, luckily for the youth of the country, 

 to whom the Mrs. Markham of Liu-kiu and the names and dates of the 

 kings of a hundred and eighty-five centuries would otherwise be indeed a 

 burden grievous to be borne. As it is, we are merely informed that twenty- 

 five dynasties occupied the throne until the time of Chun-tien, who com- 

 menced his reign in 1187, and is the first king with whom the consecutive 

 history of the island, as given to us by Gaubil, begins. 



Of the previous history but little is known. The first mention of Liu- 

 kiu by the Chinese is made by Chu Kwan during the Sui dynasty in the 

 year 580, and a little later the emperor, wishing to know something about 

 the country and its products, sent an expedition there, which returned a.d. 

 605 without having accomplished much. A Japanese envoy, who ha2:>pened 

 to be at the Court of China at the time, gave the emperor some information 

 upon the subject, and on his learning that the main island was distant only 

 five days' sail from Foochow, he at once fitted out another expedition, caused 

 various learned people to accompany it, and finally despatched it with a 

 message to the Liu-kiu king that he exjjected him to recognise the sovereignty 

 of the Emjieror of China, and to come and do him homage. The unfortunate 

 king, however, did not view the matter in the same light, and was rash 

 enough to say so in reply. It would have been better for him to have 

 submitted with the best grace he could. The enraged emperor, on receiving 

 the news, despatched ten thousand of his picked troops as soon as they 

 could be got together. In vain the King of Liu-kiu placed himself at the 

 head of his army to resist the enemy. They effected a landing, and, by 

 their superior numbers and discipline, gained the day. The king was slain, 

 and his army routed, and having pillaged and burnt the royal city and 

 captured over five thousand slaves, the victorious Chinese dej^arted. 



The Chinese history of the Liu-kiuans at that period informs us that 

 they were unacquainted -with writing ; that the king and people alike lived 

 in the simplest manner, and that they were unproAdded even with chop- 

 sticks. They had fixed laws concerning marriage and burial, were particular 

 in observing mourning, and treated the memory of their ancestors with great 

 respect. Human beings were sacrificed to the spirits, but this custom was 

 soon afterwards abolished. Felons were beaten according to the gravity of 

 the off'ence, and if the crime was considered worthy of death, the condemned 

 man was beaten to death with clubs. 



It would have been imagined that, after the conquest of Liu-kiu by the 

 Chinese, the latter would have enforced the payment of a tribute and the 

 jDeriodical rendering of homage to the emperors. This, however, was not 

 the case. The islands were left in peace, and, on the Avhole, the afi'air was 

 rather an advantage than otherwise to their inhabitants, as Chinese trade 



