Denver Art Gallery, Shikina-en Okinawa

 Shikinaen Royal Garden, a second residence for the royal families, was built to entertain envoys of the Chinese Emperors, in 1799. Using its geographic advantage, the Ryukyu Kingdom flourished between the 15th and 16th centuries as an intermediate trade area connecting China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asian countries. In particular, China had enormous power and their own rules of diplomacy called Sappu. In order to trade with China, the Chinese Emperors needed to authorize kings as the "King of Ryukyu Kingdom." Under this so-called Sappu system, every time a new king took over the throne, the Chinese emperors sent envoys and handed certificates to authorize the new kings. Banquets were held at the Shikinaen Royal Garden to entertain envoys, and were considered very important to maintaining a good relationship with China.

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