Editing History of the Ryukyu Islands (section)

==Etymology==
The name "Ryūkyū" originates from Chinese writings.<ref>''Minamijima Fudoki'' Chimei-gaisetsu Okinawa, Higashionna Kanjun, p.16 in Japanese</ref><ref>''The transition of Okinawa and Ryukyu'' Ryukyu-Shimpo-Sha, 2007, in Japanese</ref>  The earliest references to "Ryūkyū" write the name as {{linktext|琉虬}} and {{linktext|流求}} ({{zh|p=Liúqiú|j=Lau<sup>4</sup>kau<sup>4</sup>}}, [[Middle Chinese]]: {{IPA|/ljuw gjuw/}}) in the Chinese history ''[[Book of Sui]]'' in 607.  It is a descriptive name, meaning "glazed horn-[[Chinese dragon|dragon]]".{{cn|date=August 2024}}

The origin of the term "Okinawa" remains unclear, although "Okinawa" ([[Okinawan language|Okinawan]]: Uchinaa) as a term was used in Okinawa. There was also a divine woman named "Uchinaa" in the book ''[[Omoro Sōshi]]'', a compilation of ancient poems and songs from Okinawa Island. This suggests the presence of a divine place named Okinawa.  The Chinese monk [[Jianzhen]], who traveled to Japan in the mid-8th century CE to promote [[Buddhism]], wrote "Okinawa" as 阿児奈波 ({{IPA|anjenaʒpa|cj=Aa<sup>2</sup>ngai<sup>4</sup>noi<sup>6</sup>bo<sup>1</sup>|j=Ajinawa, Aninawa}}).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lodel.ehess.fr/crlao/docannexe.php?id=1227|title=Bill Baxter 8/7/06|website=lodel.ehess.fr|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250304010612/http://lodel.ehess.fr/crlao/docannexe.php?id=1227|archive-date=4 March 2025|url-status=live}}</ref> The Japanese map series Ryukyu Kuniezu labeled the island as {{nihongo3|悪鬼納|Wokinaha}} in 1644. The current Chinese characters ([[kanji]]) for Okinawa (沖縄) were first written in the 1702 version of Ryukyu Kuniezu.{{cn|date=August 2024}}