“闽人三十六姓”移居琉球史料钩沉及其史实考析

Research on the Migration of “Thirty-Six Fujian Clans” to Ryukyu

明代“闽人三十六姓”移居琉球,虽不乏记载,然大都语焉未详,且多所乖。本文基于相关史料钩沉与史实考析,认为明初并没有发生过一次性赐“闽人三十六姓”或“闽人三十六户”之史事。“闽人三十六姓”移居琉球,应该是一个陆陆续续的历史渐进过程。其中既有元末明初的“避乱安居”者、明廷拨赐海舟时随船而去的“善操舟者”、海上贸易交流过程中的“通事”,还有明中期由政府差遣赴琉办事“逗留他国”后的“补赐”者。正是诸此不同身份的闽人,为了求得更好的生存空间与发展机会,陆续定居于琉球久米村,成为久米村闽人。

Although there are abundant records about the migration of“Thirty-Six Fujian Clans”to Ryukyu in the Ming Dynasty,most of the records are uninformative and vague.Based on relevant sources and historical facts,this article holds that the thirty-six Fujian clans or families didn’t migrate to Ryukyu all at one time in the early Ming dynasty.It was most likely a gradual process.Among the migrants,there were people of the late Ming and Yuan dynasties who sought safe refuge,good mariners assigned by the Ming Court for navigating to Ryukyu,interpreters serving maritime trade,and officers who were dispatched by the Court during the mid-Ming dynasty and later settled in Ryukyu.To earn a better living and seek development opportunities,these Fujian people from various walks of life settled in Kume Village of Ryukyu and became Kume Fujianese.