Ryukyu Islands was an independent country in Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, among which the Ming and Qing Dynasties was a subordinate country of China.
There are two versions of the origin of the name Ryukyu:
First, "Taiwan Province Province" said? . In the middle and late 6th century, the emperor ordered Yu to ride Wei Zhukuan to the sea to visit overseas customs. Today, when I went to Nagano Island (southwest of Diaoyu Island 170 km), I saw a pearl-like island floating on the sea. "If a dragon floats on the water", I named it Liu Qiu.
When compiling Sui books in the Tang Dynasty, in order to avoid the emperor's taboo, this place was renamed Liuqiu, and when it comes to Liuqiu, it means Taiwan Province Province. When Zhu Yuanzhang arrived, this place was named Ryukyu, which means glazed jade and pearl ball, showing its magnificent scenery.
The second is the theory of "staying and seeking". In Soul Collection compiled by Japanese monk Shinji in the second year of He Cheng in Japan (835) and the ninth year of Tang Xuanzong in Japan, Ryukyu is called "seeking to stay", which means that people want to stay when wandering at sea. Pronunciation is "Ryukyu".
In fact, the name and explanation of "Liuqiu" originated from Japanese Baekje monks in the period of Emperor Tuguhun (Sui Dynasty in China). Later, because of Jian Zhen's eastward crossing, he stayed on this island, and then "stayed for begging", that is, stayed for pursuit.
The Japanese biography of Tang Dahedong recorded in Tian Pingsheng Bao's five years (753) that Jian Zhen, a monk who was determined to spread Buddhism eastward, "went to Arjuna Napo Island in one or two boats on the 21st" and stayed on the island for more than half a month. "Ayunabo" is pronounced "OKNAWA" in Japanese, which is now the main island of Okinawa.
Extended data:
"Taiwan Province Province" is a social name derived from taiwo Wan, a Pingpu ethnic group living in Anping, Tainan, which means coastal land, and is abbreviated as "Taiwan Province" in the full name. During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, the word "Taiwan Province Province" was officially used.
The traditional Chinese characters with the name "Taiwan Province Province" on the upper right are officially written and used in the official "credentials", documents and textbooks of Taiwan Province Province. ? The following writing methods are mostly used in folk and media.
During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Taiwan Province Province was called "Island Yi"; ? The Qin dynasty called it Yingzhou; ? The Three Kingdoms period was called Yizhou. ? From Sui Dynasty to Yuan Dynasty, it was called begging. After the mid-Ming Dynasty, there were many folk names for Taiwan Province Province, such as Keelung (referring to the northern part of Taiwan Province Province), Beigang (the general name for the west coast of Taiwan Province), Daguan, Taiwo Bay (referring to Anping area in Tainan today), which was officially called Dong Fan. Zheng Chenggong changed its name to "East Capital", and later Zheng Jing changed its name to "Dongning".
The Qing Dynasty changed its name to "Taiwan Province Province" and established the Taiwanese government, which was subordinate to Fujian Province. This is the official name of Taiwan Province Province. Taiwan Province Province is also called "Treasure Island" because of its rich products. Taiwan Province Province is called "Chinese Taipei" on some international occasions.
The Portuguese called Taiwan Province Province "Formosa", which originated from Ilha Formosa, meaning "beautiful island". It was the main name of Taiwan Province Province in Europe and America before 1950. In ancient Japan, Taiwan Province Province was called "high sand", "high sand country" and "high mountain country".
References:
Baidu Encyclopedia-Ryukyu Island