ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Joseon missions to the Ryukyu Kingdom

Okay kiddo, let me explain what the Joseon missions to the Ryukyu Kingdom were.

Back in olden times, there were kingdoms and empires in different parts of the world. One of these kingdoms was the Joseon Kingdom in what we now call Korea. Another one was the Ryukyu Kingdom in what is now known as Okinawa, Japan.

These two kingdoms were not too far from each other (about 180 miles apart). The people in the Joseon Kingdom wanted to trade with the people in the Ryukyu Kingdom because they had some really cool things that the Joseon people wanted.

So, they sent groups of people called missions to the Ryukyu Kingdom. These missions were usually led by important people from the Joseon Kingdom like their kings or high-ranking officials.

When these missions arrived in the Ryukyu Kingdom, they would bring gifts like silk cloth, books, and jewelry. These were given to the ruler of the Ryukyu Kingdom as a sign of respect and to show that the Joseon people wanted to be friends and trade with them.

In return, the Ryukyu Kingdom would give gifts of their own, such as sugar or ceramics. They would also offer to take the Joseon people on tours of their kingdom so they could see all the cool things they had there.

The Joseon missions to the Ryukyu Kingdom went on for many years, and they helped to build strong relationships between the two kingdoms. But eventually, things changed and the missions stopped. However, the friendship that was built between the two kingdoms during those times lasts even till this day.