【明報專訊】Last week, a fire destroyed all main structures of Okinawa (沖繩)'s Shuri Castle (首里城), a Unesco World Heritage site that has a special place in the hearts of many locals. First built over 600 years ago, the castle stood as a symbol of the unification of the Ryukyu Kingdom (琉球國) under King Sho Hashi. It witnessed the golden times of the kingdom's maritime trade, which resulted in its well-developed maritime trade routes and its proximity to China. At the same time, the Ryukyu Kingdom maintained close ties with the Japanese mainland, while never considered a part of it. In short, this tiny island located geographically south of Japan enjoyed a high degree of autonomy up until modern times.