Industry Overview Part 4: Culture
The following is the description of the industries and components of culture.
Books: Libraries are quite common in Ryukyu, and many books are available. There are a number of literary classics such as the Sìshū Wǔjīng and the Shísān Jīng, however these are in the Qin language and usually only accessible to the learned. Translations do exist, but they’re not popular with the common people. Wuxia stories with cultivation and Qi powers are enjoyed, however, a lot of people do enjoy stories with realistic fights and martial arts. One particular medium which is good at portraying these stories is manga, or sketches. Manga is often used for instructional manuals, but has recently become a common technique in fiction. Both Ryukyuan and Yamatu poetry is considered the most prestigious, only surpassed by the Qin classics and Shijing. The Kaarachu also have poetry, but there is a rivalry between poetry written in Latino and poetry written in Latino Viejo. Furthermore, Kaara legends, and fictions based on those legends are available.
Clothing: There are many clothing stores in Ryukyu, the most prestigious of which are in Uchinaa. The common dress of the people is called Ryusou. These are the basic parts of Ryusou:
- Dujin, a cross-collared tunic. Women wear it with a kakan. Men wear it as an inner garment along with a hakama. The Emperor wears it under the Touishou.
- Hakama, a pair of trousers.
- Kakan, a pleated skirt for women.
- Tanashi, a womanly robe for summertime.
- Touishou, a hanfu bestowed upon the Sovereign Emperor by the Dragon Emperor of Qin.
- Watajin, a winter robe for both men and women.
- Watansu, a winter over-robe meant to be worn with a dujin and/or kakan.
Of course, there is also the traditional clothing of other peoples, such as the Yamatu kimono and their hakama (which is different from a Ryukyuan hakama). For summertime, the Yamatu wear a thinner robe, called a yukata. These robes are tied by a belt or sash called an obi. Women’s kimono are more colorful than men’s and tend to have floral motifs or other interesting designs. There are also the lower-class items such as cross-collared tunics and trousers.
The Ainuchu wear an attus, which is a robe made of bark and wood fibers. It sports interesting geometric designs and patterns. They also wear headbands and gauntlet-like items.
The Kaarachu wear a number of items. The lower class man wears a tunic and trousers with a belt, while the women would wear either a simple dress or the same clothing as a man, but a slightly longer tunic. The higher-class Kaarachu, however, would wear a shirt with a coat, long socks, and short, loose-fitting pants. The higher-class lady would wear a more elaborate dress. Fabric neckwear and codpieces used to be popular, but now are seen as immodest, gaudy, and stupid.
Music: Although acoustic recordings are available, they are by no means popular nor accessible. The best way to enjoy music is by going to a theater when a musician is playing, alternatively, one could simply know a guy who could play. There is also a business in making and selling instruments themselves. These are the genres of Ryukyu:
- Ryūkyū koten ongaku, traditional Ryukyuan music.
- Min’yo, traditional Yamatu music.
- Enka, Japonic pop music.
- Ryukoka, Japonic pop music.
- Upopo, Ainu common music.
- Yukar, Ainu epic monologues.
- Rekuhkara, Ainu throat-singing competitions.
- Yaisama, Ainu singing game.
- Joik/Yoik, Sapmi singing tradition.
- Rumba, Kaara fastdance music.
- Danzon, Kaara slowdance music.
- Tradiccional, Kaara traditional music.
Next listed are the instruments of these beautiful musical traditions (Not all Yamatu instruments are listed, pop music instruments aren’t listed):
- Sanshin, precursor to the shamisen, a three-stringed lute made with snakeskin and plucked with a finger-worn plectrum.
- Sanba and Hyōshigi, wooden clickers.
- Taiko drums, used by Ryukyuans and Yamatunchu.
- Kutu, the Ryukyuan version of a Yamatu koto.
- Kūchō, a stringed instrument played with a bow like a fiddle, resembles a sanshin.
- Fue, a transverse flute.
- Shamisen, larger than a sanshin, played with a paddle-like plectrum held in the hand.
- Koto, a type of zither.
- Koukin, Yamatu jaw harp.
- Mukkuri, Ainu jaw harp.
- Kakko, Ainu tambourine.
- Cirektekuttar, Ainu didgeridoo.
- Pararayki, Ainu balalaika.
- Ainu fiddle.
- Kaara bagpipes.
- Kaara lute.
- Claves, wooden blocks hit together.
- Conga drums.
- Trumpet.
- Piano.
- Shakers.
Theater: One form of entertainment in Ryukyu is theater. There are many forms and styles of theater that are attended.
Noh is a type of spiritual theater, using elements of Shintoism or other Paganisms. Noh is usually avoided by Christians. Kyōgen are comedies which usually employ slapstick humor and theatrical farce. Kabuki is a combination of music, drama, and dance. It is characterized by its ridiculous costumes and intense choreography. Yose is a form of theater where a single storyteller takes on all roles in a story, using wooden clappers for music and sound effects.
Martial arts: Martial art schools are a popular type of business in Ryukyu. Whether people go to train for self-improvement or to study history and culture, there are a variety of styles to choose from. Ryukyuan styles include karate, kobudo, and tegumi. In theory, karate has striking techniques, kobudo has weapon techniques, and tegumi has wrestling techniques. In practice, however, good karate styles will have all of these techniques. The Yamatu do not have a striking art, only wrestling which is called jujutsu. Their weapon arts are called bukijutsu, with different names for different weapons. Kenjutsu for swords, kyūjutsu for bows, etc. The Ainuchu practice sword styles and archery. The Kaarachu use a fencing art called Destraza, which is a philosophy that can be used with any weapon, but is usually used with a rapier, either single or with an off-hand weapon. There is usually intermingling between different styles and schools as a show of friendship or rivalry. This is especially true of sword clubs, which use protective gear and suffer less injuries than bare-handed martial artists.
