The Evolution of the Min Dialect into a Heritage Language in the Ryukyu Kingdom

Li Dandan

Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2025, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (2) : 45-55.

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Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning ›› 2025, Vol. 10 ›› Issue (2) : 45-55. DOI: 10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20250205

The Evolution of the Min Dialect into a Heritage Language in the Ryukyu Kingdom

  • Li Dandan
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Abstract

The Thirty-six Clans of the Min People in the Ryukyu Kingdom were the first official immigrants sent by China to manage the tributary and overseas trade. Upon their migration to Ryukyu during the Ming Dynasty, the mother tongue of their descendants, the Min dialect, began its transformation into a heritage language, a process completed by the mid-18th century at the latest. Factors contributing to this evolution include significant dialectal differences within Min, intermarriage between the Thirty-six Clans with other indigenous languages speakers, population decline in Kume villages inhabited by the Thirty-six Clans, interruption of trade between the Ryukyu Kingdom and Southeast Asia, and the establishment of Mandarin Chinese as a lingua franca in the Ryukyu Kingdom. The inheritance of the Min dialect in the Ryukyu Kingdom represents a unique case of evolution among overseas Chinese dialects, offering valuable insights into heritage language maintenance and Chinese language education for overseas Chinese communities. Firstly, the preservation of overseas dialects requires a substantial speaker population, relying heavily on family education and its economic value. Secondly, competition between dialects and the standard language occurs not only in the dialects’ place of origin but also in the areas where they spread. Finally, the evolution of an overseas dialect into a heritage language is intrinsically linked to its integration with local languages.

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the Ryukyu Kingdom / Thirty-six Clans of Min People / Min dialect / heritage language / heritage language maintenance

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Li Dandan. The Evolution of the Min Dialect into a Heritage Language in the Ryukyu Kingdom[J]. Chinese Journal of Language Policy and Planning. 2025, 10(2): 45-55 https://doi.org/10.19689/j.cnki.cn10-1361/h.20250205

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