Relevant Historical Events and Facts of the Diaoyu Islands（1372-1895）
1372
The 5th year of the reign of Emperor Hongwu of the Ming Dynasty。
The imperial Cefengshi （an ancient Chinese officer/commissioner sent to small countries that were regarded as tributary states of China） Yang Zai stated to the King of Zhongshan （i。e。 the King of Ryukyu） and others as the emperor’s edict that his party had passed by Diaoyu Islands on their outward voyage。 From that time to the reign of Emperor Jiajing， ten Cefengshi had been dispatched。 Yet nothing remained in the royal archives of this connection because a fire had destroyed this historical data。
1374
Wu Zheng as the Coast Defense General commanded his fleet cruising along the Fujian coast。 They met the Japanese pirates on the Niushan Yang in Fujian coast， drove the pirates out from Fujian， passing through the Diaoyu Islands， and far into the Ryukyu Ocean。 The Japanese pirates were captured and taken to Nanking， the Capital。 This action was still praised by the Ryukyu people five hundred years later。
1403
The first year of the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty。
Based on fragments of an ancient text， an anonymous author compiled a guidebook for mariners entitled Shun Feng Xiang Song （sail with tail wind； now a rare text in the holdings of the Bodleian Library， Oxford）。 In the book， the names Diaoyu Islands and Chiwei Islands were first found， “…To set sail with the north wind from Dongyong， go 15 degree east of north to Mount Pengjia and， from there， go 15 degree east of north， then east， then veer round to due east to the Diaoyu Islands； To set sail with due south wind from Meihua， go 30 degree East of South to Lamay Island （now part of Taiwan Province） and， go east to the south of the DiaoYu Islands， and then veer round to due east to Chikan Islands…”
1534
The 13th year of the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty。
Chen Kan wrote Shi Ryukyu Lu （report on mission to Ryukyu）， the earliest official record about Cefengshi’s mission to Ryukyu in the Ming Dynasty。 We found the notes about Huangmao Island （Huangwei Island） in the report。 “（on the 10th day） We passed DiaoYu Island， Huangmao Island， and Chi Island。” As for Gumishan， Chen Kan expressly depicted in his report： “in the evening of the 11th day we were in sight of Gumishan， an island in SW Ryukyu； the accompanying Ryukyuans were shouting and dancing to express their joy for going home soon。” Gao Cheng， the deputy Cefengshi， also said in his Cao Zhou Ji （journal in the sea） that Gumishan is within Ryukyu’s territory。
1556
Adhering to the policy of Emperor Jiajing， Zheng Shungong was recruited and sent to Japan as an commissioner to explain Emperor Jiajing’s command to the King of Japan。 In his report entitled “My Knowledge of Japan： The Illustrated Voyages： Miles Long Song”， Zheng Shungong clearly mentioned that the Diaoyu is one of the islets of Xiaodong （i。e。 Taiwan）。
1561
Zheng Ruozeng， a famous geographer who specialized in the Chinese coastal area of the time， wrote Zheng Kaiyang Za Zhu （Zheng Kaiyang’s （Zheng Ruozeng） miscellanea）。 A map of Wan Li Haifang Tu （ten-thousand-Li coast defense map） was attached to Vol。 1 of the book。 Diaoyu Island， Huangmao Island， and Chi Island were included in the book。 In Shi Ryukyu Lu （a report on mission to Ryukyu） Chinese official Guo Rulin stated， “Chi Island， an island mountain， is the border of Ryukyu。”
1562
Chou Hai Tu Bian （atlas for coast defense） was set up and printed （edited by Zheng Ruozeng et al。 under the advisory of Hu Zongxian， the military commander against the Japanese）。 Diaoyu Islands， Huangmao Island， and Chi Island were found in the Atlas within the coastal defense areas。
1579
The 7th year of the reign of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty。
XieJie， the Cefengshi， stated in “Addendum of Ryukyu records” that “Go to Ryukyu from Fujian， the sea water color changes from turquoise to bluish dark， from the Ryukyu return Fujian， the sea water color changes from bluish dark to turquoise。” It indicates that the boundary between China and Ryukyu is “HeiShui Gou” （now the Okinawa downfold） between Chiwei Island and Jiumi islands。
1605
Xu bida， an official of the Ministry of Interior， was in charge of checking meritorious service。 He made a comment on “Qian Kun Yi Tong Hai fang Quan Tu” （i。e。 Coast Defense Map）： “The southeast coast was frequently harassed by Wokou， the Japanese invaders， when it was under the reign of Emperor Jiajing。 Recently the Guanbai warriors （referring to Toyotomi Hideyoshi） had often come assaulting on coastal waters and coastal lands。” On the map， it is clear that Diaoyu Island and its adjacent islets are in the territory of China， which is located to the east coast of the current Taiwan Jilong。
1606
Xia Ziyang， the cefengshi （an ancient Chinese official rank）， noted the Ryukyuans’ acknowledgement of Gumishan Island being the west border island of Ryukyu： “The Ryukyuans were so happy at the sight of Gumishan Island since they were soon to be home。” He also emphasized that “it must be in the boundary of China as water color changes from turquoise to bluish dark。”
1609
Satsumahan of Japan invaded Ryukyu。 The invaders were ordered to take a comprehensive survey of territories of Ryukyu。 Nothing about the Diaoyu Islands was mentioned in their survey。
1621
The first year of the reign of Emperor Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty。
After learning of the Wokou （Japanese invaders） incident， Mao Yuanyi “studied military strategy and tactics” and compiled Wu Bei Zhi （defense records）。 The map Fujian Yan Hai Shan Sha Tu （map of the offshore islands and shoals along the coast of Fujian） was reproduced by Chou Hai Tu。 He included Diaoyu Island， Huangmao Island， and Chiyu Island in the map。
1629
The Second Year of the reign of Emperor Chongzheng of the Ming Dynasty。
Mao Ruizheng， an official of the military department in charge of land charts and census registers， wrote Huang Ming Xiang Xu Lu （the Ming interpretation records of southern alien tongues）。 In the book he affirmed that Guimishan is within the territory of Ryukyu。
1633
Hu ling， an attendant of Du Sance who was on a mission to Ryukyu， wrote Du Tian Shi Cefeng Ryukyu Zhen Ji Qiguan （a true record of the marvelous spectacle of his Majesty’s cefengshi on mission to Ryukyu）。 He depicted the grand occasion of the Ryukyu Government welcoming the Chinese cefengshi at Guimishan， which was a border island in SW Ryukyu。