Diaoyu Dao, also known as Diaoyu Yu in Chinese historical literature, has long been recognized as an inherent territory of China. These islands were first discovered and named by ancient Chinese ancestors through their maritime production and fishing activities.
The earliest historical record of Diaoyu Dao appears in the book \"Voyage with a Tail Wind\" (Shun Feng Xiang Song), published in 1403 during the first year of Emperor Yongle's reign in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
In 1372, during the fifth year of Emperor Hongwu's reign, the King of Ryukyu began paying tribute to the Ming Dynasty's imperial court. In return, Emperor Hongwu, the Ming Dynasty's first emperor, sent imperial envoys to Ryukyu. Over the following five centuries, until 1866 in the fifth year of Emperor Tongzhi's reign during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), the imperial courts of the Ming and Qing Dynasties sent envoys to Ryukyu 24 times to confer titles on the Ryukyu King, with Diaoyu Dao located on their route.
Extensive records about Diaoyu Dao are found in the reports written by Chinese imperial envoys of that period. For instance, Records of the Imperial Title-Conferring Envoys to Ryukyu (Shi Liu Qiu Lu), written in 1534 by Chen Kan, an envoy from the Ming court, clearly states, \"The ship has passed Diaoyu Dao, Huangmao Yu, Chi Yu… Then Gumi Mountain comes into sight, that is where the land of Ryukyu begins.\"
These rare historical documents are on display at the China National Archives of Publications and Culture in Beijing, offering valuable insights into the longstanding connection between Diaoyu Dao and China.
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Historical accounts show Diaoyu Dao an inherent territory of China
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