The Okinawan court began wholesale absorption of things Chinese, and to facilitate imperial tribute the emperor T'ai-tsu "granted" the island "thirty-six Fukien families" to disseminate the crafts of boat-building and navigation.
這個期間，才開化的琉球王朝如海綿般大量吸收華風，而明太祖為了方便琉球進貢，更賜「閩人卅六姓」到當地傳授造船、航海技術。