 Peasants were subsistence farmers who paid taxes to their local "aji" and performed various other labors and services to him; the "aji" in turn owed taxes and services to the head of their polity (hypothetically a chief, but called a prince in many English-language texts on the subject).Shō Hashi did not effect drastic dramatic changes upon this system, but reinforced it as part of his unification efforts; "aji" were made to owe their allegiance to his royal government at Shuri, rather than becoming lordless rebels or the like upon the defeat and absorption of their kingdom.Hashi also oversaw a significant expansion of trade, particularly with China, and organized envoys to other Asian countries as well.