Chatan Chōai

In this Okinawan name, the surname is Chatan.
Chatan Chōai
北谷 朝愛
sessei of Ryukyu
In office
1689–1705
Preceded byKin Chōkō
Succeeded byOroku Chōki
Personal details
Born(1650-06-11)June 11, 1650
DiedDecember 11, 1719(1719-12-11) (aged 69)
Parent(s)Shō Shitsu (father)
Mafee Aji (mother)
Chinese nameShō Kōsai (尚 弘才)
RankWōji

Chatan Wōji Chōai (北谷 王子 朝愛, 11 June 1650 – 11 December 1719), also known by his Chinese style name Shō Kōsai (尚 弘才), was a prince of Ryukyu Kingdom.

Chatan was the fourth son of King Shō Shitsu, and his mother was Mafee Aji (真南風按司).[1] Chatan was the first head of a royal family called Ufumura Udun (大村御殿).[2]

Chatan was given Chatan magiri (北谷間切, modern Chatan, Kadena and a part of Okinawa) as his hereditary fief. Later, he served as sessei from 1689 to 1705. He was allowed to sit in litter crossing Kōfuku Gate (広福門) and Ueki Gate (右掖門) in Shuri Castle.[3]

Chatan Chōai died without heir in 1719. Chatan Chōki, who was the second son of King Shō Eki, became his adopted son and inherited his title.[2]

The name "Prince Chatan" appeared in an Okinawan folktale: Mimi kiri bōzu (耳切り坊主, "a monk whose ears was cut off"). In this folktale, Prince Chatan was good at playing go, he killed Kurogane zasu (黒金座主), a Vajrayana Buddhist monk, and was cursed, all his sons died young.[4] The prototype of "Prince Chatan" is unclear. Some scholars considered him to be Chatan Chōai, others consider Chatan Chōki, the adopted son of Chōai, to be the basis for the story.[5]

References

  1. ^ "王代記写". Archived from the original on 2017-02-28. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
  2. ^ a b Rizō, Takeuchi. (1992). Okinawa-ken seishi kakei daijiten (沖縄県姓氏家系大辞典). Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten.
  3. ^ "中山王府相卿伝職年譜　向祐等著写本". Archived from the original on 2017-09-02. Retrieved 2017-07-01.
  4. ^ 沖縄の民話 - 黒金座主 【那覇市】
  5. ^ 琉球における仏教説話の歴史地理学的研究 －耳切り坊主を事例に－[permanent dead link‍]
Chatan Chōai
title created Head of Ufumura Udun Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Sessei of Ryukyu
1689 - 1705 		Succeeded by