Gi Gakugen

• Born: 1793/6/6
• Died: 1843/7/4
• Japanese/Chinese: 魏 学源 (Gi Gakugen / Wèi Xuéyuán)

Gi Gakugen was a Ryukyuan scholar-official who traveled to China on several occasions.

Originally from Kumemura, he first traveled to China in 1815 as a student, where he was noted for his successes in studying the legal volumes known as the Da-qing lü li. In 1831, he edited or compiled a Ryukyuan legal text, the Shinshû karitsu, an addition to the earlier Ryûkyû karitsu.

Gi traveled to China again in 1838, and produced the Fukken shinkyô suiriku rotei, a particularly detailed account of the route traveled by Ryukyuan tribute missions to China.

References

• "Gi Gakugen," Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia, Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.