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He was the second son of King [[Sho Gen|Shô Gen]], and succeeded his father upon the latter's death in [[1572]]. He received [[Chinese investiture envoys|investiture]] from the [[Ming Dynasty]] in [[1579]]. It was on this occasion that the now-famous "''Shurei no kuni''" plaque was first created and hung at the gate of [[Shuri castle]]; though originally hung only during the visit of the Ming envoys, King [[Sho Shitsu|Shô Shitsu]] later had it hung permanently.
He was the second son of King [[Sho Gen|Shô Gen]], and succeeded his father upon the latter's death in [[1572]]. He received [[Chinese investiture envoys|investiture]] from the [[Ming Dynasty]] in [[1579]]. It was on this occasion that the now-famous "''Shurei no kuni''" plaque was first created and hung at the gate of [[Shuri castle]]; though originally hung only during the visit of the Ming envoys, King [[Sho Shitsu|Shô Shitsu]] later had it hung permanently.
In [[1587]], he was succeeded by his adoptive son-in-law, who took the throne as King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]].
Though official kingdom histories such as ''[[Chuzan seifu|Chûzan seifu]]'' focus on this famous plaque and say little else about Shô Ei's reign, this period saw considerable developments in Ryûkyû's relations with the [[Shimazu clan]] of [[Satsuma province]]. These included an embassy sent by Ryûkyû to [[Kagoshima]] in [[1575]] which, in Shimazu eyes, was owed to them since [[1570]]; though the embassy was received with formal ceremonies, ritual gift-exchange, and considerable entertainments and banqueting, they were also presented by the Shimazu with a number of complaints as to Ryûkyû's poor or inappropriate diplomatic/ritual behavior in recent years. In [[1577]], Shô Ei sent the abbot of [[Tenkai-ji]] to Kagoshima to formally apologize, to formally congratulate [[Shimazu Yoshihisa]] once again on becoming head of the clan and lord of the three provinces of Satsuma, [[Osumi province|Ôsumi]], and [[Hyuga province|Hyûga]], and to inform the Shimazu that a more formal embassy would come the following year. After a Ryukyuan ''[[ayabune]]'' arrived in Kagoshima the following year bearing 30 ''[[currency|ryô]]'' of gold and other gifts making up for what the Shimazu saw as insufficient gifts presented by previous embassies, the Shimazu formally declared good relations restored in [[1579]].<ref>Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 210-212.</ref>
In [[1587]], despite having two brothers (at least one of whom, [[Sho Kyu|Shô Kyû]], was still living), Shô Ei was succeeded by one of his nephews, who took the throne as King [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]].<ref>Shô Nei was the son of one of Shô Ei's sisters. Whether he was formally adopted as heir prior to Shô Ei's death seems unclear, being mentioned in only one of the kingdom's official histories. Gregory Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', University of Hawaii Press (2019), 143.</ref>
Shô Ei was entombed alongside his primary queen, [[Konko (1562-1637)|Konkô]], at the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]].
Shô Ei was entombed alongside his primary queen, [[Konko (1562-1637)|Konkô]], at the royal mausoleum at [[Tamaudun]].
