Bai family
- Other Names: 福地家 (Fukuchi ke, Fukuji ke)
- Japanese/Chinese: 貝姓 (Bai sei / Bèi xìng)
The Bai family was a scholar-aristocratic family of Naha, of peechin rank, whose members served in various official positions within the government of the Ryûkyû Kingdom. Some members even served as head of the Omonogusuku, the highest post a person of Naha could be appointed to.
The central lineage of the family claimed descent from Bai Igen (貝唯元) of Teshiraji village in Shuri, whose descendant three generations later, Arakawa-shi, moved to the Wakasa district of Naha when he was young to be raised by his elder sister. In the late 18th or early 19th century, during the time of the sixth family head, Bai Iki (貝唯紀), the family was elevated in status, from a shinsan (新参, lit. "newcomer") family to a fudaiji (譜代次, "hereditary") family. Around that same time, or perhaps earlier, the family relocated from Wakasa to the Izumisaki district of the city.
Like other Naha scholar-bureaucrats, the members of the Bai family passed through numerous posts within the Naha city administration, including positions associated with the zaiban bugyôsho, the office of the Satsuma han resident official in Naha. These included positions as Naha and Yamato yokome; as secretaries in the Oyamise, Shinoboseza, and in the office of the Naha satonushi; as ôyako or bujô (Magistrate) in the Satôza (Sugar Guild); and as ukaiya mui in the zaiban bugyôsho. Sixth family head Bai Iki was among those who served as head of the Omonogusuku, having been appointed to that position in 1852. Members of the family moved through the Ryukyuan court ranks over the course of their careers, typically starting at Junior Ninth Rank as chikudun zashiki, and moving up to at least Seventh Rank, with the title of chikudun peechin, at which point they were permitted to wear yellow hachimaki as marks of their rank. In 1836, the family was elevated from shinsan to fudai status, opening the possibility of being elevated as high as the Third Rank, and to the title of full peechin. Bai Iki served as jitô of Henoko in Kushi magiri, and held the title of Takazato peechin, passing this on to his son Bai Ien; Bai Ien was later transferred to being jitô of Fukuji village in Kyan magiri, and so took the title of Fukuji peechin. His son and successor Bai Izen then became Fukuji chikudun peechin.
This title of Fukuji peechin led to the central lineage of the family being renamed the Fukuchi or Fukuji family as they were incorporated into the mainland Japanese koseki system of family registers following the fall of the kingdom.
Following the October 10, 1944 air raid (known as the 10/10 air raid in Okinawa), the Fukuji family evacuated to Kumamoto prefecture, and then relocated to Tokyo, taking much of the family's treasures with them. This collection of documents and textiles evocative of the life and history of Naha elites was thus able to survive the war. In 2007, Fukuji Ijirô, a son of those who fled Okinawa during the war, donated much of these family treasures to the Naha City Museum of History.[1]
Genealogy of the Bai family[2]
- Bai Igen 貝唯元, first head of family
- Bai Imitsu 貝唯満, second son of Bai Igen
- Bai Iki 貝唯喜, third son of Bai Igen
- Bai Môshii 貝真牛, eldest daughter of Bai Igen
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, second daughter of Bai Igen
- Bai Iki 貝唯記 (1660-1723), eldest son of Bai Igen, second head of family
- Bai Isei 貝唯清, eldest son of Bai Iki
- Bai Makamadû 貝真蒲戸, eldest daughter of Bai Isei
- Bai Ira 貝唯良, third son of Bai Iki
- Bai Isui 貝唯翠, eldest son of Bai Ira
- Bai Makatû 貝真嘉戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ira
- Bai Môshii 貝真牛, second daughter of Bai Ira
- Bai Makadû 貝真嘉戸, eldest daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Magushii 貝真呉勢, second daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, third daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Idoku 貝唯読 (1694-1794), second son of Bai Iki, third head of family
- Bai Iseki 貝唯昔, second son of Bai Idoku
- Bai Irei 貝唯令, third son of Bai Idoku
- Bai Iei 貝唯盈, fourth son of Bai Idoku
- Bai Ishin 貝唯親, fifth son of Bai Idoku
- Bai Majirû 貝真鶴, eldest daughter of Bai Idoku
- Bai Kamadû 貝蒲戸, second daughter of Bai Idoku
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, third daughter of Bai Idoku
- Bai Môshii 貝真牛, fourth daughter of Bai Idoku
- Bai Iren 貝唯廉 (1719-1771), eldest son of Bai Idoku, fourth head of family
- Bai Isui 貝唯綏, eldest son of Bai Iren
- Bai Iji 貝唯自, third son of Bai Iren
- Bai Majirû 貝真鶴, eldest daughter of Bai Iren
- Bai Magushii 貝真呉勢, second daughter of Bai Iren
- Bai Ishin 貝唯眞 (1759-1785), second son of Bai Iren, fifth head of family
- Bai Iei 貝唯永, eldest son of Bai Ishin
- Bai Iki 貝唯紀 (1785-1858), second son of Bai Ishin, sixth head of family, elevated from sanshin to fudaiji
- Bai Isuke 貝唯輔, eldest son of Bai Iki
- Bai Ishô 貝唯昌, third son of Bai Iki
- Bai Ijun 貝唯順, eldest son of Bai Ishô
- Bai Iei 貝唯栄, eldest son of Bai Ijun
- Bai Isen 貝唯宣, second son of Bai Ijun
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ijun
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ishô
- Bai Makadû 貝真嘉戸, second daughter of Bai Ishô
- Bai Makamadû 貝真蒲戸, third daughter of Bai Ishô
- Bai Ijun 貝唯順, eldest son of Bai Ishô
- Bai Izen 貝唯全, fourth son of Bai Iki
- Bai Ishu 貝唯守, fifth son of Bai Iki
- Bai Isei 貝唯盛, eldest son of Bai Ishu
- Bai Majirû 貝真鶴, eldest daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, second daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Makadû 貝真嘉戸, third daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Magami 貝真亀, fourth daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Umitama 貝思玉, fifth daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, sixth daughter of Bai Iki
- Bai Ien 貝唯延 (b. 1813), second son of Bai Iki, seventh head of family
- Bai Ikyô 貝唯恭, eldest son of Bai Ien
- Bai Iga 貝唯賀, third son of Bai Ien
- Bai Umitû 貝思戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ien
- Bai Magami 貝真亀, second daughter of Bai Ien
- Bai Izen 貝唯善 (b. 1842), second son of Bai Ien, eighth head of family
- Bai Ijutsu 貝唯述, eldest son of Bai Izen
- Bai Ikô 貝唯厚, second son of Bai Izen
- Bai Isei 貝唯清, eldest son of Bai Iki
References
- Naha shizoku no isshô 那覇士族の一生 (Naha: Naha City Museum of History, 2010).
- ↑ "福地家資料那覇市に 貴重な染織品など９７点," Ryukyu Shimpo, 25 Jan 2007.
- ↑ Largely from Naha shizoku no isshô, 4.
