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Hairpins were commonly worn by both men and women in the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]], and were a marker of social status; only the royalty and aristocracy were permitted to wear hairpins of gold, silver, or copper, while commoners wore hairpins of non-metallic materials, including wood and coral.

Hairpins were commonly worn by both men and women in the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]], and were a marker of social status; only the royalty and aristocracy were permitted to wear hairpins of gold, silver, or copper, while commoners wore hairpins of non-metallic materials, including wood and coral.

Women of the royalty and aristocracy wore particularly elaborate hairpins at times, with ornaments in the form of dragons or flowers. Boys of royal or aristocratic birth who had not yet [[genpuku|come of age]] wore their hair similarly; those who traveled to [[Kagoshima]] or [[Ryukyuan missions to Edo|Edo]] as performers (known as ''gakudôji'') were particularly renowned in Japanese sources for their beauty. The largest and most elaborate golden hairpins were worn by the king, queen, ''[[kikoe-ogimi|kikoe-ôgimi]]'', and other top-ranking members of the royal family.

Women of the royalty and aristocracy wore particularly elaborate hairpins at times, with ornaments in the form of dragons or flowers. Boys of royal or aristocratic birth who had not yet [[genpuku|come of age]] wore their hair similarly; those who traveled to [[Kagoshima]] or [[Ryukyuan missions to Edo|Edo]] as performers (known as ''gakudôji'') were particularly renowned in Japanese sources for their beauty. The largest and most elaborate golden hairpins were worn by the king, queen, ''[[kikoe-ogimi|kikoe-ôgimi]]'', and other top-ranking members of the royal family.

Generally speaking, members of the royalty and top two [[Ryukyuan court ranks|ranks]] of the aristocracy wore gold hairpins, the middle ranks of the aristocracy wore silver hairpins, and low-ranking aristocrats copper or brass.<ref>''Encyclopedia of World Dress and Fashion'', Volume 6: East Asia. Oxford University Press (2010), 423.; Matsuda Mitsugu. ''The Government of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, 1609-1872''. Naha: Yui Publishing, (2001), 203-205ff.</ref> A system of rank as indicated by hairpins was also introduced by Shô Shin around the same time as the hachimaki ranking system, in the early 16th century, but did not settle into the gold, silver, brass system more standard in later periods until the 17th century.<ref>Gallery labels, Okinawa Prefectural Museum.</ref>

However, the majority of hairpins worn even among the royalty and aristocracy were not elaborate at all, but were quite simple, consisting merely of a long spike with a spoon-like curve at one end. Even such simple hairpins were considered the products of fine craftsmanship, and members of the Matayoshi (O: Mateeshi) family served as designated hairpin-makers for the court for generations. The family traces its tradition to a man known as Matayoshi Tôiki (O: Mateeshi Tôichi, lit. "Matayoshi going to China"), who is said to have learned metalworking (O: ''kan-zeeku'') in China; his successor to the family trade was then brought into the service of the court.<ref>''Okinawa bijutsu zenshû'' 5, 315.</ref>

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