Bai Iki

• Born: 1785/10/22
• Died: 1858/5/12
• Titles: 金城筑登之 (Kanagusuku chikudun), 高里親雲上 (Takazato peechin), 仲本親雲上 (Nakamoto peechin)
• Japanese/Chinese: 貝唯紀 (Bai Iki / Bèi Wéijì)

Bai Iki was the sixth head of the Bai family of the scholar-aristocracy of Naha. It was during his time as head of the family that the Bai were elevated from shinsan status to being a fudaiji family.

The second son of the fifth family head, Bai Ishin, Bai Iki was named heir at the age of 14, in 1798, following the early death of his older brother Bai Isui. The following year, he had his coming-of-age ceremony, and on 1806/4/3, when Bai Iki was 22, his first daughter, Majirû, was born. Nearly two years later, on 1808/3/15, his first son, Isuke, was born. That same year, following the investiture of the king, Bai Iki was named Kanagusuku chikudun. His second daughter, Umitû, was born on 1810/6/9.

Iki's eldest son, Bai Isuke, died young on 1811/4/11. His second son, Bai Ien, who would later go on to become Iki's successor, was born two years later, on 1813/9/12. Iki then had another son, Bai Ishô, on 1816/6/28. The following year, he was appointed ufunitii hissha (clerk/secretary in charge of ships), and two years later, on 1819/2/13, his third daughter, Makadû, was born. His fourth daughter, Magami, was born on 1822/7/24.

Iki's eldest daughter, Majirû, died on 1824/10/19, when Iki was 40. His fourth son, Bai Izen, was born the following year, on 1825/3/8, and his fifth daughter, Umitama, on 1828/11/16. In 1832, Bai Iki gained a fifth son, Bai Ishu, on 1832/2/12, but lost his fourth son, Bai Izen, on 11/15. That same year, he was elevated in rank from chikudun to chikudun peechin; now a member of the Seventh Rank, he was entitled to wear a yellow hachimaki (court cap) as a mark of his status.

Beginning in 1833, Bai Iki was elevated to setô zashiki rank (Junior Sixth Rank), and was appointed to a series of different positions. That year, he was named Satôza Ôyako, one of two ôyako directly under the Magistrate of the Sugar Guild (Satôza bujô). The following year, at the age of 50, he began serving as Naha yokome, a position he held for 25 months, and as Yamato yokome (a position within the zaiban bugyôsho) for 15 months. He was reappointed to the latter in 1836 for another term of 16 months. That same year, his family was elevated from shinsan to fudai status.

In 1837, he was named Ukwanshin yokome, a position he held for 22 months, and the following year, he was elevated to full zashiki status (Junior Fourth Rank). Over the next few years, he served further terms as Naha yokome and Yamato yokome, before being named head of the Omonogusuku in 1852. This was the highest station a member of the Naha aristocracy could hope to attain; he held the position for 26 months. That same year, he was granted the territory of Nakamoto in Haebaru magiri, and the title of Nakamoto peechin, as well as being named jitô of Henoko in Kushi magiri, earning the title Takazato peechin.

In 1854, at the age of 70, Bai Iki was elevated to môshikuchi-za (Junior Third Rank) status, and was appointed Satôza bujô, Magistrate of the Sugar Guild. At the end of a long life of much official service and numerous rank elevations, Bai Iki died on 1858/5/12, and was succeeded as head of the Bai family by his second son, Bai Ien.

Preceded by: Bai Ishin

Head of Bai family  ?-1858

Succeeded by: Bai Ien

References

• Naha shizoku no isshô 那覇士族の一生 (Naha: Naha City Museum of History, 2010).