Tei Fuku

• Japanese/Okinawan/Chinese: 程 復 (Tei Fuku / Tii Fuku / Chéng Fù)

Tei Fuku was a scholar-official of Chinese origin who served in the government of the Ryukyu Kingdom towards the end of the 14th century.

As of 1392, Tei was serving as the anji (lord) of a gusuku (castle) and its associated territory, and concurrently as an interpreter in the service of the Ryukyuan royal court. In that year, the court successfully petitioned Nanjing for Tei, along with Ye Xiyin, another Chinese official serving in similar capacities within Ryukyu, to be recognized for their long years of service with official Ming court costume representative of position within the ranks of Ming scholar-officials.

In 1411, the Ryukyuan royal court wrote to Nanjing requesting that Tei Fuku, having served loyally for over forty years, and now 81 years of age, be permitted to retire to his home region of Raozhou. He was simultaneously given the honorary titles/posts of Prime Minister (国相) and changshi of the Left (左長史).

References

• Tomiyama Kazuyuki, Ryûkyû ôkoku no gaikô to ôken, Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2004), 41-42.