Urasoe Choki

Other Names: 尚元魯 (Shou Genro)
Japanese: 浦添朝熹 (Urasoe Chouki)

Urasoe Chôki was a Ryukyuan aristocrat-bureaucrat, who served as sessei (royal advisor) from 1835 to 1852.

Chôki was a direct descendant of Shô Shôi, third son of King Shô Shin, making him a member of the highest rank of the aristocracy. He rose to the rank of ôji (prince)^[1], and in 1842 served as the chief envoy (seishi) on a mission to Edo. While in Japan, Chôki studied waka under Kagawa Kageki, and is considered one of the Okinawa Sanjûrokkasen.

References

"Urasoe Chôki." Digital-ban Nihon jinmei daijiten デジタル版日本人名大辞典. Kodansha, 2009.

↑ The title of ôji in the system of Ryukyuan court ranks was not exclusive to direct biological sons of the royalty, but could also be earned by the highest-ranking aristocracy. This did not make him a "prince" in the sense of being considered "royalty" or entered into the line of succession, but gave him equivalent court ranking to the princes of the blood.

[1] The title of ôji in the system of Ryukyuan court ranks was not exclusive to direct biological sons of the royalty, but could also be earned by the highest-ranking aristocracy. This did not make him a "prince" in the sense of being considered "royalty" or entered into the line of succession, but gave him equivalent court ranking to the princes of the blood.

[1]