Sho Eki

Shô Eki was king of the Ryûkyû Kingdom from 1709 until 1712.

He was the eldest son of Shô Jun, who was in turn the eldest son of King Shô Tei. As a child, he suffered from a harelip or cleft palate; this was repaired by surgery performed by Gi Shitetsu. In 1692, while still Crown Prince, the future King Shô Eki paid a formal visit to Kagoshima, continuing a tradition begun in 1660 of Crown Princes paying respects to the head of the Shimazu clan upon reaching age 15.

In 1710, he created the government office of sanshin-uchi to oversee construction of high-quality sanshin for the court's use.[1]

Shô Eki died in 1712. He was entombed in the royal mausolea at Tamaudun alongside his queen, Konkô, and his royal ancestors. After his death, Shô Eki was succeeded as king by his eldest son, who took the throne as Shô Kei. He had a second son as well, named Shô Tetsu.

Preceded by:
Shô Tei
King of Ryûkyû
1709-1712
Succeeded by:
Shô Kei

References

  1. Liao Zhenpei 廖真珮, "Ryûkyû kyûtei ni okeru Chûgoku kei ongaku no ensô to denshô" 琉球宮廷における中国系音楽の演奏と伝承, in Uzagaku no fukugen ni mukete 御座楽の復元に向けて, Naha, Okinawa: Uzagaku fukugen ensô kenkyûkai 御座楽復元演奏研究会 (2007), 88, citing Kyûyô, vol. 9, item 658.