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* ''Born: c. [[1415]]<ref>While the ''Encyclopedia of People of Okinawan History'' gives his birth year as 1415, the ''Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia'' gives it as 1410.</ref>''
* ''Died: [[1460]]''
* ''Sons: [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]]''
* ''Titles: Prince of [[Goeku]], King of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], King of [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]]''
* ''Other names: Hashi''
* ''Japanese'': [[尚]] 泰久 ''(Shou Taikyuu)''
Shô Taikyû was a king of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]], the fifth of the line of the first Shô Dynasty. His reign saw the construction of many Buddhist temples, and the casting of the [[Bridge of Nations Bell|"Bridge of Nations" Bell]] (万国津梁の鐘, ''Bankoku shinryô no kane'').
== Life and reign ==
Shô Taikyû was the seventh son of [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]], founder of the Kingdom of Ryûkyû and of the Shô Dynasty. In 1453, he was named Prince of [[Goeku]], and given Goeku ''[[magiri]]'' (today part of Okinawa City) as his domain<ref name=shimpo>"Shō Taikyū." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41748-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 27 July 2009.</ref>.
When King [[Sho Kinpuku|Shô Kinpuku]] died in 1453, a succession dispute erupted between the king's son Shiro (志魯) and his younger brother Furi (布里). [[Shuri Castle]] was burned down in the conflict, which ended in the death of both Shiro and Furi, and the succession of Shô Taikyû to the throne<ref name=shimpo/>.
Having studied under [[Kaiin]], a [[Zen]] monk from [[Kyoto]]<ref name=jinmei>"Shō Taikyū." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People of Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 1996. p42.</ref>, Shô Taikyû had a number of Buddhist temples founded, including the [[Kogen-ji|Kôgen-ji]]<!--廣厳-->, [[Fumon-ji]]<!--普門-->, [[Manju-ji (Okinawa)|Manju-ji]]<!--万寿-->, and [[Tenryu-ji (Okinawa)|Tenryû-ji]]<!--天龍--><ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. (revised edition). Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p99.</ref><ref>Shinzato, Keiji, et al. ''Okinawa-ken no rekishi'' ("History of Okinawa Prefecture"). Tokyo: Yamakawa Publishing, 1996. p53.</ref>, and the so-called "Bridge of Nations" Bell cast<ref name=jinmei/>. The bell, with an inscription describing the kingdom's prosperity in maritime trade and diplomacy, hung in Shuri Castle for centuries and became a famous symbol of the castle and of the kingdom.
Shô Taikyû's reign was, indeed, a period of prosperity in maritime trade. Historian [[George H. Kerr]] writes that Okinawan merchants sometimes earned as much as a thousand-percent return on luxury goods, that Naha grew more fully into a prosperous-looking port town, and the estates of the local lords (''anji'') grew as well. However, Kerr also writes that Shô Taikyû's patronage of Buddhism and temple-building efforts far exceeded that which would have been demanded or supported by the populace, and that these activities impoverished the royal treasury<ref>Kerr. pp99-100.</ref>.
The reign of Shô Taikyû also saw one of the more famous episodes of political intrigues among the ''anji'' in the history & legends of the kingdom. Informed by [[Amawari]], lord of [[Katsuren gusuku|Katsuren]] ''[[gusuku]]'' and son-in-law of the king, that [[Gosamaru]], lord of [[Nakagusuku]] and father-in-law to Shô Taikyû, was plotting to overthrow the kingdom, Shô Taikyû allowed Amawari to lead a royal contingent to subjugate Nakagusuku. Following Gosamaru's defeat and subsequent death, the king discovered that it was in fact Amawari who had been plotting against him from the beginning, and whose schemes led to the destruction of a loyal retainer. Katsuren was then subsequently attacked, and Amawari captured and executed<ref name=summit>Okinawa G8 Summit Host Preparation Council. "Three Castles, Two Lords and a Ryukyuan Opera." [http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/summit/gusuku/gusuku_1b/index2.htm The Okinawa Summit 2000 Archives]. Accessed 25 July 2009.</ref><ref>"Gosamaru-Amawari no hen." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41393-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009.</ref>.
Upon his death in 1460, Shô Taikyû was succeeded by his son, [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]].
<center>
{| border="3" align="center"
|- align="center"
|width="32%"|Preceded by:<br>[[Sho Kinpuku|Shô Kinpuku]]
|width="35%"|'''Reign as King of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]] and [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]]'''<br> 1454–1460
|width="32%"|Succeeded by:<br>'''[[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]]'''
|}
</center>
== References ==
<references/>
[[Category:Royalty]]
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Muromachi Period]]
* ''Died: [[1460]]''
* ''Sons: [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]]''
* ''Titles: Prince of [[Goeku]], King of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]], King of [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]]''
* ''Other names: Hashi''
* ''Japanese'': [[尚]] 泰久 ''(Shou Taikyuu)''
Shô Taikyû was a king of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]], the fifth of the line of the first Shô Dynasty. His reign saw the construction of many Buddhist temples, and the casting of the [[Bridge of Nations Bell|"Bridge of Nations" Bell]] (万国津梁の鐘, ''Bankoku shinryô no kane'').
== Life and reign ==
Shô Taikyû was the seventh son of [[Sho Hashi|Shô Hashi]], founder of the Kingdom of Ryûkyû and of the Shô Dynasty. In 1453, he was named Prince of [[Goeku]], and given Goeku ''[[magiri]]'' (today part of Okinawa City) as his domain<ref name=shimpo>"Shō Taikyū." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41748-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 27 July 2009.</ref>.
When King [[Sho Kinpuku|Shô Kinpuku]] died in 1453, a succession dispute erupted between the king's son Shiro (志魯) and his younger brother Furi (布里). [[Shuri Castle]] was burned down in the conflict, which ended in the death of both Shiro and Furi, and the succession of Shô Taikyû to the throne<ref name=shimpo/>.
Having studied under [[Kaiin]], a [[Zen]] monk from [[Kyoto]]<ref name=jinmei>"Shō Taikyū." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People of Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 1996. p42.</ref>, Shô Taikyû had a number of Buddhist temples founded, including the [[Kogen-ji|Kôgen-ji]]<!--廣厳-->, [[Fumon-ji]]<!--普門-->, [[Manju-ji (Okinawa)|Manju-ji]]<!--万寿-->, and [[Tenryu-ji (Okinawa)|Tenryû-ji]]<!--天龍--><ref>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People''. (revised edition). Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. p99.</ref><ref>Shinzato, Keiji, et al. ''Okinawa-ken no rekishi'' ("History of Okinawa Prefecture"). Tokyo: Yamakawa Publishing, 1996. p53.</ref>, and the so-called "Bridge of Nations" Bell cast<ref name=jinmei/>. The bell, with an inscription describing the kingdom's prosperity in maritime trade and diplomacy, hung in Shuri Castle for centuries and became a famous symbol of the castle and of the kingdom.
Shô Taikyû's reign was, indeed, a period of prosperity in maritime trade. Historian [[George H. Kerr]] writes that Okinawan merchants sometimes earned as much as a thousand-percent return on luxury goods, that Naha grew more fully into a prosperous-looking port town, and the estates of the local lords (''anji'') grew as well. However, Kerr also writes that Shô Taikyû's patronage of Buddhism and temple-building efforts far exceeded that which would have been demanded or supported by the populace, and that these activities impoverished the royal treasury<ref>Kerr. pp99-100.</ref>.
The reign of Shô Taikyû also saw one of the more famous episodes of political intrigues among the ''anji'' in the history & legends of the kingdom. Informed by [[Amawari]], lord of [[Katsuren gusuku|Katsuren]] ''[[gusuku]]'' and son-in-law of the king, that [[Gosamaru]], lord of [[Nakagusuku]] and father-in-law to Shô Taikyû, was plotting to overthrow the kingdom, Shô Taikyû allowed Amawari to lead a royal contingent to subjugate Nakagusuku. Following Gosamaru's defeat and subsequent death, the king discovered that it was in fact Amawari who had been plotting against him from the beginning, and whose schemes led to the destruction of a loyal retainer. Katsuren was then subsequently attacked, and Amawari captured and executed<ref name=summit>Okinawa G8 Summit Host Preparation Council. "Three Castles, Two Lords and a Ryukyuan Opera." [http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/summit/gusuku/gusuku_1b/index2.htm The Okinawa Summit 2000 Archives]. Accessed 25 July 2009.</ref><ref>"Gosamaru-Amawari no hen." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41393-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 25 July 2009.</ref>.
Upon his death in 1460, Shô Taikyû was succeeded by his son, [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]].
<center>
{| border="3" align="center"
|- align="center"
|width="32%"|Preceded by:<br>[[Sho Kinpuku|Shô Kinpuku]]
|width="35%"|'''Reign as King of [[Chuzan|Chûzan]] and [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Ryûkyû]]'''<br> 1454–1460
|width="32%"|Succeeded by:<br>'''[[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]]'''
|}
</center>
== References ==
<references/>
[[Category:Royalty]]
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Muromachi Period]]