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''Born: [[1823]]''
''Died: [[1876]]''
''Titles: [[Ginowan]] [[ueekata]]'' (宜野湾親方)'', Giwan ueekata'' (宜湾親方)
''Other Names: Shô Yûkô'' (向有恒)
''Japanese/Okinawan'': 宜湾朝保 ''(Giwan Chouho)''
Shô Yûkô Ginowan ueekata Chôho<ref>It was typical at this time for Ryukyuan aristocrat-bureaucrats to have multiple names. Shô Yûkô is a Chinese-style name, used in Chinese-language correspondence. "Ginowan ueekata" is not a name, but a title, which might be roughly translated as "Lord of [[Ginowan]]." Finally, Chôho is a Japanese style given name, used in combination with the title "Ginowan ueekata" in Japanese-language correspondence.</ref>, also known more simply as Giwan Chôho, was a [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Rykyuan]] government official and emissary; at the time of the [[Meiji Restoration]] in Japan, he was a member of the ''[[Sanshikan]]'', the Council of Three top government ministers in the Kingdom of Ryûkyû.
Giwan was the representative of the kingdom tasked, in 1872, with conveying to the king & his fellow ministers the [[Tokugawa shogunate]]'s orders that the kingdom be abolished, and its territory annexed by Japan.
He is also known for his ''[[waka]]'' poetry<ref name=jinmei>"Giwan Chōho." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People in Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 2002. p27.</ref>.
==Life and career==
Giwan was born in [[Shuri]]<ref name=jinmei/> to an aristocratic family, and inherited from his father Ginowan ''[[magiri]]'' as his domain, along with the title of Ginowan ''ueekata'' ("Lord of Ginowan") in 1835. He would have his title changed to "Giwan ''ueekata''" in 1875 when the king's second son [[Sho In|Shô In]] was named "Prince of Ginowan" (宜野湾王子, Ginowan Ôji)<ref name=shimpo>"Giwan Chōho." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41120-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 12 September 2009.</ref>.
He served many years in the bureaucracy, and was dispatched on missions to [[Qing Dynasty|China]] and [[Edo period|Japan]] on a number of occasions. He became a member of the ''Sanshikan'' in 1862<ref name=jinmei/>, and on account of his experience, continued to lead missions overseas.
The Tokugawa shogunate fell in Japan in 1868, to be replaced by a new [[Government of Meiji Japan|Imperial government]]. Three years later, an incident in which a number of Okinawans, shipwrecked on [[Taiwan]], were killed by natives there developed into disputes between the Japanese Imperial government and that of Qing Dynasty China over sovereignty or suzerainty over Okinawa. After discussions in the Okinawan royal capital of Shuri with Japanese representatives of [[Satsuma han]], the Japanese government summoned King [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] to [[Tokyo]] to further discuss the political status of the Kingdom of Ryûkyû vis-a-vis Japan. So as to not imply his subordination to the [[Meiji Emperor]] by appearing before him himself, Shô Tai feigned illness and sent a mission on his behalf, led by his uncle Prince Ie, and by Giwan Chôho<ref name=kerr>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People'' (revised ed.). Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. pp356-363.</ref>.
The mission was also to serve to officially present congratulations from the kingdom on the occasion of the birth of the new Imperial Japanese government<ref name=jinmei/>. [[Ryukyuan missions to Edo|Similar missions]] had journeyed to [[Edo]] in the past, on the occasion of the accession of a new [[shogun]]. As had occurred on the occasions of such previous missions, Giwan and his party presented a number of gifts to the Japanese, and were well received and well-treated. The ambassadors took part in a variety of activities organized by the [[Gaimusho|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]], including meeting with [[Ainu]] chiefs and attending the opening of the first railway in Japan<ref name=kerr/>.
On October 14, 1872, the ambassadors were presented with an imperial decree, stating that the Kingdom was to become ''[[Ryûkyû han]]'', a province or prefecture within the Japanese nation, with Shô Tai as governor<ref name=kerr/>. While this brought to an end the identity of the kingdom as an independent (or semi-independent) foreign nation, and the absorption of the islands into the Japanese state, it also meant an end to over 250 years of the kingdom's subordination to Satsuma.
Giwan and his party returned to Okinawa with this news, and a new mission was sent presently to Tokyo to work out details of this new political arrangement<ref>Kerr. p364.</ref>, while Giwan remained at Shuri.
For a brief time, it seemed that Ryûkyû was to enjoy a newfound degree of self-rule, with Shô Tai serving as governor of the domain<ref>Though the system of ''[[han]]'', or feudal domains, had been [[Abolition of the han system|abolished]] even before Ryûkyû han was established, the system of [[prefectures of Japan|prefectures]] had yet to be put into place. Thus, for this brief time, Shô Tai was Governor of Ryûkyû, and not Lord or [[daimyo]] as the rulers of the ''han'' were up until then.</ref>.
However, several years later, in 1875, Giwan, along with a number of other government ministers and royals, received a mission led by [[Matsuda Michiyuki]], Chief Secretary of the [[Naimusho|Home Ministry]]. Matsuda oversaw the implementation of a number of wide-ranging political changes and other systematic changes concordant with the incorporation of Ryûkyû into Japan, including the establishment of a permanent military garrison in the Ryukyus. Giwan came under attack, as did all officials who had negotiated with the Japanese or accepted their terms, and was forced to resign from public office<ref>Kerr. pp371-373.</ref>.
He retired to the countryside, and died the following year<ref name=jinmei/>.
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Nobility]]
[[Category:Diplomats]]
[[Category:Meiji Period]]
''Died: [[1876]]''
''Titles: [[Ginowan]] [[ueekata]]'' (宜野湾親方)'', Giwan ueekata'' (宜湾親方)
''Other Names: Shô Yûkô'' (向有恒)
''Japanese/Okinawan'': 宜湾朝保 ''(Giwan Chouho)''
Shô Yûkô Ginowan ueekata Chôho<ref>It was typical at this time for Ryukyuan aristocrat-bureaucrats to have multiple names. Shô Yûkô is a Chinese-style name, used in Chinese-language correspondence. "Ginowan ueekata" is not a name, but a title, which might be roughly translated as "Lord of [[Ginowan]]." Finally, Chôho is a Japanese style given name, used in combination with the title "Ginowan ueekata" in Japanese-language correspondence.</ref>, also known more simply as Giwan Chôho, was a [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Rykyuan]] government official and emissary; at the time of the [[Meiji Restoration]] in Japan, he was a member of the ''[[Sanshikan]]'', the Council of Three top government ministers in the Kingdom of Ryûkyû.
Giwan was the representative of the kingdom tasked, in 1872, with conveying to the king & his fellow ministers the [[Tokugawa shogunate]]'s orders that the kingdom be abolished, and its territory annexed by Japan.
He is also known for his ''[[waka]]'' poetry<ref name=jinmei>"Giwan Chōho." ''Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten'' (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People in Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 2002. p27.</ref>.
==Life and career==
Giwan was born in [[Shuri]]<ref name=jinmei/> to an aristocratic family, and inherited from his father Ginowan ''[[magiri]]'' as his domain, along with the title of Ginowan ''ueekata'' ("Lord of Ginowan") in 1835. He would have his title changed to "Giwan ''ueekata''" in 1875 when the king's second son [[Sho In|Shô In]] was named "Prince of Ginowan" (宜野湾王子, Ginowan Ôji)<ref name=shimpo>"Giwan Chōho." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41120-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 12 September 2009.</ref>.
He served many years in the bureaucracy, and was dispatched on missions to [[Qing Dynasty|China]] and [[Edo period|Japan]] on a number of occasions. He became a member of the ''Sanshikan'' in 1862<ref name=jinmei/>, and on account of his experience, continued to lead missions overseas.
The Tokugawa shogunate fell in Japan in 1868, to be replaced by a new [[Government of Meiji Japan|Imperial government]]. Three years later, an incident in which a number of Okinawans, shipwrecked on [[Taiwan]], were killed by natives there developed into disputes between the Japanese Imperial government and that of Qing Dynasty China over sovereignty or suzerainty over Okinawa. After discussions in the Okinawan royal capital of Shuri with Japanese representatives of [[Satsuma han]], the Japanese government summoned King [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] to [[Tokyo]] to further discuss the political status of the Kingdom of Ryûkyû vis-a-vis Japan. So as to not imply his subordination to the [[Meiji Emperor]] by appearing before him himself, Shô Tai feigned illness and sent a mission on his behalf, led by his uncle Prince Ie, and by Giwan Chôho<ref name=kerr>Kerr, George. ''Okinawa: The History of an Island People'' (revised ed.). Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2000. pp356-363.</ref>.
The mission was also to serve to officially present congratulations from the kingdom on the occasion of the birth of the new Imperial Japanese government<ref name=jinmei/>. [[Ryukyuan missions to Edo|Similar missions]] had journeyed to [[Edo]] in the past, on the occasion of the accession of a new [[shogun]]. As had occurred on the occasions of such previous missions, Giwan and his party presented a number of gifts to the Japanese, and were well received and well-treated. The ambassadors took part in a variety of activities organized by the [[Gaimusho|Ministry of Foreign Affairs]], including meeting with [[Ainu]] chiefs and attending the opening of the first railway in Japan<ref name=kerr/>.
On October 14, 1872, the ambassadors were presented with an imperial decree, stating that the Kingdom was to become ''[[Ryûkyû han]]'', a province or prefecture within the Japanese nation, with Shô Tai as governor<ref name=kerr/>. While this brought to an end the identity of the kingdom as an independent (or semi-independent) foreign nation, and the absorption of the islands into the Japanese state, it also meant an end to over 250 years of the kingdom's subordination to Satsuma.
Giwan and his party returned to Okinawa with this news, and a new mission was sent presently to Tokyo to work out details of this new political arrangement<ref>Kerr. p364.</ref>, while Giwan remained at Shuri.
For a brief time, it seemed that Ryûkyû was to enjoy a newfound degree of self-rule, with Shô Tai serving as governor of the domain<ref>Though the system of ''[[han]]'', or feudal domains, had been [[Abolition of the han system|abolished]] even before Ryûkyû han was established, the system of [[prefectures of Japan|prefectures]] had yet to be put into place. Thus, for this brief time, Shô Tai was Governor of Ryûkyû, and not Lord or [[daimyo]] as the rulers of the ''han'' were up until then.</ref>.
However, several years later, in 1875, Giwan, along with a number of other government ministers and royals, received a mission led by [[Matsuda Michiyuki]], Chief Secretary of the [[Naimusho|Home Ministry]]. Matsuda oversaw the implementation of a number of wide-ranging political changes and other systematic changes concordant with the incorporation of Ryûkyû into Japan, including the establishment of a permanent military garrison in the Ryukyus. Giwan came under attack, as did all officials who had negotiated with the Japanese or accepted their terms, and was forced to resign from public office<ref>Kerr. pp371-373.</ref>.
He retired to the countryside, and died the following year<ref name=jinmei/>.
==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Nobility]]
[[Category:Diplomats]]
[[Category:Meiji Period]]