| Rin Seikô, who is known primarily by his Chinese-style name, was born into the scholar-bureaucrat community of Kuninda (aka [[Kumemura]]). As a member of the Ryukyuan gentry class, he studied for a time in Beijing, beginning in [[1868]]<ref name=kotobank>"[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%9E%97%E4%B8%96%E5%8A%9F Rin Seikô]." ''Dejitaru-ban Nihon jinmei daijiten'' (デジタル版 日本人名大辞典, "Digital Version, Japanese Biographical Encyclopedia"). Kodansha. 2009. Accessed via Kotobank.jp, 26 October 2010.</ref>. After returning to Ryûkyû, he served for a time as a teacher in the royal academy, before fleeing secretly to China in [[1876]]<ref name=kotobank/>, in the wake of the Japanese dissolution of the kingdom and annexation of its territory. Along with a number of other Ryukyuans who similarly fled to China at this time, he became involved in activist efforts, protesting the Japanese actions and seeking to persuade the Qing Court to take action. | | Rin Seikô, who is known primarily by his Chinese-style name, was born into the scholar-bureaucrat community of Kuninda (aka [[Kumemura]]). As a member of the Ryukyuan gentry class, he studied for a time in Beijing, beginning in [[1868]]<ref name=kotobank>"[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%9E%97%E4%B8%96%E5%8A%9F Rin Seikô]." ''Dejitaru-ban Nihon jinmei daijiten'' (デジタル版 日本人名大辞典, "Digital Version, Japanese Biographical Encyclopedia"). Kodansha. 2009. Accessed via Kotobank.jp, 26 October 2010.</ref>. After returning to Ryûkyû, he served for a time as a teacher in the royal academy, before fleeing secretly to China in [[1876]]<ref name=kotobank/>, in the wake of the Japanese dissolution of the kingdom and annexation of its territory. Along with a number of other Ryukyuans who similarly fled to China at this time, he became involved in activist efforts, protesting the Japanese actions and seeking to persuade the Qing Court to take action. |
− | In 1880, after much negotiations and threats of war between China and Japan over the issue of claims over Ryukyu and Taiwan, China was considering signing an agreement which would acknowledge Japanese sovereignty over Okinawa, while taking the [[Miyako Islands|Miyako]] and [[Yaeyama Islands]] for China, as a means for resolving the tension. Rin Seikô committed suicide in protest, and the agreement was never signed. | + | In 1880, after much negotiations and threats of war between China and Japan over the issue of claims over Ryukyu and Taiwan, China was considering signing an agreement which would acknowledge Japanese sovereignty over Okinawa, while taking the [[Miyako Islands|Miyako]] and [[Yaeyama Islands]] for China, as a means for resolving the tension. Rin Seikô committed suicide in protest. The agreement was never signed. |