Changes

*''Japanese/Okinawan'': 久米村 ''(Kumemura / Kuninda)''

*''Japanese/Okinawan'': 久米村 ''(Kumemura / Kuninda)''

Kumemura was a walled district of [[Naha]], the chief port city of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]]. Located on the island of Ukishima, it was a community of members of the scholar-bureaucrat class, and the chief center of Confucian learning in the kingdom. The vast majority of government administrators and officials came from the families of Kumemura. The community was also responsible for the introduction of much of the Confucian and Chinese influence otherwise into Ryukyuan popular & folk culture, with many practices and philosophies being adopted within Kumemura first, before spreading into the broader population. Members of the Kume community were central to Ryukyuan foreign relations, serving as translators and interpreters, and as embassy officials on missions to [[Edo]] and [[Beijing]], as well as heading the reception of [[Chinese investiture envoys]] in Ryûkyû, and drafting official diplomatic documents.

Kumemura, or Kuninda in the [[Okinawan language]], was a walled district of [[Naha]], the chief port city of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]]. Located on the island of Ukishima, it was a community of members of the scholar-bureaucrat class, and the chief center of Confucian learning in the kingdom. The vast majority of government administrators and officials came from the families of Kumemura. The community was also responsible for the introduction of much of the Confucian and Chinese influence otherwise into Ryukyuan popular & folk culture, with many practices and philosophies being adopted within Kumemura first, before spreading into the broader population. Members of the Kume community were central to Ryukyuan foreign relations, serving as translators and interpreters, and as embassy officials on missions to [[Edo]] and [[Beijing]], as well as heading the reception of [[Chinese investiture envoys]] in Ryûkyû, and drafting official diplomatic documents.

The community was said to have been founded in [[1393]] by [[36 Min families|thirty-six families from China]]<!-- 閩人三十六姓-->, and the Ryukyuans (as well as the Chinese and Koreans) who lived there were, to some extent, continually thought of as "Chinese," or at least as coming from different stock than other Ryukyuans, even after many generations passed (and after much intermarrying had occurred). Many scholars today suggest that the number "thirty-six" is really meant to simply indicate "many," and that while conventional wisdom has it that these families came chiefly or exclusively from [[Fuzhou]], in fact some at least are believed to have come from [[Zhangzhou]]<!--漳州-->, [[Taizhou]]<!--臺州-->, and [[Quanzhou]]<!--泉州-->.

The community was said to have been founded in [[1393]] by [[36 Min families|thirty-six families from China]]<!-- 閩人三十六姓-->, and the Ryukyuans (as well as the Chinese and Koreans) who lived there were, to some extent, continually thought of as "Chinese," or at least as coming from different stock than other Ryukyuans, even after many generations passed (and after much intermarrying had occurred). Many scholars today suggest that the number "thirty-six" is really meant to simply indicate "many," and that while conventional wisdom has it that these families came chiefly or exclusively from [[Fuzhou]], in fact some at least are believed to have come from [[Zhangzhou]]<!--漳州-->, [[Taizhou]]<!--臺州-->, and [[Quanzhou]]<!--泉州-->.

By the mid-15th century, the community was surrounded by earthen walls, and contained around a hundred homes. The main thoroughfare, Kume Ôdôri, cut across the district from northwest to southeast. The Taoist temple [[Shiseibyo|Tensonbyô]] lay to the north of the road, while [[Kume Tenpi-gu|two Tenpigû temples]] to the sea goddess [[Matsu]] (aka Tenpi) lay to the south.

By the mid-15th century, the community was surrounded by earthen walls, and contained around a hundred homes. The main thoroughfare, Kuninda Ufumichi (J: ''Kume Ôdôri''), cut across the district, running from the "Great Gate" (O: ''Ufujô'', J: ''Ômon'') which served as the entrance to the neighborhood in the southeast, to the Nishinjô ("Nishin Gate"<!--西武門-->) in the northwest. According to ''[[feng shui]]'' conceptions of the town's layout, the Great Gate was the neck of a dragon, Kume Ô-dôri its back, and the Nishin Gate as its tail, with the great stones of [[Nakashima (Naha)|Nakashima]], just across the river in Izumisaki, as the dragon's pearl, or [[wish-granting jewel]]. Two stones by the Great Gate represented the dragon's eyes, and two trees its horns.<ref name=kumeplaque>Plaques on-site in Kume district, Naha.</ref> The Taoist temple [[Shiseibyo|Tensonbyô]] lay to the north of the road, while [[Kume Tenpi-gu|two Tenpigû temples]] to the sea goddess [[Matsu]] (aka Tenpi) lay to the south.

The community began to decline in the 16th century, as the kingdom's foreign trade connections declined. As early as [[1606]], it's said only six lineages remained (the [[Sai family|Sai (蔡)]], [[Tei family (鄭)|Tei (鄭)]], [[Tei family (程)|Tei (程)]], [[Rin family|Rin (林)]], [[Kin family|Kin (金)]], and [[Ryo family|Ryô (梁)]]).<ref>Plaques on display at [[Shuri castle]].[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15282359859/]</ref> The [[1609]] [[invasion of Ryukyu|invasion of Ryûkyû]] also had a detrimental effect upon the community. The royal government worked to restore [[tribute|tributary]] and investiture relations with China, however, and also transferred the family registers of a number of Naha and [[Shuri]] elite families to Kumemura, and so the community began to revive. Though Kumemura would retain its distinct identity and societal/political/cultural role up until the fall of the kingdom in the 1870s, by the 17th century the walls around the district had gone, and the community was somewhat more integrated with the other districts of the city.

The community began to decline in the 16th century, as the kingdom's foreign trade connections declined. As early as [[1606]], it's said only six lineages remained (the [[Sai family|Sai (蔡)]], [[Tei family (鄭)|Tei (鄭)]], [[Tei family (程)|Tei (程)]], [[Rin family|Rin (林)]], [[Kin family|Kin (金)]], and [[Ryo family|Ryô (梁)]]).<ref>Plaques on display at [[Shuri castle]].[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/15282359859/]</ref> The [[1609]] [[invasion of Ryukyu|invasion of Ryûkyû]] also had a detrimental effect upon the community. The royal government worked to restore [[tribute|tributary]] and investiture relations with China, however, and also transferred the family registers of a number of Naha and [[Shuri]] elite families to Kumemura, and so the community began to revive. Though Kumemura would retain its distinct identity and societal/political/cultural role up until the fall of the kingdom in the 1870s, by the 17th century the walls around the district had gone, and the community was somewhat more integrated with the other districts of the city.

As experts in scholarship, languages, and diplomacy, members of the Kumemura community served as translators and official government representatives not only in interactions with China, but when the time came with Westerners as well.

As experts in scholarship, languages, and diplomacy, members of the Kumemura community served as translators and official government representatives not only in interactions with China, but when the time came with Westerners as well.

Members of the Kume community formed the Kume Sôseikai in 1914, an organization which continues today to oversee the two Confucian temples and various other community activities, and to promote research and appreciation of Kume's history in a variety of ways, including the publication of a scholarly journal featuring articles on the history of the community.

Members of the Kume community formed the Kume Sôseikai in 1914, an organization which continues today to oversee the two Confucian temples and various other community activities, and to promote research and appreciation of Kume's history in a variety of ways, including the publication of a scholarly journal featuring articles on the history of the community.