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The first Ryukyuan students to travel to China under this system did so in [[1392]]. Three of them were named Nishimi<!--日孜毎-->, Eiji<!--仁悦慈-->, and Kohama<!--闊八馬-->.<ref name=tomi41>Tomiyama Kazuyuki, ''Ryûkyû ôkoku no gaikô to ôken'', Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2004), 41.</ref>  

The first Ryukyuan students to travel to China under this system did so in [[1392]]. Three of them were named Nishimi<!--日孜毎-->, Eiji<!--仁悦慈-->, and Kohama<!--闊八馬-->.<ref name=tomi41>Tomiyama Kazuyuki, ''Ryûkyû ôkoku no gaikô to ôken'', Yoshikawa kôbunkan (2004), 41.</ref>  

When the system began, it was only the children of kings and ''[[anji]]'' (high-ranking local/regional nobles), i.e. the community of [[Shuri]], the royal capital, who were able to study in Beijing; however, from the reign of [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] (r. [[1477]]-[[1526]]) onwards, children of scholar-aristocrat families from [[Kumemura]] began to be sent as well. For a time, it became standard for three students from Shuri, and three from Kumemura, to be sent at a time. Those whose travel and studies were paid for by the government were called ''kanshô'' ("government students"), while those who had to pay their own way were called ''kingaku'' ("work-study").<ref>Gallery labels, "Kuninda - Ryûkyû to Chûgoku no kakehashi," special exhibit, Okinawa Prefectural Museum, Sept 2014.</ref> In addition to simply receiving these young men as students in the National Academy, the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] or [[Qing Dynasty|Qing]] court typically also bestowed upon the students considerable gifts of formal robes, court caps, shoes, etc.<ref name=tomi41/>

When the system began, it was only the children of kings and ''[[anji]]'' (high-ranking local/regional nobles), i.e. the community of [[Shuri]], the royal capital, who were able to study in Beijing; however, from the reign of [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] (r. [[1477]]-[[1526]]) onwards, children of scholar-aristocrat families from [[Kumemura]] began to be sent as well. For a time, it became standard for three students from Shuri, and three from Kumemura, to be sent at a time. Those whose travel and studies were paid for by the government were called ''kanshô'' ("government students"), while those who had to pay their own way were called ''kingaku'' ("work-study").<ref>Gallery labels, "Kuninda - Ryûkyû to Chûgoku no kakehashi," special exhibit, Okinawa Prefectural Museum, Sept 2014.</ref> Selections were determined by some mechanism within the royal court, but individuals could also petition the court that they be considered for selection.<ref>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), 110.</ref>

 

In addition to simply receiving these young men as students in the National Academy, the [[Ming Dynasty|Ming]] or [[Qing Dynasty|Qing]] court typically also bestowed upon the students considerable gifts of formal robes, court caps, shoes, etc.<ref name=tomi41/>

Over the course of a 476 year period, from 1392 until [[1868]], with a hiatus of several decades between [[1579]] and the resumption of missions after the [[1644]] fall of the [[Ming Dynasty]], roughly 100 Ryukyuan students studied at the ''Guozijuan''. A much larger number of Ryukyuan students engaged in study at the two [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]], in [[Fuzhou]] and in [[Satsuma han|Kagoshima]].

Over the course of a 476 year period, from 1392 until [[1868]], with a hiatus of several decades between [[1579]] and the resumption of missions after the [[1644]] fall of the [[Ming Dynasty]], roughly 100 Ryukyuan students studied at the ''Guozijuan''. A much larger number of Ryukyuan students engaged in study at the two [[Ryukyu-kan|Ryûkyû-kan]], in [[Fuzhou]] and in [[Satsuma han|Kagoshima]].