Kyan Bangen

• Born: 1566
• Died: 1653
• Titles: ueekata
• Japanese: 喜安 (Kyan/Kian)

Kyan was a Buddhist monk, advisor to King Shô Nei of the Kingdom of Ryukyu, and the author of Kyan nikki, one of the only extant primary source documents relating the events of the 1609 invasion of Ryûkyû from the Ryukyuan side of the conflict.

Though known primarily today by the Chinese-style name "Kyan," he was originally from Sakai in Izumi province near Osaka. At the age of 35, Kyan traveled to Ryukyu, and entered the service of King Shô Nei. During the 1609 invasion, on account of his Japanese education and background, he led several attempts at negotiation efforts, though all ultimately failed. He remained on the main island of Okinawa throughout the invasion, and so his diary is most detailed beginning with the Shimazu landing at Unten Harbor on 1609/3/25.

After a failed attempt at negotiations at Nakijin, where he and his team were simply rebuffed and did not meet with General Kabayama Hisataka at all, Kyan tried again to negotiate with the invaders at Yomitan and was rebuffed again. He then sought to return to Shuri by ship, but storms forced his boat to make port at Makiminato. Kyan returned to Shuri on foot, witnessing the burning of villages by the invading forces as he made his way back through torrential rain. Once Shuri castle itself was under attack, further attempts at negotiation were considered but ultimately not undertaken, as it was decided it was too late.

After the fall of Shuri and the capture of King Shô Nei, Kyan was one of a number of officials who were taken, along with the king, to Japan. His Kyan nikki ("Diary of Kyan") covers in detail roughly two and half years, from the invasion through the king's return to Ryukyu in 1611.

Following their return, Kyan was made head of tea ceremony, and was eventually granted the rank & title of ueekata.

References

• "Kian." Okinawa rekishi jinmei jiten (沖縄歴史人名事典, "Encyclopedia of People of Okinawan History"). Naha: Okinawa Bunka-sha, 1996. p24.