Bai family

• Japanese/Chinese: 貝姓 (Bai sei / Bèi xìng)

The Bai family was a scholar-aristocratic family of Naha, whose members served in various official positions within the government of the Ryûkyû Kingdom. Some members even served as head of the Omonogusuku, the highest post a person of Naha could be appointed to.

The Fukuji house, one branch family within the broader Bai lineage, claimed descent from Bai Igen (貝唯元) of Teshiraji village in Shuri, whose descendant three generations later, Arakawa-shi, moved to the Wakasa district of Naha when he was young to be raised by his elder sister. In the late 18th or early 19th century, during the time of the sixth family head, Bai Iki (貝唯紀), the family was elevated in status, from a shinsan (新参, lit. "newcomer") family to a fudaiji (譜代次, "hereditary") family. Around that same time, or perhaps earlier, the family relocated from Wakasa to the Izumisaki district of the city.

Bai Iren (貝唯廉), the fourth head of the family, was appointed ôyako (head) of the shinoboseza in 1770, a position he shared with a Shuri aristocracy]. Bai Iki, the sixth head, was appointed ufunitii hissha (clerk/secretary in charge of ships) in 1817, and Sugar Guild Magistrate (satôza bujô) in 1854. His successor, Bai Ien (貝唯延), was named gohyôgu atai hissha (secretary of equipping soldiers) in 1856 and satôza ôyako in 1862, while Bai Izen (貝唯善), who would later become the eighth head of the family, was appointed waka hissha (junior clerk/secretary) of the Oyamise in 1855.

Genealogy of the Fukuji family

• Bai Igen 貝唯元, first head of family
  • Bai Imitsu 貝唯満, second son of Bai Igen
  • Bai Iki 貝唯喜, third son of Bai Igen
  • Bai Môshii 貝真牛, eldest daughter of Bai Igen
  • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, second daughter of Bai Igen
  • Bai Iki 貝唯記 (1660-1723), eldest son of Bai Igen, second head of family
    • Bai Isei 貝唯清, eldest son of Bai Iki
      • Bai Makamadû 貝真蒲戸, eldest daughter of Bai Isei
    • Bai Ira 貝唯良, third son of Bai Iki
      • Bai Isui 貝唯翠, eldest son of Bai Ira
      • Bai Makatû 貝真嘉戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ira
      • Bai Môshii 貝真牛, second daughter of Bai Ira
    • Bai Makadû 貝真嘉戸, eldest daughter of Bai Iki
    • Bai Magushii 貝真呉勢, second daughter of Bai Iki
    • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, third daughter of Bai Iki
    • Bai Idoku 貝唯読 (1694-1794), second son of Bai Iki, third head of family
      • Bai Iseki 貝唯昔, second son of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Irei 貝唯令, third son of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Iei 貝唯盈, fourth son of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Ishin 貝唯親, fifth son of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Majirû 貝真鶴, eldest daughter of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Kamadû 貝蒲戸, second daughter of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, third daughter of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Môshii 貝真牛, fourth daughter of Bai Idoku
      • Bai Iren 貝唯廉 (1719-1771), eldest son of Bai Idoku, fourth head of family
        • Bai Isui 貝唯綏, eldest son of Bai Iren
        • Bai Iji 貝唯自, third son of Bai Iren
        • Bai Majirû 貝真鶴, eldest daughter of Bai Iren
        • Bai Magushii 貝真呉勢, second daughter of Bai Iren
        • Bai Ishin 貝唯眞 (1759-1785), second son of Bai Iren, fifth head of family
          • Bai Iei 貝唯永, eldest son of Bai Ishin
          • Bai Iki 貝唯紀 (1785-1858), second son of Bai Ishin, sixth head of family, elevated from sanshin to fudaiji
            • Bai Isuke 貝唯輔, eldest son of Bai Iki
            • Bai Ishô 貝唯昌, third son of Bai Iki
              • Bai Ijun 貝唯順, eldest son of Bai Ishô
                • Bai Iei 貝唯栄, eldest son of Bai Ijun
                • Bai Isen 貝唯宣, second son of Bai Ijun
                • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ijun
              • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ishô
              • Bai Makadû 貝真嘉戸, second daughter of Bai Ishô
              • Bai Makamadû 貝真蒲戸, third daughter of Bai Ishô
            • Bai Izen 貝唯全, fourth son of Bai Iki
            • Bai Ishu 貝唯守, fifth son of Bai Iki
              • Bai Isei 貝唯盛, eldest son of Bai Ishu
            • Bai Majirû 貝真鶴, eldest daughter of Bai Iki
            • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, second daughter of Bai Iki
            • Bai Makadû 貝真嘉戸, third daughter of Bai Iki
            • Bai Magami 貝真亀, fourth daughter of Bai Iki
            • Bai Umitama 貝思玉, fifth daughter of Bai Iki
            • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, sixth daughter of Bai Iki
            • Bai Ien 貝唯延 (b. 1813), second son of Bai Iki, seventh head of family
              • Bai Ikyô 貝唯恭, eldest son of Bai Ien
              • Bai Iga 貝唯賀, third son of Bai Ien
              • Bai Umitû 貝思戸, eldest daughter of Bai Ien
              • Bai Magami 貝真亀, second daughter of Bai Ien
              • Bai Izen 貝唯善 (b. 1842), second son of Bai Ien, eighth head of family
                • Bai Ijutsu 貝唯述, eldest son of Bai Izen
                • Bai Ikô 貝唯厚, second son of Bai Izen

References

• Naha shizoku no isshô 那覇士族の一生 (Naha: Naha City Museum of History, 2010).