Gi Shien

• Born: 1618
• Died: 1689
• Japanese/Chinese 魏 之琰 (Gi Shien / Wèi Zhīyǎn)

Gi Shien, known in Chinese as Wèi Zhīyǎn, was one of the chief musicians credited with introducing music of the Ming Dynasty into Japan in the 17th century.

Little is known of his life in China. Originally from Fujian province, he fled the chaos of the Qing conquest of China, traveling first to Tonkin and Annam, and eventually making his way to Japan in 1666. He took up residence in Nagasaki beginning in 1672, and the following year was granted permission to travel to Kyoto to perform Ming music.

In 1679, he was granted Japanese nationality, and his descendants took on the Japanese-style surname Ôga (鉅鹿). A number of them, perhaps Gi Kô (aka Gi Shimei, 1728-1774) especially, played significant roles in spreading Ming music further, over the course of the Edo period.

References

• Nakao Yukari 中尾友香梨, "Nihon ni okeru Mingaku no juyô" 「日本における明楽の受容」, in Kojima Yasunori 小島康敬 (ed.), Reigaku bunka 礼楽文化, 343.