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[[Image:Kokuo-shotokuhi.jpg|right|thumb|320px|A reconstruction of the ''kokuô shôtoku-hi'', which stands outside [[Shuri castle]] today]]

[[Image:Kokuo-shotokuhi.jpg|right|thumb|320px|A reconstruction of the [[1543]] ''kokuô shôtoku-hi'', which stands outside [[Shuri castle]] today]]

*''Erected: [[1522]]''

*''Erected: [[1522]], [[1543]]''

*''Japanese'': 国王頌徳碑 ''(koku ou shou toku hi)''

*''Japanese'': 国王頌徳碑 ''(koku ou shou toku hi)''

The ''kokuô shôtoku-hi'' (lit. "stele of poem of the king's virtue") is a stele erected in [[1522]] along with another stele, the ''[[Madama minato himon]]'', just outside the [[Shureimon]] main gate of [[Shuri castle]], the royal palace of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]]. Because of its location to the east of the stone gate to [[Sonohyan utaki]], the ''shôtoku hi'' was also sometimes known as the "''Ishijô no higashi no himon''," or "Stele to the East of the Stone Gate."

The ''kokuô shôtoku-hi'' (lit. "stele of poem of the king's virtue") is the name of two different stelae erected in the early 16th century on the outskirts of [[Shuri castle]], the royal palace of the [[Ryukyu Kingdom|Ryûkyû Kingdom]].

The inscription, by [[Sengan]], sixth abbot of [[Engaku-ji (Okinawa)|Engaku-ji]], praises King [[Sho Sei (尚清)|Shô Sei]], who had the road paved running from the shrine at [[Bengadake]]<!--弁ヶ嶽-->, the highest point in [[Naha]], to Shuri castle, and had pine trees planted all along its length. The inscription on one side of the stele is written in [[classical Chinese]], and that on the other side in a combination of ''[[kanji]]'' and ''[[kana]]''. The latter reads in part:

The first was erected in [[1522]] along with another stele, the ''[[Madama minato himon]]'', just inside the [[Shureimon]] main gate of castle. The inscription upon it, written chiefly in [[classical Chinese]], praises King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] and speaks of a number of his accomplishments and includes a section which reads, in part:

首里おきやかもいがなしの御代にみやこよりち金丸みこしみ玉のわたり申候時にたて申候ひのもん

首里おきやかもいがなしの御代にみやこよりち金丸みこしみ玉のわたり申候時にたて申候ひのもん

"Stele erected on the occasion of the dispatch from [[Miyakojima|Miyako]] of a sword named '[[Chiyoganemaru|Chiganemaru]]' and sacred beads during the reign of King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]]."<ref>Text, romanization, and translation from ''Okinawa bijutsu zenshû''.</ref>

"Stele erected on the occasion of the dispatch from [[Miyakojima|Miyako]] of a sword named '[[Chiyoganemaru|Chiganemaru]]' and sacred beads during the reign of King [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]]."<ref>Text, romanization, and translation from ''Okinawa bijutsu zenshû''.</ref>

The stele is believed to have been erected in commemoration of that occasion. Other elements of the inscription include a proscription against self-immolation following the king's death.

The stele is believed to have been erected in commemoration of that occasion. Other elements of the inscription include a proscription against self-immolation or "[[junshi|loyal suicide]]" otherwise following the king's death. A reproduction of this stele stands today on its historical location, just inside the Shureimon, alongside a replica of the ''Madama minato himon'' stele.

The open area around the stele came to be known as ''Himun-nu-mo'' ("Hair of the Stele Inscription"), and beginning in 1935 it came to be the terminal of the Naha-Shuri bus line. The stele was destroyed in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa; a reconstruction stands to the east side of the Shureimon and [[Sonohyan utaki]] today, alongside a reconstruction of another stele known as ''[[Madama minato himon]]'', also originally erected in that location the same year. Both have been reconstructed based on surviving portions of the original, and on other surviving stelae.

 

The open area around the stele came to be known as ''Himun-nu-mo'' ("Hair of the Stele Inscription"), and beginning in 1935 it came to be the terminal of the Naha-Shuri bus line. The stele was destroyed in the 1945 Battle of Okinawa; a reconstruction based on surviving portions of the original, and on other surviving stelae, stands outside the Wii-nu-mô 上の毛 area at the northwest corner of the castle compound today.

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*''Okinawa bijutsu zenshû'' 沖縄美術全集. vol. 4. Okinawa Times, 1989. Description of Plates 81-82.

*''Okinawa bijutsu zenshû'' 沖縄美術全集. vol. 4. Okinawa Times, 1989. Description of Plates 81-82.

*Plaques on-site.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/9444387295/sizes/k/]

*Plaques on-site.[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/9444387295/sizes/k/]

<references/>

<references/>

[[Image:Kokuo-shotokuhi-inscription.jpg|left|thumb|500px|The inscription on the ''kokuô shôtoku-hi''.]]

[[Image:Kokuo-shotokuhi-inscription.jpg|left|thumb|500px|The inscription on the 1543 ''kokuô shôtoku-hi''.]]

[[Category:Ryukyu]]

[[Category:Ryukyu]]

[[Category:Historical Documents]]

[[Category:Historical Documents]]