Mo Teichu
- Born: 1745
- Died: 1801
- Titles: 兼本親雲上 (Kanemoto peechin)
- Other Names: 宣猷 (Sen'yuu, or Sen'you)
- Japanese: 毛廷柱 (Mou Teichuu)
Mô Teichû was a Ryukyuan scholar-official who served as the gieisei (head of street musicians) in the 1790 Ryukyuan embassy to Edo.
The sixth head of the Yoseyama family, the chief family (honke) of the Mô family of Kumemura, Teichû was known for his particularly superb calligraphy. Examples of his calligraphy can be found carved into a stone lantern at Tsushima Shrine near Sunomata-shuku in Gifu, and on another stone lantern, this one at Komatsu-ji in Tomonoura, at the grave of Yoseyama peechin Shô Dôkyô, a member of the 1790 mission who died aboardship on the way to Edo. He also produced works of calligraphy as gifts to the shogun's wife, at her request, and participated in poetry activities alongside Vice Envoy Ba Kokki, Ryukyuan mission musician Tei Eitai and local literati of Okazaki-juku.[1]
Though other members of the mission departed Naha for Kagoshima on 1790/6/6, Teichû departed on 7/12. He was thrown off-course, and came ashore at Koshiki Island (just west of Satsuma Sendai), where he procured a smaller boat, and made his way to Kagoshima, arriving at the Ryûkyû-kan on 7/23. During the 8th month of that year, he visited Kagoshima castle and various temples in the city, before departing alongside the rest of the mission on 9/6, bound for Edo.[1]
Following their official audiences in Edo, the mission made its way back to Kagoshima, arriving there on 1791/3/17. Their official duties ended on 4/10, but on the sea voyage back to Naha from Kagoshima, the mission encountered numerous difficulties, only finally arriving home on 11/21.[1]
Teichû journeyed to China as well, on four occasions.[1]
Mô Teichû's name had originally been Sen'yô (or Sen'yû), but the character sen (lit. "proclaim," "announce") was banned within the kingdom, and so he changed his name to Teichû.
References
- Watanabe Miki. "Nihon ni okeru Ryûkyû shiseki 日本における琉球史跡." (personal webpage).
