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*''Titles: [[Sessei]]'' ([[1666]]-[[1673]])
*''Titles: [[Sessei]]'' ([[1666]]-[[1673]])
*''Other Names'': 羽地朝秀 ''(Haneji Choushuu)''
*''Other Names'': 羽地朝秀 ''(Haneji Choushuu)''
*''Japanese'': [[向]] 象賢 ''(Shou Shouken)''
*''Japanese/Chinese'': [[向]] 象賢 ''(Shou Shouken / Xiàng Xiàngxián)''
Shô Shôken, also known as Haneji Chôshû<ref>It was typical at this time for Ryukyuan aristocrat-bureaucrats to have multiple names. Shô Shôken is a Chinese-style name, used in Chinese-language correspondence. Haneji Chôshû, meanwhile, is a Japanese-style name, used in Japanese-language correspondence.</ref>, was a scholar-bureaucrat of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]]. He is today considered one of the most influential and significant lawmakers in the history of the kingdom. While serving as royal advisor, he engineered and oversaw a wide range of reforms, including the streamlining of royal bureaucracy and reining in of royal extravagances.
Shô Shôken, also known as Haneji Chôshû<ref>It was typical at this time for Ryukyuan aristocrat-bureaucrats to have multiple names. Shô Shôken is a Chinese-style name, used in Chinese-language correspondence. Haneji Chôshû, meanwhile, is a Japanese-style name, used in Japanese-language correspondence.</ref>, was a scholar-bureaucrat of the [[Kingdom of Ryukyu|Kingdom of Ryûkyû]]. He is today considered one of the most influential and significant lawmakers in the history of the kingdom. While serving as royal advisor, he engineered and oversaw a wide range of reforms, including the streamlining of royal bureaucracy and reining in of royal extravagances.
He became head of Haneji ''[[magiri]]'' in [[1652]], having already inherited the household from his father in 1640<ref>"Haneji Chôshû." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-42658-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 11 October 2009.</ref>.
He became head of Haneji ''[[magiri]]'' in [[1652]], having already inherited the household from his father in 1640<ref>"Haneji Chôshû." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-42658-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 11 October 2009.</ref>.
Shô Shôken was named ''sessei'', a post which has been compared to that of "prime minister", in 1666, replacing Prince [[Gushikawa Choei|Gushikawa Chôei]], who was forced to resign by Satsuma, following his poor handling of the [[Chatan-Eso Affair]]<ref name=smits/>. It is said that when a royal messenger first came to his residence in [[Kumemura]] to inform him of this appointment, he refused to accept the post, claiming that such a post was too important for a mere messenger to be sent; he was soon afterwards visited by Inoha ''[[ueekata]]'', a member of ''[[Sanshikan]]'', one of the top three royal advisors, and once more offered the post, which he accepted<ref name=smits/>.
Shô Shôken was named ''sessei'', a post which has been compared to that of "prime minister", in [[1666]], replacing Prince [[Gushikawa Choei|Gushikawa Chôei]], who was forced to resign by Satsuma, following his poor handling of the [[Chatan-Eso Affair]]<ref name=smits/>. It is said that when a royal messenger first came to his residence in [[Kumemura]] to inform him of this appointment, he refused to accept the post, claiming that such a post was too important for a mere messenger to be sent; he was soon afterwards visited by Inoha ''[[ueekata]]'', a member of ''[[Sanshikan]]'', one of the top three royal advisors, and once more offered the post, which he accepted<ref name=smits/>.
As ''sessei'', Shô Shôken took a very proactive role in creating and implementing policy in the kingdom, unlike all others who bore the title before and after him, who served a somewhat more passive advisory role. His brief period of service in this role saw a wide range of reforms, including the implementation of sumptuary laws and morality edicts, the streamlining of the government's administration, and various agricultural reforms. He also worked to circumscribe the political power of the noble ladies at court, and reorganized the kingdom's network of priestesses, as well as supporting the expansion and development of Japanese traditional arts in the kingdom<ref>"Haneji shioki." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia"). [http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-42657-storytopic-121.html Ryukyu Shimpo] (琉球新報). 1 March 2003. Accessed 11 October 2009.</ref>. A number of documents relating to the implementation of his reforms and policies have been collected into a volume known as ''Haneji shioki'' (羽地仕置).
He served as ''sessei'' for seven years, before resigning in [[1673]]. He died in [[1675]], and was buried in the Taira area of Shuri. A tomb was erected in 1922, and is still extant today, just outside Sueyoshi Park.
==References==
==References==
*Plaque at birthplace of Haneji Chôshû, at Shuri Ônaka-chô 1-41.
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==External Links==
*[https://maps.google.com/maps?q=%E9%A6%96%E9%87%8C%E5%A4%A7%E4%B8%AD%E7%94%BA%EF%BC%91%EF%BC%8D%EF%BC%94%EF%BC%91&hl=en&ie=UTF8&sll=37.269174,-119.306607&sspn=9.315002,21.643066&t=h&hnear=Japan,+Okinawa-ken,+Naha-shi,+Shuri%C5%8Dnakach%C5%8D,+%EF%BC%91%E4%B8%81%E7%9B%AE%EF%BC%94%EF%BC%91&z=16 Birthplace of Haneji Chôshû at Shuri Ônaka-chô 1-41, on Google Maps]
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
