Kin Ryosho

• Born: 1908/3/8
• Died: 1993/1/7
• Japanese: 金武良章 (Kin Ryoushou)

Kin Ryôshô was a master of Ryukyuan dance and kumi odori.

Born in Shuri, the son of Kin Ryôjin, he received training from Yomitanzan peechin and other masters who had served during the time of the Ryûkyû Kingdom, performing dance and theater to welcome Chinese investiture envoys. While kumi udui and Ryukyuan dance changed with the times in Okinawa, Kin Ryôshô transmitted his teachings - an accurate recreation of "authentic" "traditional" court forms best as he could remember them - to students in Hawaii, who continue his legacy today.

He was named a Living National Treasure for his role as a bearer of this traditional knowledge.

Head of the Kumi udui hozonkai (Traditional Kumiodori Preservation Society), Ryôshô played a key role in reviving kansen odori (O: kwanshin udui), a style or category of dance performed especially for the reception and entertainment of Chinese investiture envoys, performing a series of such dances and kumi udui pieces at Shuri castle on Nov 2, 1992, as part of formal festivities the night before the opening of the castle - restored following its destruction in 1945 - to the public. This event in 1992 marked the first performances of such dances in over 125 years, since the last Chinese investiture mission in 1866.

References

• Charlene Gima, "Sustaining Tradition through Change in Shuri-Style Kumiwudui," EWC International Conference in Okinawa, Sept 2014.
• "Kin Ryôshô," Okinawa Compact Encyclopedia, Ryukyu Shimpo, 1 March 2003.
• Nobuko Ochner, "Reflecting on Ryukyuan and Okinawan Literary Studies" panel, presentation at Association for Asian Studies annual conference, Washington DC, 23 March 2018.