Mo Kotaku

• Japanese/Chinese: 毛 鴻澤 (Mou Koutaku / Máo Jiànlóng)

Mô Kôtaku was a Ryukyuan scholar-official and court musician.

He was named to the koakukabe (novice musicians + pages) attached to the shichagui (lower throne room) of Shuri castle in 1787; this was a standard entry position for young boys first entering the court. He was then promoted within the koakukabe to those attached to the palace "study" (go-shoin) in 1791, and in 1804 (at the age of 26) was named a gakushi (lead musician) for the 1806 Ryukyuan embassy to Edo.

References

• Liao Zhenpei 廖真珮, "Ryûkyû kyûtei ni okeru Chûgoku kei ongaku no ensô to denshô" 琉球宮廷における中国系音楽の演奏と伝承, in Uzagaku no fukugen ni mukete 御座楽の復元に向けて, Naha, Okinawa: Uzagaku fukugen ensô kenkyûkai 御座楽復元演奏研究会 (2007), 122, citing Naha shishi vol 7, p824-825.