Kunjan Seisoku
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Jump to navigationJump to searchPrince Kunjan Seisoku, also known by his Chinese-style name Mǎ Guólóng, was a scholar-official of the Ryûkyû Kingdom.
He led a mission to Kagoshima in 1643 in celebration of the genpuku of Shimazu Tsunahisa, and was at that time granted the title of "Prince" in preparation for his role as head of the Ryukyuan mission to Edo the following year. He led the mission to Edo again in 1653 after Prince Chatan Chôshû, who had been selected to head the mission, died in Kagoshima on 1653/3/23. Prince Kunjan was the only head of a Ryukyuan mission to Edo who was not a prince of the blood; he held the title of "prince" only honorarily, due to his role as envoy, and was not a blood relative of the kings of the Shô Dynasty.
References
- Miyagi Eishô 宮城栄昌, Ryûkyû shisha no Edo nobori 琉球使者の江戸上り, Tokyo: Daiichi Shobô (1982), 42.