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The scholar-aristocracy of the Ryûkyû Kingdom was divided into four groups of lineages: those of the capital city of [[Shuri]], the port town of [[Naha]], the port town of [[Tomari]], and the Confucian center of [[Kumemura]]. Within each of these towns, there were only a handful of prominent lineages, as defined by Chinese-style surnames. A Chinese-style "given name" would be attached to the Chinese-style surname, different from one's Ryukyuan-style given name. For example, Nakijin Chôei, mentioned above, went by the Chinese-style name Shô Kokki 向邦輝, and should not be called Shô Chôei or Nakijin Kokki, mixing up the two.<ref>This Wiki may be committing that error for members of the [[Bai family]]. I am hoping to find fuller information on these families so as to rectify this problem; however, in the meantime, I lack sufficient information on the various names of these individuals to be able to represent them properly.</ref>

The scholar-aristocracy of the Ryûkyû Kingdom was divided into four groups of lineages: those of the capital city of [[Shuri]], the port town of [[Naha]], the port town of [[Tomari]], and the Confucian center of [[Kumemura]]. Within each of these towns, there were only a handful of prominent lineages, as defined by Chinese-style surnames. A Chinese-style "given name" would be attached to the Chinese-style surname, different from one's Ryukyuan-style given name. For example, Nakijin Chôei, mentioned above, went by the Chinese-style name Shô Kokki 向邦輝, and should not be called Shô Chôei or Nakijin Kokki, mixing up the two.<ref>This Wiki may be committing that error for members of the [[Bai family]]. I am hoping to find fuller information on these families so as to rectify this problem; however, in the meantime, I lack sufficient information on the various names of these individuals to be able to represent them properly.</ref>

'''Royal family''': Members of the royal family bore one of two surnames. The surname Shô 尚 (C: ''Shàng'') was used largely only by those of particularly close relation to the royal house, while the surname Shô 向 (same pronunciation, different [[kanji|character]]) was used by those of collateral houses, outside of the line of succession. Some examples of the former include the kings [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] 尚真, [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] 尚寧, and [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] 尚泰, the Crown Princes [[Prince Sho Ko|Shô Kô]] 尚宏 and [[Sho Ten|Shô Ten]] 尚典, and royal prince [[Sho Shoi|Shô Shôi]] 尚韶威, third son of King Shô Shin. Despite being only a distant relation to the royal house, the prominent official [[Urasoe Choki|Urasoe Chôki]] seems to have also used the royal character 尚 in his Chinese-style name, Shô Genro 尚元魯. Some examples of the latter surname include Nakijin Chôei mentioned above, also known as Shô Kokki 向邦輝; the prominent royal advisor [[Sho Shoken|Shô Shôken]] 向象賢 also known as Haneji Chôshû; and [[Yakabi Choki|Yakabi Chôki]], also known as Shô Zenmo 向全謨.

'''Royal family''': Members of the royal family bore one of two surnames. The surname Shô 尚 (C: ''Shàng'') was used largely only by those of particularly close relation to the royal house, while the surname Shô 向 (same pronunciation, different [[kanji|character]]) was used by those of collateral houses beginning in [[1683]], in order to distinguish them from those closer to the line of succession. Some examples of the former include the kings [[Sho Shin|Shô Shin]] 尚真, [[Sho Nei|Shô Nei]] 尚寧, and [[Sho Tai|Shô Tai]] 尚泰, the Crown Princes [[Prince Sho Ko|Shô Kô]] 尚宏 and [[Sho Ten|Shô Ten]] 尚典, and royal prince [[Sho Shoi|Shô Shôi]] 尚韶威, third son of King Shô Shin. Despite being only a distant relation to the royal house, the prominent official [[Urasoe Choki|Urasoe Chôki]] seems to have also used the royal character 尚 in his Chinese-style name, Shô Genro 尚元魯. Some examples of the latter surname include Nakijin Chôei mentioned above, also known as Shô Kokki 向邦輝; the prominent royal advisor [[Sho Shoken|Shô Shôken]] 向象賢 also known as Haneji Chôshû; and [[Yakabi Choki|Yakabi Chôki]], also known as Shô Zenmo 向全謨.

'''Kumemura''': By the beginning of the 17th century, only six lineages remained prominent within the scholar-aristocracy of Kumemura. However, a great many of the most prominent figures in the kingdom's history over the 17th-19th centuries would come from these six lineages: the [[Sai family|Sai (蔡)]], [[Tei family (鄭)|Tei (鄭)]], [[Tei family (程)|Tei (程)]], [[Rin family|Rin (林)]], [[Kin family|Kin (金)]], and [[Ryo family|Ryô (梁)]] families. Other families which were active in Kumemura in the medieval period included the Chin (陳), Kô (紅), Kô (高), Ri (李), Ô (王), Shin (沈), Den (田), Gen (阮), Yô (葉), Sô (宗), Mô (毛), Gi (魏), Ba (馬), Son (孫), Sen (銭), Han (範), Go (呉), Kô (黄), Sô (曾), Yô (楊), and Kaku (郭).<ref>Sakamaki, 15.</ref>

'''Kumemura''': By the beginning of the 17th century, only six lineages remained prominent within the scholar-aristocracy of Kumemura. However, a great many of the most prominent figures in the kingdom's history over the 17th-19th centuries would come from these six lineages: the [[Sai family|Sai (蔡)]], [[Tei family (鄭)|Tei (鄭)]], [[Tei family (程)|Tei (程)]], [[Rin family|Rin (林)]], [[Kin family|Kin (金)]], and [[Ryo family|Ryô (梁)]] families. Other families which were active in Kumemura in the medieval period included the Chin (陳), Kô (紅), Kô (高), Ri (李), Ô (王), Shin (沈), Den (田), Gen (阮), Yô (葉), Sô (宗), Mô (毛), Gi (魏), Ba (馬), Son (孫), Sen (銭), Han (範), Go (呉), Kô (黄), Sô (曾), Yô (楊), and Kaku (郭).<ref>Sakamaki, 15.</ref>