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Ryô Bunhitsu, also known by his title, Tomiyama ''[[peechin]]'', was a Ryukyuan scholar-aristocrat who served as a musician on the [[1832]] [[Ryukyuan embassy to Edo]].

Ryô Bunhitsu, also known by his title, Tomiyama ''[[peechin]]'', was a Ryukyuan scholar-aristocrat who served as a musician on the [[1832]] [[Ryukyuan embassy to Edo]].

He died on the way to [[Edo]], at [[Inaba-juku]] in [[Owari province]], on 1832/11/3, and was buried the following day at [[Zuisen-ji (Nagoya)|Zuisen-ji]], a temple at [[Narumi-juku]] on the [[Tokaido|Tôkaidô]]. He was one of a number of Ryukyuan officials to die while on such missions in Japan, as the result of what was called ''Ryûkyû no kaze'' (the Ryukyuan cold); it is unclear precisely what sort of ailment this was, but it is believed that as Ryukyuans were not used to the colder weather of Japan, they were more susceptible to "catching a cold" (or worse) and falling ill.

He died on the way to [[Edo]], at [[Inaba-juku]] in [[Owari province]], on 1832/11/3, and was buried the following day at [[Zuisen-ji (Nagoya)|Zuisen-ji]], a temple at [[Narumi-juku]] on the [[Tokaido|Tôkaidô]]. He was one of a number of Ryukyuan officials to die while on such missions in Japan, as the result of what was called ''Ryûkyû no kaze'' (the Ryukyuan cold); it is unclear precisely what sort of ailment this was, but it is believed that as Ryukyuans were not used to the colder weather of Japan, they were more susceptible to "catching a cold" (or worse) and falling ill. He was staying along with Vice Envoy Takushi ''peechin'' and 19 others at a shogunate-associated lodging in Inaba when he died; there is no evidence in the documents of Bunhitsu being ill for any length of time, so it appears he may have died fairly suddenly.<ref>Miyagi Eishô 宮城栄昌, ''Ryûkyû shisha no Edo nobori'' 琉球使者の江戸上り, Tokyo: Daiichi Shobô (1982), 212.</ref>

Two pairs of hanging scrolls featuring Bunhitsu's calligraphy are today held at Zuisen-ji. It is believed that they were brought from Ryûkyû by the [[1842]] and [[1850]] missions to [[Edo]], when they passed through Narumi and paid visits to Bunhitsu's grave. One reads, in large characters, 「海清」and「龍飛」 ("pure/clear sea" and "dragon flying"), while the other pair features lengthier poetry, reading 「小梅香裏黄鶯囀　玉樹隠中紫鳳来」and 「白雲深處無塵事　好鳥聞時尽妙音」. Both are signed ''[[Chuzan|Chûzan]] Ryô Bunhitsu''.

Two pairs of hanging scrolls featuring Bunhitsu's calligraphy are today held at Zuisen-ji. It is believed that they were brought from Ryûkyû by the [[1842]] and [[1850]] missions to [[Edo]], when they passed through Narumi and paid visits to Bunhitsu's grave. One reads, in large characters, 「海清」and「龍飛」 ("pure/clear sea" and "dragon flying"), while the other pair features lengthier poetry, reading 「小梅香裏黄鶯囀　玉樹隠中紫鳳来」and 「白雲深處無塵事　好鳥聞時尽妙音」. Both are signed ''[[Chuzan|Chûzan]] Ryô Bunhitsu''.

==References==

==References==

*''Minoji wo yuku Ryûkyû shisetsu'' 美濃路をゆく琉球使節, Bisai Museum of History and Folklore 尾西市歴史民俗資料館, Bisai, Aichi (2004), 12.

*''Minoji wo yuku Ryûkyû shisetsu'' 美濃路をゆく琉球使節, Bisai Museum of History and Folklore 尾西市歴史民俗資料館, Bisai, Aichi (2004), 12.

[[Category:Ryukyu]]

[[Category:Ryukyu]]