Changes

===Chinese-style Names===

===Chinese-style Names===

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" (''nanori'') 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" (''nanori'') 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 Hôki 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 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.

'''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.