Changes

The initial compilations produced in 1689 (or shortly thereafter) contained a total of 687 main families, and 36 additional branch families listed as heads of lineages. Many families shared names; 479 different family names appear in these initial records. These family names were single-character [[Ryukyuan names|Chinese-style names]], such as [[Sai family|Sai]] (蔡), [[Tei family (鄭)|Tei]] (鄭), and [[Bai family|Bai]] (貝).

The initial compilations produced in 1689 (or shortly thereafter) contained a total of 687 main families, and 36 additional branch families listed as heads of lineages. Many families shared names; 479 different family names appear in these initial records. These family names were single-character [[Ryukyuan names|Chinese-style names]], such as [[Sai family|Sai]] (蔡), [[Tei family (鄭)|Tei]] (鄭), and [[Bai family|Bai]] (貝).

Following the establishment of the ''keizuza'', records of each aristocratic lineage were systematically produced, with one copy being kept by the royal government, and one, stamped with the [[Ryukyuan royal seal|royal seal]], kept by the family described in that record. With this system in place, an aristocrat could prove his lineage, and ancestral hometown. These documents recorded not only the lineage, but also accomplishments and commendations, including whether an individual had made formal journeys to China, [[Satsuma han|Kagoshima]], or [[Edo]]. As only members of the elite maintained these genealogy records, the aristocracy, or members of it, came to be known as ''keimochi'' (系持), or "lineage-holders," while commoners, lacking both in lineage records and even in surnames, were known as ''mukei'' (無系, "lacking lineage").

Following the establishment of the ''keizuza'', records of each aristocratic lineage were systematically produced, with one copy being kept by the royal government, and one, stamped with the [[Ryukyuan royal seal|royal seal]], kept by the family described in that record. With this system in place, an aristocrat could prove his lineage, and ancestral hometown. These documents recorded not only the lineage, but also accomplishments and commendations, including whether an individual had made formal journeys to China, [[Satsuma han|Kagoshima]], or [[Edo]]. As only members of the elite maintained these genealogy records, the aristocracy, or members of it, came to be known as ''chiimuchi'' (J: ''keimochi'', 系持), or "lineage-holders," while commoners, lacking both in lineage records and even in surnames, were known as ''mukei'' (無系, "lacking lineage").

Though originally recorded in a Japanese style, in the 18th century, these came to be recorded in a more strongly Chinese style; this was but one of many changes implemented in the Ryukyuan court as it actively sinified over the course of that century. As aristocrats' Japanese-style surnames were tied to their fiefs and often changed, genealogies came to record lineages according to the Chinese-style family name, recording all those within a given ''munchû'' (門中, lit. "within the gates").<ref>Samurai families used similar terminology to refer to those within the same widely extended family or household, e.g. referring to individuals as ''monka'' 門下 (lit. "under the gates [of the household]").</ref> Family branches were distinguished between the main household (大宗, C: ''dàzōng'') and lesser branches (小宗, C: ''xiǎo zōng'').<ref>Akin to the Japanese ''honke'' (本家, "main house") and ''bunke'' (分家, "branch house"). Akamine Mamoru, Lina Terrell (trans.), Robert Huey (ed.), ''The Ryukyu Kingdom: Cornerstone of East Asia'', University of Hawaii Press (2017), 90.</ref>

Though originally recorded in a Japanese style, in the 18th century, these came to be recorded in a more strongly Chinese style; this was but one of many changes implemented in the Ryukyuan court as it actively sinified over the course of that century. As aristocrats' Japanese-style surnames were tied to their fiefs and often changed, genealogies came to record lineages according to the Chinese-style family name, recording all those within a given ''munchû'' (門中, lit. "within the gates").<ref>Samurai families used similar terminology to refer to those within the same widely extended family or household, e.g. referring to individuals as ''monka'' 門下 (lit. "under the gates [of the household]").</ref> Family branches were distinguished between the main household (大宗, C: ''dàzōng'') and lesser branches (小宗, C: ''xiǎo zōng'').<ref>Akin to the Japanese ''honke'' (本家, "main house") and ''bunke'' (分家, "branch house"). Akamine Mamoru, Lina Terrell (trans.), Robert Huey (ed.), ''The Ryukyu Kingdom: Cornerstone of East Asia'', University of Hawaii Press (2017), 90.</ref>