Kōchi Chōjō
Encyclopedia
was a Ryukyuan aristocrat known for leading a movement to petition the government of Qing Dynasty
China
to rescue the Ryūkyū Kingdom
from annexation by Imperial Japan, following the 1872 announcement by the government of Meiji Japan
to do so.
It was typical at this time for Ryukyuan aristocrats to have multiple names
. Chōjō held the title of ueekata
of the domain of Kōchi, and was thus known as "Kōchi ueekata". He was also known as .
, in the north of Okinawa Island
, claiming he was simply crossing over to nearby Iejima
. Arriving in China, he adopted Chinese (Manchu) hairstyle and dress and, with the Ryūkyū-kan
in Fuzhou
as his base, he began traveling to various parts, seeking to gather support for his cause, namely that of convincing the Qing government to aid Ryūkyū in remaining independent from Japan.
Chōjō gathered other Ryukyuans who, like himself, had fled for China, including Rin Seikō
(林世功) and Sai Taitei (蔡大鼎). Together, they submitted numerous petitions to the Qing officials asking for help on behalf of the kingdom. Though there was little, if any, positive response, for a long time, Chōjō and others refused to give up.
He died in Fukien Province.
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
to rescue the Ryūkyū Kingdom
Ryukyu Kingdom
The Ryūkyū Kingdom was an independent kingdom which ruled most of the Ryukyu Islands from the 15th century to the 19th century. The Kings of Ryūkyū unified Okinawa Island and extended the kingdom to the Amami Islands in modern-day Kagoshima Prefecture, and the Sakishima Islands near Taiwan...
from annexation by Imperial Japan, following the 1872 announcement by the government of Meiji Japan
Government of Meiji Japan
The Government of Meiji Japan was the government which was formed by politicians of the Satsuma Domain, Chōshū Domain and Tenno. The Meiji government was the early government of the Empire of Japan....
to do so.
It was typical at this time for Ryukyuan aristocrats to have multiple names
Okinawan family name
Okinawan names today have only two components, the family names first and the given names last. Okinawan family names represent the distinct historical and cultural background of the islands which now comprise Okinawa Prefecture in Japan...
. Chōjō held the title of ueekata
Ueekata
' was the highest rank in the yukatchu aristocracy of Okinawa's Ryūkyū Kingdom though it was still below the aji nobility. Members of the , a very high-ranking governmental body, were chosen from among the ueekata....
of the domain of Kōchi, and was thus known as "Kōchi ueekata". He was also known as .
Life
Details of his early life are unknown. In 1876, however, Chōjō left for China from Unten Harbor on the Motobu PeninsulaMotobu, Okinawa
is a town located in Kunigami District, Okinawa, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 14,481 and a density of 266.69 persons per km²...
, in the north of Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island
Okinawa Island is the largest of the Okinawa Islands and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan, and is home to Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. The island has an area of...
, claiming he was simply crossing over to nearby Iejima
Iejima
Ie jima is an island in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, lying a few kilometers off the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa Honto, Okinawa Islands. It measures 20 km around and has a population of 5,055...
. Arriving in China, he adopted Chinese (Manchu) hairstyle and dress and, with the Ryūkyū-kan
Ryukyu-kan
' were institutions serving as homes and bases of operations for Ryukyuan missions in early modern Fuzhou and Kagoshima .-Kagoshima:...
in Fuzhou
Fuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
as his base, he began traveling to various parts, seeking to gather support for his cause, namely that of convincing the Qing government to aid Ryūkyū in remaining independent from Japan.
Chōjō gathered other Ryukyuans who, like himself, had fled for China, including Rin Seikō
Rin Seikō
was a scholar-bureaucrat and diplomat of Ryūkyū Kingdom. He was known for leading a movement to petition the government of Qing Dynasty China to rescue the Ryūkyū Kingdom from annexation by Imperial Japan....
(林世功) and Sai Taitei (蔡大鼎). Together, they submitted numerous petitions to the Qing officials asking for help on behalf of the kingdom. Though there was little, if any, positive response, for a long time, Chōjō and others refused to give up.
He died in Fukien Province.