Makishi Chōchū Explained

Makishi Chōchū
Native Name:牧志朝忠
Native Name Lang:ryu
Birth Date:1818
Birth Place:Shuri, Ryūkyū Kingdom
Death Date:August 14, 1862
Nationality:Ryūkyū Kingdom
Other Names:Itarashiki Chōchū
Shō Eikō
Education:Royal Academy of Ryūkyū
Occupation:Diplomat
Years Active:1844-1862
Pechin

was a scholar-bureaucrat and diplomat of Ryūkyū Kingdom. He was also known as, and his Chinese style name, .

Life

Makishi was born in Shuri, the capital of Ryūkyū. He studied in Kokugaku (国学 the Royal Academy of Ryūkyū) in his early years. In 1838, he traveled to China to study, and stayed in Beijing for several years. When he came back to Ryūkyū, he learned English from Aniya Seiho (安仁屋 政輔). He was then appointed Ikoku Tsūji (異国通詞, the diplomat towards Western countries) in 1844.

References