Shoshoken

A politician of the Ryukyu Kingdom. His Chinese name was Muko Shoken, and he was also known as Haneji Choshu. Born into a distinguished royal family, he was concerned about the current state of national politics from a young age and vowed to one day become a politician and devote himself to reviving the nation's strength. He was highly educated in Japanese and Chinese, and in 1650, at the command of King Shoshitsu, he compiled the first historical book of the Ryukyu Kingdom, the Chuzan Seikan. In 1666, he was appointed regent (Minister of State), the highest political post in the kingdom, and for the seven years until his retirement in 1673, he literally demonstrated his talent in national politics.

After the Shimazu invasion in 1609 (Keicho 14), Ryukyu was organized as part of the Shogunate-han system through the rule of the Satsuma Domain. On the other hand, because the Ryukyu Kingdom maintained its existence as a foreign country and kingdom different from the other domains, political turmoil continued, the economy and society were exhausted, and the people were extremely unsettled. Mukai Shoken, on the premise of cooperation with the Satsuma Domain and the Shogunate-han system, rebuilt and strengthened the Chuzan Kingdom as the governing body, and aimed to reorganize Ryukyu society with the Kingdom at its center. He promoted a series of policies, such as the improvement of administrative structures, the reform of the bureaucratic system, the introduction of Confucian values, and the promotion of industry, but his main goal was how to reorganize the kingdom's ancient traditions, which had continued since the Old Ryukyu (Middle Ages), into a modern society. To that end, he not only interfered with religion, rituals, and ceremonial rites, but also carried out the elimination of various ceremonies from politics and administration. He also implemented drastic measures such as improving the administrative structure of the royal court and promoting a policy of reclamation of cultivated land (called Shiake). Looking at the "Ueji Shioki," a collection of decrees issued during his reign, we can see his confidence as he implemented the politics he intended with his fiery temperament, despite being subjected to various criticisms and slanders. He passed away shortly after retiring as regent, possibly due to stress.

[Takara Kurayoshi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

琉球(りゅうきゅう)王国の政治家。向象賢は唐名で、羽地朝秀(はねじちょうしゅう)ともよばれる。王族の名家の出で、青年のころから国政の現状を憂い、他日政治家として国勢の再興に尽くすことを心に誓ったという。和漢の教養に優れ、1650年、王尚質(しょうしつ)の命により琉球初の史書『中山世鑑(ちゅうざんせいかん)』を編述した。66年、王国最高の政治ポストである摂政(せっせい)（国相(こくしょう)）に就任し、73年に引退するまでの7年間、文字どおり国政に敏腕を振るった。

　琉球は1609年（慶長14）の島津侵入事件以後、薩摩(さつま)藩の支配を介して幕藩体制の一環に編成された。その反面、諸藩とは異なる異国＝王国としての存在も温存されたため、政治的混乱が続き、経済・社会は疲弊し人心は動揺を極めていた。向象賢は、薩摩藩・幕藩体制との協調を前提に、統治主体としての中山王府を再建・強化し、王府を中心とする琉球社会の再編成を目ざした。行政機構の整備、役人制度の刷新、儒教的価値観の導入、産業振興などの諸施策を相次いで推進したが、その主たる目標は、古琉球（中世）より続いてきた王国古来の伝統を近世社会としていかに組み直すか、という点に置かれていた。そのために、宗教・祭祀(さいし)をはじめ冠婚葬祭に対する介入はもとより、政治・行政における各種儀礼の排除などを断行している。また、王府行政機構の整備、耕地開墾（仕明(しあけ)という）政策を推進するなど抜本的な施策を展開している。その施政下に出された布達を集めた『羽地仕置(しおき)』をみると、さまざまな非難中傷にさらされながらも、激しい気性で意図する政治を展開した彼の自信をうかがうことができる。摂政引退後、心労のためかほどなくして他界している。

［高良倉吉］

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