Names and DOB
- Childhood name: Umindagani 思武太金
- Chinese-style name: Ma Fui 麻普蔚
- Born: His life and death dates are unknown.
- Posthumous name: Kijitsu 貴實
Family
- His parents are unknown.
- Wife: a person from Kakinohana village in Tamagusuku district. Her life and death dates are unknown. Her posthumous name was Meikaku 明覺.
- Oldest son: Shinsō 眞宗
Chronology
In ancient times, Shimasoe Ōsato Aji 島添大里按司 was the lord of Ōsato castle. Once he attacked the small castle of Ōshiro Aji Shinbu. Loosing the battle, Ōshiro Aji set fire to Ōshiro castle and he, his retainers, and his wife committed suicide.
Additional Info
Ōshiro Aji’s castle (大城城) was taken by storm by the neighboring Shimasoe Ōsato Aji, the lord of Ōsato castle. Ōshiro committed suicide with his own sword. His wife together with the infant Shutarūgani 小樽兼 fled to her parent’s house in Kakinohana village, Tamagusuku district. Afterwards they lived in hiding in Shimotabaru in Gima village, Mawashi district. Soon other people moved there and formed a village which came to be called Kakinohana.
There are some contradicting accounts and dates:
- Since the infant Shutarūgani 小樽兼 is mentioned, the above is estimated to have taken place shortly after 1411 – i.e. the year Shutarūgani was born according to the official genealogies of the royal government in Shuri.
- According to another story, a daughter of Ōshiro Aji is said to have been the mother of Nāshiro Ufuya 苗代大親, which was the real name of the later King Shō Shishō 尚思紹王. His oldest son Sashiki Aji, i.e. the later King Shō Hashi 尚巴志王, destroyed Shimasoe Ōsato Aji. However, this is said to have taken place in 1402.
The reasons for this might be found in the historiography, which most of the time serves an agenda. One reason could have been to retrospectively justify Shō Hashi’s conquering of the island – in the story Shō Hashi is a descendant of Ōshiro Aji. Destroying Shimasoe Ōsato Aji would therefore be an act of justice. Another reason might be the establishment of official genealogies in the late 17h century: as many people as possible tried to create the most advantegeous genealogies and get them approved by the royal government. In order to do so, it was best to date it as far back as possible, and to a famous person of high rank. Therefore, it was just the same as it is today in modern Karate 😀
The tomb of Ōshiro Aji Shinbu is located in Ōsato Ōshiro in Nanjō City. It is also known as Bōntō Ufaka ボウントゥ御墓 — Bōntō refers to the dome shaped upper part of the tomb. The grave is designated a Tangible Cultural Property of Okinawa Prefecture under the name of “Ōshiro Aji no Haka” 大城按司の墓.
Ōshiro 大城 is pronounced Ufugusuku in the Okinawan dialect.
Coat-of-Arms of the Ma-clan, House Dana
Sources
- 沖縄の歴史情報 第５巻。画像と全文テキストデータベース (Ⅰ）。 (6)「琉球家譜」の情報化。①首里系家譜。麻姓家譜 (田名家）.
- Naha-shi Shi. Shiryō-hen, Dai Ni Maki, Chū no 7. Naha no Minzoku. 那覇市史。資料篇 第2巻,中の7。那覇の民俗。1979.
- Others.
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