About Chatan Chōchō
Lived 1607 – 1667 (aged 59). Chatan Chōchō was a politician and diplomat.
, also known by his Chinese style name , was a bureaucrat of the Ryukyu Kingdom.
Chatan Chōchō was an uncle of the famous sessei Shō Shōken. He served as a member of Sanshikan from 1652 to 1666.
In 1663, King Shō Shitsu dispatched Chatan as a gratitude envoy for his investiture to Qing China. The mission stayed at Fuzhou on their way home the next year. King Shō Shitsu dispatched Eso Jūkō (, also known as Ei Jōshun ) as a congratulatory envoy to celebrate Kangxi Emperor's coronation at the same time. But Eso's envoy was shipwrecked near Meihua Port (, a port in modern Changle, Fuzhou) in the mouth of Min River, and was attacked by pirates. Eso fled to Fuzhou, some of his entourage were murdered by poison, and golden pots prepared for Kangxi Emperor were stolen.
Two envoys came back to Ryukyu in 1665. Soon Chatan found the truth: the pirates were actually Ryukyuans disguised as Chinese, and all of them were his entourage. When the ship passed by Iheya Island, he threw all participants into the sea in order to hush up the incident. But finally the truth was known by Satsuma Domain. Both Chatan and Eso were sentenced to death by Satsuma, and decapitated by Ryukyu Kingdom. Their eight sons were exiled to outlying islands and . This incident was known as .
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Important facts
People in Chatan Chōchō's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Chatan Chōchō's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Chatan Chōchō?
Sanshikan of Ryukyu
When was Chatan Chōchō born?
Chatan Chōchō was born on 28 November 1607.
When did Chatan Chōchō die?
Chatan Chōchō died on 11 July 1667.
What was Chatan Chōchō's occupation?
Chatan Chōchō was a politician and diplomat.
What nationality was Chatan Chōchō?
Chatan Chōchō's recorded nationality: Ryukyu Kingdom.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Chatan Chōchō. https://biography.guide/chatan-chocho/
MLA: "Chatan Chōchō." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/chatan-chocho/.
Chicago: "Chatan Chōchō." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/chatan-chocho/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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