Profiles in Ryukyuan Music d – Chouki Yakabi

Chouki Yakabi (1716-1775)

The father of Ryukyu Musical Scores

Chouki Yakabi was born January 19^th, 1719, in Shuri, the capitol city of the Ryukyu kingdom, the 4^th son of (Anji) Tamagawa Chouou. It was a household where sanshin was often heard. At a young age was acknowledged of as a prodigy

Chouki Yakabi (1716-1775)

The father of Ryukyu Musical Scores

Chouki Yakabi was born January 19^th, 1719, in Shuri, the capitol city of the Ryukyu kingdom, the 4^th son of (Anji) Tamagawa Chouou. It was a household where sanshin was often heard. At a young age was acknowledged of as a prodigy and on order of the king was sent overseas to the kingdom of Satsuma, to study and learn Classical song(Japanese Style). While there he contracted an eye infection which ended up blinding him. After coming back to Ryukyu from Kagoshima, he began working for the King, Sho Kei (1717-1751).

At that time, he began concentrating his studies on Ryukyu Classical Music. His instructors were (Anji) Choukei Tamagawa and Mongaku Terukina He eventually founded his own style called, Tou Ryu. Being that there was no written Classical Ryukyuan Music, Kakabi created a (written) system, based on Chinese classical music scores. Although he did not create the first Ryukyuan sanshin, or the first classical songs, His impact on Ryukyuan Classical music by both the; creation of many songs as well as the preservation of the ‘Classics’ of his day through the musical score system called, KunKunShi. In his volume of KunKunShi, now named, Yakabi Kun Kun Shi, he has preserved 117 songs total.

One song in particular, Nubui Kuduchi, Is a masterpiece, still performed today by uta-sanshin, and/or with koto, fue, kokyu, and classical dancing accompaniment. Here are the first four of eight verses to Nubui Kuduchi, with a translation by Instructor Komine, of Urasoe City.

(At the start of my trip, I went to the Kannondo Temple to worship the thousand-handed Kannon and to pray for safekeeping by the goddess.)

(Early in the morning, I passed Ufudo, then reached the Sogenji temple)

(I crossed over Miji Takahashi Bridge which was crowded with people coming up and down.)

(The family members valued the time as long as they could; their sleeves were wet with their tears.)

Chouki Yakabi died January 18^th, 1775. His Artistic legacy was passed on not only through, Yakabi KunKunShi, but also through his primary student, Chouten Toyohara.