The Scholar-Bureaucrat Who Transformed the Ryūkyū Kingdom Through Radical Economic and Environmental Reform

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Born in 1682, Sai On rose from a scholar-bureaucrat to become the most influential advisor in Okinawan history. By implementing sweeping land reforms, intensive forestry conservation, and strategic economic shifts, he turned a struggling kingdom into a productive powerhouse, leaving a legacy that remains visible in the landscape today.

Sai On was a product of Kumemura, a village in Naha that served as the intellectual heart of the Ryūkyū Kingdom. Trained in Confucian classics and later expanding his expertise in Guangzhou to include economics and political administration, he became the primary advisor to King Shō Kei. Although his lack of royal blood prevented him from holding the title of prime minister, he wielded immense authority as a member of the Sanshikan, the Council of Three, beginning in 1728.

His governance was defined by a series of rigorous reforms aimed at centralizing power and maximizing agricultural output. He restricted rural-to-urban migration and limited the side-projects of farmers, forcing a focus on agricultural intensification. Simultaneously, he brought hereditary lords under central control by providing them with government rice stipends starting in 1723. These policies, which mirrored contemporary Japanese reforms, successfully increased the kingdom's production levels within just a few years.

Beyond economics, Sai On addressed a critical environmental crisis. Severe deforestation, exacerbated by the region's typhoon-prone climate, had caused widespread erosion and landslides. His conservation efforts were so effective that certain forest sections are still known as 'Sai On pines.' His expertise was so highly regarded that even the United States Civil Administration of the Ryukyu Islands translated and distributed his forestry essays in 1952. He also authored 'Travelers' Advice,' a manual designed to help Okinawans conceal the kingdom's complex political relationship with Japan's Satsuma Domain from Chinese officials.

His tenure was not without conflict. In 1734, a rival faction led by Heshikiya Chōbin and Tomoyose Anjō accused him of being overly pro-Chinese. The plot was thwarted, and the conspirators were executed before they could act. Sai On retired in 1752, shortly after the death of King Shō Kei, and remained a powerful influence until his death in 1762 at the age of 79.

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