Kyo Gigo (許儀後)

Gigo KYO (year of birth and death unknown) was an individual who lived during the Warring States, Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods. He was a physician who served the Shimazu clan. Also known as 許三官. Also said to have taught medicine to Yoshihiro SHIMAZU.

His birthplace is recorded in "Imperial Choson (Korea) chronicles" as being Fujian Province in China however, more credence is given to the "Zensetsu Heiseiko" and "Sappan Kyuki-zatsuroku" which refer to him as being born in Jianfu, Jianxi Province, China.

Whilst he was a personality of Ming China, in 1571 he was captured and taken prisoner by pirates, taken to the Satsuma region in Japan where Yoshihisa SHIMIZU took a liking to him became a court physician and settled down. Together with Yoshihisa he was granted an audience with the Shogun Hideyoshi TOYOTOMI.

However, when he became aware of the intent of Hideyoshi to clearly conquer during the Imjin War, he also decided to return to Satsuma with Guoan GUO, recorded details of the situation then in Japan and sent the records to Ming China by pretending to send documents to fellow Satsuma resident Kino SHU.

When approval was given and contact made with a Ming Dynasty envoy, Yoshihisa was not well disposed towards Hideyoshi and in the memos to Ming China he made proposals to attack Hideyoshi.

In 1613 he was granted a 410 koku stipend.

[Original Japanese]