also: さっぽうし
noun
accredited Chinese envoy to neighboring kingdoms
Historical term for an envoy sent by the Chinese emperor to invest kings of tributary states such as Ryukyu. Used in East Asian diplomatic history contexts.
琉球王国に派遣された冊封使は、中国皇帝の権威を伝える役割を担っていた。
The accredited Chinese envoy dispatched to the Ryukyu Kingdom was responsible for conveying the authority of the Chinese emperor.
From Chinese 冊封使 (cèfēngshǐ), literally 'investiture envoy'. The term is composed of 冊封 (sakuhō, 'imperial investiture') and 使 (shi, 'envoy').