Japanese era name

Nengō (Japanese年号of Chinese年号/年号, Pinyin niánhào, annual title ') or Gengo (元 号, literally " origin [ year ] titel " ) referred to in the Japanese era " years Currency " or " Äranamen ". In a broader sense it refers to the one used in Japan calendrical scheme that has its origins in China. Several years are grouped together in groups of the same name, or with the same " currency ". Following the example of China, such Äranamen formerly were widespread throughout East Asia (including Vietnam ), now on the other hand, Japan is next to the Republic of China is the only country where this system is still in use. Although in Japan and the western era is known that nengō system applies to authorities concerned.

The current nengō is since 1989 Heisei ( " achieving peace "). For a complete list of Nengo Nengo see the list.

History of Nengo system

The Japanese Äranamen based on the Chinese and 645 AD were introduced under Kōtoku - Tennō year. The first era name was Taika (大化, "big change" ) and was the political reforms ( Taika Reform) owed ​​at that time the political scene changed radically. For systematic use of nengō however, there was until the year 701 From then on the Äranamen were decided until the Meiji period of imperial court officials and were subject to irregular changes. The change of Ärabezeichnungen typically relied on the following factors:

• Appointed a new Tennō. However, the enthronement of a new Tennō was not automatically followed by a change of Äranamens in pre-modern times. Often passed several years until a new currency was proclaimed.
• Memory of a particularly happy event.
• Accidents, such as Natural disasters, which was hoped to finish by a change of currency.
• Particularly auspicious year of the traditional Sixties cycle ( represented in addition to the nengō the usual calendar system ), namely, the 1st, 5th, and 58th year of the cycle (三 革, sankaku ).

The Äranamen often take directly or indirectly on the particular event, or the historical background reference. For example, the Wado era (和 铜, " Japan - copper " ) was proclaimed in 708, after the discovery of copper deposits in Japan. Since the Heian period, Confucian ideology was reflected in the Äranamen so at Daido (大同, " Large equality"; 806-810 ) or Konin (弘仁, " width righteousness "; 810-824 ). The nengō consist of two kanji characters usually. Only in the Nara period oriented themselves to the then Chinese Äranamen and used temporarily four characters (see list of Nengo ). In Japan there are Taika to Heisei exactly 247 nengō. Nevertheless, one needs only 72 kanji, 30 of which were once in use, while the rest were repeatedly recombined for her performance.

The length of an era can be very variable, ranging from one year (eg Genji March 27th 1864-1. May 1865 ) for the longest Shōwa period (25 December 1926 to 7 January 1989) of about 62 years. The system is accordingly unclear and is supplemented in the practice of periodic calendar systems, namely the already mentioned Sixties cycle (before 1872), or the Western calendar ( after 1872 ). In official documents and historical writings, however, it is still the predominant system of annual giving.

Conversion

Basically, a year of traditional Ärasystems can be translated using tables in a particular year Western counting. However, the beginning of an era is often not identical with the beginning of the year, so that the beginning and the end of the same year may be associated with Western- counting two different Ärabezeichnungen. Moreover, the counting of the days and months by the end of 1872 according to the Chinese calendar, which means that the 12th month of a Japanese year before 1872 mostly corresponds to the first month of the year following Western counting was performed ( see also Introduction to Japanese chronology by Matthias Schemm ). This can result in inaccurate conversion lead to erroneous translations of historical data.

The date of birth of the famous general and " Empire unifier " Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) is, for example, according to the traditional counting:

According to western count equivalent to 31 January 1543. Nevertheless, the lifetime Ieyasu is often given as " 1542-1616 " because " Tenbun 11 " in simple conversion tables corresponds to the year 1542.

Nengō in modern Japan

Since Tennō Mutsuhito ( Meiji ) an era name is declared only in the throne. This custom was enshrined in law in 1979. After his death, the Japanese Tenno is called by his Äranamen. Today is the first year of an era ( Gannen元年) from the date of accession of Tennō and ends on December 31. Only the following years, beginning with January 1. The first year of the reign of Tennō Shōwa lasted eg only a few days at the end of 1926.

Nengō as the name of Tennō

Although the Äranamen are identical to the " emperor called" the reigning Tennō today, they are considered " posthumous title " and are not even used in Japan to name the Tennō. Nor is however referred with his birth name Tennō. The etiquette requires, instead, ( ,天皇 陛下" His Majesty the Emperor " ) to call him Tennō Heika. The unofficial title Kinjo Tennō (今 上 天皇, " current Emperor " ) is also in use. Often not only outsiders but also the Japanese themselves have problems with the name of the emperor.

Private nengō

In addition to the now official nengō existed in pre-modern times and unofficial names of the individual periods, the one under the term shinengō (私 年号, "private nengō " ) summarizes. They mostly come from later sources and are therefore historically doubtful, or they were launched by protest movements against the official Äranamen without prevail. Even archaeological Ärabezeichnungen are sometimes referred to as shinengō, but have basically nothing to do with the traditional nengō system.