Japanese era name
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Japanese era calendar scheme is a common calendar scheme used in Japan, which identifies a year by the combination of the Japanese era name (å¹´å·, nengÅ, lit. year name) and the year number within the era. For example, the year 2006 is Heisei 18, and 2007 is Heisei 19.
Like similar systems in East Asia, the era name system was originally derived from Chinese Imperial practice, although the Japanese system is independent of the Chinese and Korean calendar systems. Unlike other similar systems, the Japanese era name is still in use. Government offices usually require era names and years for official papers.
Sometimes an era name is expressed with the first letter of the romanized name. For example, S55 means ShÅwa 55. At 64 years, ShÅwa is the longest era to date.
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Overview
The system on which the Japanese nengÅ are based originated in China in 140 BC, and was adopted by Japan in 645 AD during the reign of Emperor KÅtoku (å徳天皇). The first era name was Taika (大化), celebrating the revolutionary political changes following the great Taika reform (大化改新). Although the practice of nengÅ was once interrupted in the latter half of the seventh century, it was re-adopted in 701 and has been used continuously ever since.
[edit] Historical nengÅ
Prior to the Meiji period, era names were decided by court officials and were subjected to frequent change. A new nengÅ was usually proclaimed within a year or two after the ascendance of the new emperor. Besides the changes in emperor's reign, a new nengÅ was designated at two points in each sexagenary cycle (the first and the fifty-eighth year), because these years were considered to be auspicious according to the Chinese astrological principles. Era names were also renewed due to other felicitous events or natural disasters.
Era names indicate the various reasons for their adoption. For instance, the nengÅ Wado (和銅), during the Nara period was declared due to the discovery of copper deposits in Japan. Since the Heian period, Confucian thoughts and ideas have been reflected in era names, such as DaidÅ (大åŒ), KÅnin (弘ä») and TenchÅ (天長). NengÅ are normally written with two kanji, except during the Nara period when four Kanji names were sometimes adopted to follow the Chinese trend. TenpyÅ KanpÅ (天平感å®), TenpyÅ ShÅhÅ (天平å‹å®), TenpyÅ HÅji (天平å®å—) and TenpyÅ Jingo (天平神è·) are among the famous nengÅ names in four characters. In Japan, there currently exist a total number of 247 era names since Taika until the present Heisei. Despite such large number of era names, only seventy-two kanji were used. Out of the seventy-two kanji, thirty of them were used only once, while the rest were repeatedly used in different combinations to create new era names.
[edit] NengÅ in Modern Japan
Since the ascension of the Meiji Emperor in 1867, it has been the practice to change era names only upon imperial succession. This practice became the law in 1979. Upon his death, an emperor is thereafter referred to with the name of the era marked by his reign. (For example, the 124th Emperor, Hirohito (裕ä»), is posthumously known as the ShÅwa Emperor.)
In modern practice, the first year of a reign (元年 gannen) starts immediately upon the emperor's ascension to the throne, but always ends on December 31. Subsequent years follow the Gregorian calendar. Meiji (明治), the nengÅ declared in 1868, continued until the death of the Meiji Emperor in 1912. His son's reign, the TaishÅ era, lasted until December 25, 1926 when the TaishÅ Emperor died and ShÅwa (æ˜å’Œ) era was proclaimed. The first year of the ShÅwa era thus consisted only of the last few days of December 1926. After the death of the ShÅwa emperor in 1989, the reign of the present emperor began and the Heisei (å¹³æˆ) era began. 1989 is known as both "ShÅwa 64" and "Heisei Gannen (å¹³æˆå…ƒå¹´)", although technically ShÅwa 64 ended on January 7 with Hirohito's death.
Note that it is protocol in Japan that the reigning emperor is almost always referred to as TennŠHeika (天皇陛下, His Majesty the Emperor). Less frequently, the more informal KinjŠTennŠ(今上天皇, current emperor) is used. The use of the emperor's given name is extremely rare in Japanese even today. To call the current emperor by the current era name Heisei, even in English, would be a faux pas, as it is and will be his posthumous name. These conventions are the source of great confusion not only in other languages, but also for the Japanese themselves.
[edit] Conversion table from nengÅ to Gregorian calendar years
To convert a Japanese year to a Western year, find the first year of the nengÅ (=era name, see list below). When found, subtract 1, and add the number of the Japanese year. For example, the 23rd year of the Showa Era (Showa 23) would be 1948:
1926 − 1 = 1925, then 1925 + 23 = 1948.
- 645 大化 Taika
- 650 白雉 Hakuchi
- 686 朱鳥 ShuchÅ
- 701 å¤§å® TaihÅ or DaihÅ
- 704 慶雲 Keiun
- 708 和銅 WadÅ
- 715 霊亀 Reiki
- 717 é¤Šè€ YÅrÅ
- 724 神亀 Jinki
- 729 天平 TenpyÅ
- 749 å¤©å¹³æ„Ÿå® TenpyÅ-kanpÅ
- 749 天平å‹å® TenpyÅ-shÅhÅ
- 757 天平å®å— TenpyÅ-hÅji
- 765 å¤©å¹³ç¥žè· TenpyÅ-jingo
- 767 神è·æ™¯é›² Jingo-keiun
- 770 å®äº€ HÅki
- 781 天応 Ten'Å
- 782 延暦 Enryaku
- 806 å¤§åŒ DaidÅ
- 810 å¼˜ä» KÅnin
- 824 天長 TenchÅ
- 834 承和 JÅwa or ShÅwa or SÅwa
- 848 嘉祥 KajÅ
- 851 ä»å¯¿ Ninju
- 854 斉衡 SaikÅ
- 857 天安 Tennan
- 859 貞観 JÅgan
- 877 元慶 GangyŠor GankyŠor Genkei
- 885 ä»å’Œ Ninna
- 889 寛平 KanpyÅ
- 898 昌泰 ShÅtai
- 901 延喜 Engi
- 923 延長 EnchÅ
- 931 承平 JÅhei or ShÅhei
- 938 天慶 TengyÅ
- 947 天暦 Tenryaku
- 957 天徳 Tentoku
- 961 応和 Ōwa
- 964 åº·ä¿ KÅhÅ
- 968 安和 Anna
- 970 天禄 Tenroku
- 973 天延 Ten'en
- 976 貞元 JÅgen
- 978 天元 Tengen
- 983 永観 Eikan
- 985 寛和 Kanna
- 987 永延 Eien
- 988 永祚 Eiso
- 990 æ£æš¦ ShÅryaku or JÅryaku or ShÅreki
- 995 é•·å¾³ ChÅtoku
- 999 é•·ä¿ ChÅhÅ
- 1004 寛弘 KankÅ
- 1012 é•·å’Œ ChÅwa
- 1017 å¯›ä» Kannin
- 1021 治安 Jian
- 1024 万寿 Manju
- 1028 é•·å…ƒ ChÅgen
- 1037 長暦 ChÅryaku
- 1040 é•·ä¹… ChÅkyÅ«
- 1044 寛徳 Kantoku
- 1046 永承 EishÅ or EijÅ or YÅjÅ
- 1053 天喜 Tengi
- 1058 康平 KÅhei
- 1065 治暦 Jiryaku
- 1069 延久 Enkyū
- 1074 æ‰¿ä¿ JÅhÅ
- 1077 承暦 JÅryaku or ShÅryaku or ShÅreki
- 1081 æ°¸ä¿ EihÅ
- 1084 応徳 Ōtoku
- 1087 寛治 Kanji
- 1094 å˜‰ä¿ KahÅ
- 1096 永長 EichÅ
- 1097 承徳 JÅtoku or ShÅtoku
- 1099 康和 KÅwa
- 1104 é•·æ²» ChÅji
- 1106 嘉承 KajÅ or KashÅ or KasÅ
- 1108 å¤©ä» Tennin
- 1110 天永 Ten'ei
- 1113 永久 Eikyū
- 1118 元永 Gen'ei
- 1120 ä¿å®‰ HÅan
- 1124 天治 Tenji
- 1126 大治 Daiji or Taiji
- 1131 天承 TenshÅ or TenjÅ
- 1132 長承 ChÅshÅ or ChÅjÅ
- 1135 ä¿å»¶ HÅen
- 1141 永治 Eiji
- 1142 康治 KÅji
- 1144 天養 Ten'yÅ
- 1145 久安 Kyūan
- 1151 ä»å¹³ Ninpei or NinpyÅ
- 1154 久寿 Kyūju
- 1156 ä¿å…ƒ HÅgen
- 1159 平治 Heiji
- 1160 永暦 Eiryaku
- 1161 å¿œä¿ ÅŒhÅ
- 1163 長寛 ChÅkan
- 1165 永万 Eiman
- 1166 ä»å®‰ Ninnan
- 1169 嘉応 KaÅ
- 1171 承安 JÅan
- 1175 安元 Angen
- 1177 治承 JishÅ or JijÅ
- 1181 養和 YÅwa
- 1182 寿永 Juei
- 1184 元暦 Genryaku
- 1185 文治 Bunji
- 1190 建久 Kenkyū
- 1199 æ£æ²» ShÅji
- 1201 å»ºä» Kennin
- 1204 元久 Genkyū
- 1206 建永 Ken'ei
- 1207 承元 JÅgen
- 1211 建暦 Kenryaku
- 1213 å»ºä¿ KenpÅ
- 1219 承久 JÅkyÅ«
- 1222 貞応 JÅÅ
- 1224 å…ƒä» Gennin
- 1225 嘉禄 Karoku
- 1227 安貞 Antei
- 1229 寛喜 Kanki or Kangi
- 1232 貞永 JÅei
- 1233 å¤©ç¦ Tenpuku
- 1234 文暦 Bunryaku
- 1235 嘉禎 Katei
- 1238 æš¦ä» Ryakunin
- 1239 延応 En'Å
- 1240 ä»æ²» Ninji
- 1243 寛元 Kangen
- 1247 å®æ²» HÅji
- 1249 建長 KenchÅ
- 1256 康元 KÅgen
- 1257 æ£å˜‰ ShÅka
- 1259 æ£å…ƒ ShÅgen
- 1260 文応 Bun'Å
- 1261 弘長 KÅcho
- 1264 文永 Bun'ei
- 1275 建治 Kenji
- 1278 弘安 KÅan
- 1288 æ£å¿œ ShÅÅ
- 1293 æ°¸ä» Einin
- 1299 æ£å®‰ ShÅan
- 1302 乾元 Kengen
- 1303 嘉元 Kagen
- 1306 徳治 Tokuji
- 1308 延慶 Enkei or EnkyÅ
- 1311 応長 ÅŒchÅ
- 1312 æ£å’Œ ShÅwa
- 1317 æ–‡ä¿ BunpÅ
- 1319 元応 Gen'Å
- 1321 元亨 GenkyÅ or GenkÅ
- 1324 æ£ä¸ ShÅchÅ«
- 1326 嘉暦 Karyaku
- 1329 元徳 Gentoku
- 1331 元弘 GenkÅ
- 1334 å»ºæ¦ Kenmu
Southern Court
- 1336 延元 Engen
- 1340 興国 KÅkoku
- 1346 æ£å¹³ ShÅhei
- 1370 建徳 Kentoku
- 1372 æ–‡ä¸ BunchÅ«
- 1375 天授 Tenju
- 1381 弘和 KÅwa
- 1384 å…ƒä¸ GenchÅ« (GenchÅ« 9 became Meitoku 3 upon reunification)
Northern Court
- 1332 æ£æ…¶ ShÅkei
- 1333 (Northern court not in existence between 1333 and 1336)
- 1338 暦応 RyakuÅ
- 1342 康永 KÅei
- 1345 貞和 JÅwa
- 1350 観応 Kan'Å or KannÅ
- 1352 文和 Bunna
- 1356 延文 Enbun
- 1361 康安 KÅan
- 1362 貞治 JÅji
- 1368 応安 Ōan
- 1375 永和 Eiwa
- 1379 康暦 KÅryaku
- 1381 永徳 Eitoku
- 1384 至徳 Shitoku
- 1387 嘉慶 Kakei
- 1389 康応 KÅÅ
- 1390 明徳 Meitoku
Reunification
- 1394 応永 Ōei
- 1428 æ£é•· ShÅchÅ
- 1429 永享 EikyÅ
- 1441 å˜‰å‰ Kakitsu
- 1444 文安 Bunnan
- 1449 å®å¾³ HÅtoku
- 1452 享徳 KyÅtoku
- 1455 åº·æ£ KÅshÅ
- 1457 長禄 ChÅroku
- 1460 å¯›æ£ KanshÅ
- 1466 æ–‡æ£ BunshÅ
- 1467 å¿œä» ÅŒnin
- 1469 文明 Bunmei
- 1487 長享 ChÅkyÅ
- 1489 延徳 Entoku
- 1492 明応 MeiÅ
- 1501 文亀 Bunki
- 1504 æ°¸æ£ EishÅ
- 1521 大永 Daiei
- 1528 享禄 KyÅroku
- 1532 天文 Tenbun or Tenmon
- 1555 弘治 KÅji
- 1558 永禄 Eiroku
- 1570 元亀 Genki
- 1573 å¤©æ£ TenshÅ - the name was suggested by Oda Nobunaga
- 1592 文禄 Bunroku
- 1596 慶長 KeichÅ
- 1615 元和 Genna
- 1624 寛永 Kan'ei
- 1644 æ£ä¿ ShÅhÅ
- 1648 慶安 Keian
- 1652 承応 JÅÅ
- 1655 明暦 Meireki
- 1658 万治 Manji
- 1661 寛文 Kanbun
- 1673 å»¶å® EnpÅ
- 1681 天和 Tenna
- 1684 貞享 JÅkyÅ
- 1688 元禄 Genroku
- 1704 å®æ°¸ HÅei
- 1711 æ£å¾³ ShÅtoku
- 1716 äº«ä¿ KyÅhÅ
- 1736 元文 Genbun
- 1741 å¯›ä¿ KanpÅ
- 1744 延享 EnkyÅ
- 1748 寛延 Kan'en
- 1751 å®æš¦ HÅreki
- 1764 明和 Meiwa
- 1772 安永 An'ei
- 1781 天明 Tenmei
- 1789 寛政 Kansei
- 1801 享和 KyÅwa
- 1804 文化 Bunka
- 1818 文政 Bunsei
- 1830 å¤©ä¿ TenpÅ
- 1844 弘化 KÅka
- 1848 嘉永 Kaei
- 1854 安政 Ansei
- 1860 万延 Man'en
- 1861 文久 Bunkyū
- 1864 元治 Genji
- 1865 慶応 KeiÅ
- 1868 明治 Meiji - Emperor Meiji
- 1912 å¤§æ£ TaishÅ - Emperor TaishÅ
- 1926 æ˜å’Œ ShÅwa - Emperor ShÅwa
- 1989 å¹³æˆ Heisei - Akihito, the reigning emperor
[edit] In table
640 | 641 | 642 | 643 | 644 | 645 | 646 | 647 | 648 | 649 | 650 | 651 | 652 | 653 | 654 | 655 | 656 | 657 | 658 | 659 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
大化 Taika 1 – 6 |
白雉 Hakuchi 1 – 5 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
660 | 661 | 662 | 663 | 664 | 665 | 666 | 667 | 668 | 669 | 670 | 671 | 672 | 673 | 674 | 675 | 676 | 677 | 678 | 679 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
680 | 681 | 682 | 683 | 684 | 685 | 686 | 687 | 688 | 689 | 690 | 691 | 692 | 693 | 694 | 695 | 696 | 697 | 698 | 699 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
朱鳥 ShuchŠ1 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
700 | 701 | 702 | 703 | 704 | 705 | 706 | 707 | 708 | 709 | 710 | 711 | 712 | 713 | 714 | 715 | 716 | 717 | 718 | 719 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
å¤§å® TaihÅ or DaihÅ 1 – 4 |
慶雲 Keiun 1 – 5 |
和銅 WadŠ1 – 8 |
霊亀 Reiki 1 – 3 |
[edit] Unofficial nengÅ system (ç§å¹´å·)
Besides the official nengÅ system, one encounters in pre-modern works the use of private or unofficial nengÅ system, known as shinengÅ (ç§å¹´å·). Little is known about the origin of shinengÅ. However, scholars have pointed out that the shinengÅ Hakuho (白鳳) was used during the period from 673 to 686, when no official nengÅ was designated. Another shinengÅ Hoko (法興) is said to have been in use during the reign of Emperor Suiko (推å¤å¤©çš‡), by the Prince Shotoku (è–徳太å) and his followers. While nengÅ represented the authority of the emperor, shinengÅ provided an alternative during the eras of fragmented government, such as the Northern and Southern court.
Retaining the nengÅ system’s way to count years forward from the start, gannen of a new era, it has been proposed to introduce a “JÅmon Era†count to facilitate archeological dating:
Period | Gregorian years | JÅmon Era |
JÅmon Gannen | 10000 BC | 1 JE |
Incipient JÅmon | 10000 –7500 BC | 1– 2500 JE |
Initial JÅmon | 7500 – 4000 BC | 2501 – 6000 JE |
Early JÅmon | 4000 – 3000 BC | 6001 – 7000 JE |
Middle JÅmon | 3000 – 2000 BC | 7001 – 8000 JE |
Late JÅmon | 2000 – 1000 BC | 8001 – 9000 JE |
Final JÅmon | 1000 – 300 BC | 9001 – 9700 JE |
Japan Imperial power founded | 660 BC | 9341 JE |
Yayoi period | 251 BC – 250 AD | 9750 –10250 JE |
The JÅmon count has won no official acknowledgement and so far is only used in academia. Note that JE coincides with another proposed calendar reform, the Holocene Era. Years of today are transformed by simply adding 1 before the year in both systems.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
Japanese resources:
- Convert Gregorian calendar years to Japanese nengo
- Another converter but this one also converts vice versa
- http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/intro/qa/13.htm
- http://www2.plala.or.jp/kamkamkam/gimon6/gimon66/297.htm
- http://www.koubunken.co.jp/Pense/2000/02.html
- Comparative timeline of Chinese, Japanese and Korean historical events