Changes

Sexegenary cycle

Sexagenary cycle

Japanese:  干支 ''' Kan-shi''' or '''E-to'''

Japanese:  干支 ''' Kan-shi''' or '''E-to'''

From ancient times China had two series of characters used for numbering (not for numbers!). One is the "ten stems" （jik-kan 十干), the other is the "twelve branches" (jûni-shi 十二支).  They were combined to make a cycle of 60, the sexegenary cycle.These series spread over east and south-east Asia and were taken over by the Japanese from very early. They are still known in Japan, though since the [[Meiji period]] (1868-1912) their use has been very limited.   

From ancient times China had two series of characters used for numbering (not for numbers!). One is the "ten stems" （jik-kan 十干), the other is the "twelve branches" (jûni-shi 十二支).  They were combined to make a cycle of 60, the sexagenary cycle. These series spread over east and south-east Asia and were early taken over by the Japanese as part of the Chinese culture<ref>A mirror in Sumida (隅田) Hachiman-gu Shrine in Hashimoto City, Wakayama Prefecture has an inscription that includes the year in cyclic form, 癸未年 (see below). Scholars are mostly divided about whether this refers to 443 A.D. or to 503 A.D., but in any case, one can say that the cycle was used in Japan to indicate years in the fifth century. (Yoshida Yoshirô, ''The Japanese Calendar'', p. 50 (岡田芳朗,日本の暦、木耳社、[Mokujisha],1972).</ref>. They are still known in Japan, though since the [[Meiji period]] (1868-1912) their use has been very limited.   

==TheTwelve Branches (Jûni-shi 十二支)==

==TheTwelve Branches (Jûni-shi 十二支)==

===general===

===general===

The ''shi'' characters, translated variously as "branches," "zodiacal characters," "horary characters," etc. are a series of twelve characters used for various "cyclic" purposes.  They were used for indicating direction, time, and, together with the ''kan'', for indicating years and days.  Often, though, days and years are referred to by the ''shi'' element only, without the ''kan''.  The ''shi'' early on became associated with animals, but the characters for the ''shi'' and the animals are completely distinct.

The ''shi'' characters, translated variously as "branches," "zodiacal characters," "horary characters," etc. are a series of twelve characters used for various "cyclic" purposes.  They were used for indicating direction, [[Telling Time|time]], and, together with the ''kan'', for indicating years and days.  Often, though, days and years are referred to by the ''shi'' element only, without the ''kan''.  The ''shi'' early on became associated with animals, but the characters for the ''shi'' and the animals are completely distinct.

===Table===

===Table===

{|  style="text-align:center" border="1" cellpadding="2"

{|  style="text-align:center" border="1" cellpadding="2"

|+ '''The Twelve Branches 十干'''

|+ '''The Twelve Branches 十二支'''

! No. !! Kanji !! Kun !! On   

! No. !! Kanji !! Kun !! On   

!  colspan="2" | Time  

!  colspan="2" | Time  

| 亥||i||kai||21:00-23:00||22:00||330º||boar

| 亥||i||kai||21:00-23:00||22:00||330º||boar

|-

|-

| colspan="8" style="text-align:left" |Kun are Japanese readings, which are normally used. On are Chinese readings. <br> NE, SE, SW, and NW are 丑寅 (ushi-tora), 辰巳、未申、and 戊亥.

| colspan="8" style="text-align:left" |''Kun'' are [[kanji|Japanese readings]], which are normally used. ''On'' are [[kanji|Chinese-style readings]]. <br> NE, SE, SW, and NW are 丑寅 (ushi-tora), 辰巳、未申、and 戊亥.

|}

|}

==The Ten stems (Jik-kan 十干)==

==The Ten stems (Jik-kan 十干)==

===General===

===General===

The ten ''kan'' characters are the yang (陽) and yin (陰) of the five elements of wood, fire, earch, metal, and water. They were particularly used together with the ''shi'' in the sexedecimal cycle.  ''Kô'' through ''bo'' were also sometimes used to designate the night hours from ''inu'' to ''tora''. However, now in Japan their use is mainly limited to indicating rankings, as for academic grades, or for distinguishing parties in a contract (such as, "''Kô'' agrees to pay to ''otsu'' or an agent that ''otsu'' selects..."). In these uses, the Chinese readings are used. The ''kan'' are thus not as cyclical as the ''shi'' are.

The ten ''kan'' characters are the yang (陽) and yin (陰) of the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. They were particularly used together with the ''shi'' in the sexedecimal cycle.  ''Kô'' through ''bo'' were also sometimes used to designate the night hours from ''inu'' to ''tora''. However, now in Japan their use is mainly limited to indicating rankings, as for academic grades, or for distinguishing parties in a contract (such as, "''Kô'' agrees to pay to ''otsu'' or an agent that ''otsu'' selects..."). In these uses, the Chinese-style readings are used. The ''kan'' are thus not as cyclical as the ''shi'' are.

===Table===

===Table===

Kan tables

Kan tables

{| style="text-align:center" border = "1"

{| style="text-align:center" border = "1"

|+ '''The Ten Branches 十干'''

|+ '''The Ten Stems 十干'''

!No !! Kanji !! Kun !! On !! &nbsp;

!No !! Kanji !! Kun !! On !! &nbsp;

|-

|-

|癸||mizunoto||ki||y. water

|癸||mizunoto||ki||y. water

|-

|-

| colspan="5" |Kun is Japanese reading, On is Chinese reading. <br> e. is “elder brother of”; y. is “younger brother of.”

| colspan="5" |''Kun'' is Japanese reading, ''On'' is Chinese-style reading. <br> e. is “elder brother of”; y. is “younger brother of.”

|}

|}

These pairs are normally read using the Japanese readings, as ''kinoe-ne'' for 甲子.  

These pairs are normally read using the Japanese readings, as ''kinoe-ne'' for 甲子.  

From the numbers of a given K(an) and S(hi) the P(osition) in the cycle can be computed as follows:  if K>=S:  P = (K-S)*10+K;    if S>K:  P = (12+K-S)*10+K.  So ''kanoto-u'' (8,4) is the 28th position, and ''hinoe-tatsu'' (3,5) is in the 53rd. One can also search in the table below.

From the numbers of a given K(an) and S(hi) the P(osition) in the cycle can be computed as follows:  if K>=S:  P = (K-S)*5+K;    if S>K:  P = (12+K-S)*5+K.  So ''kanoto-u'' (8,4) is the 28th position, and ''hinoe-tatsu'' (3,5) is in the 53rd. One can also search in the table below.

The cycle was used to indicate [[calendar|days]], and especially [[year dates]].  For example, 1504 was a ''kinoe-ne'' year.  Dating documents by cyclic years was very common, but dating documents by cyclic days was extremely rare in Japan from what I have seen. However, as the cycle repeats every 60 years (or days), the cyclic indication is not enough to determine a date; one has to have some other information.  To find the year associated with a ''kan-shi'', use the table below and add or subtract a multiple of sixty as needed, or use the method in the [[year dates]] article.

The cycle was used to indicate [[Japanese calendar|days]], and especially [[year dates]].  For example, 1504 was a ''kinoe-ne'' year.  Dating documents by cyclic years was very common, but dating documents by cyclic days was extremely rare in Japan from what I have seen. However, as the cycle repeats every 60 years (or days), the cyclic indication is not enough to determine a date; one has to have some other information.  To find the year associated with a ''kan-shi'', use the table below and add or subtract a multiple of sixty as needed, or use the method in the [[year dates]] article.

 

As mentioned above, when used as a date, the Japanese reading is used for the ''kan-shi''. However when a ''kan-shi'' is used as part of a proper name, the Chinese reading are used.  Thus, the [[Boshin War]] (戊辰戦争) took place in [[1868]], a ''tsuchinoe-tatsu'' 戊辰 year, and all high-school baseball players dream of playing in Kôshi-en Stadium (甲子園), which opened the ''kinoe-ne'' 甲子 year of 1924. The Chinese readings used in such cases are those given in the tables above, except that 甲子 is sometimes read ''kasshi'' as well as ''kôshi'' and 乙 can be read as either ''itsu'' or ''otsu'', by ''onbin''  ''it- is-, ot-'' or ''os-''. So we have the 乙丑丸 ''[[Itchû-maru]]'', "The Ship [[1865]]".

===Table===

===Table===

==References==

==References==

*[[Kojien Dictionary|''Kôjien Dictionary'']]

*[[Japanese calendar]]

*[[Telling Time]]

[[Category:Resource Articles]]

[[Category:Resource Articles]]