Changes

Four major ways have been used to identify years in Japan.  One is by reign years,  a system used in early history; another is counting from the beginning of a year period, or era, (the ''nengô'' 年号system), which is still the official dating system; the third, now used only marginally in Japan, follows the Chinese 60-year cycle (''kanshi'' 干支 system); and the fourth is the Western, or Christian, calendar. <ref>There is also the very marginal Kôki 皇紀 system.  Japan established this method of counting years in 1872. In it, Year 1 was the first year of the reign of [[Emperor Jimmu]], calculated from the [[Nihon Shoki]] to be 660 B.C.  This system was mentioned in the 1898 law establishing leap years; year dates are often given in it (along with the western year) in the front of almanacs, and it was used in naming the 2600 (=1940 A.D.) Zero airplane. I also saw it on a shrine memorial stella commemorating the 26th centenary of 2601 (=1941 A.D.). However, I have never seen it used simply for a date, though there may be some people or groups who use it ideosyncratically.</ref>

Four major ways have been used to identify years in Japan: counting from the beginning of a year period, or era, (the ''nengô'' 年号system), which is still the official dating system; reign years, a system used by historians for dates in early history; the Chinese 60-year cycle (''kanshi'' 干支 system), now used only marginally in Japan; and the Western, or Christian, calendar. <ref>There is also the very marginal Kôki 皇紀 system.  Japan established this method of counting years in 1872. In it, Year 1 was the first year of the reign of [[Emperor Jimmu]], calculated from the [[Nihon Shoki]] to be 660 B.C.  This system was mentioned in the 1898 law establishing leap years; year dates are often given in it (along with the western year) in the front of almanacs, and it was used in naming the 2600 (=1940 A.D.) Zero airplane. I also saw it on a shrine memorial stella commemorating the 26th centenary of 2601 (=1941 A.D.). However, its use has always been extremely limited.</ref>

 

 

 

==Reign Years==

==Reign Years==

The earliest year dates used in China were the reign year of the ruler. These appear on some of the 13th-century BC bone oracles and early bronze vessels. However, in the 2nd-century BC these were replaced by era names (nengô, see below), and the [[sexagenary cycle]] cycle also started to be used for years around this time. Therefore, reign years were never used for records in Japan, though the system was known from Chinese histories like the classic ''[[Spring and Autumn Annals]]'' (covering 722 to 481 BC).

The earliest year dates used in China were the reign year of the ruler. These appear on some of the 13th-century BCE [[oracle bones]] and early bronze vessels. However, in the 2nd-century BC these were replaced by era names (''nengô'', see below), and the [[sexagenary cycle]] cycle also started to be used for years around this time. Therefore, reign years were never used for records in Japan, though the system was known from Chinese histories like the classic ''[[Spring and Autumn Annals]]'' (covering 722 to 481 BCE).

However, the editors of the [[Nihon Shoki]] for their year dates calculated the reign years of the Japanese emperors, except for the few years for which nengô existed. Thus we have dates like "in the 5th year and the 11th month of the reign of the Emperor [[Emperor Sushun|Hatsuse-be]]." <ref> ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'',1:43. </ref>. The standard historians' dates follow the Shoki, using the later standard names for the emperors, so the above date is known as "Sushun 5."  

However, the editors of the [[Nihon Shoki]] for their year dates calculated the reign years of the Japanese emperors, except for the few years for which nengô existed. Thus we have dates like "in the 5th year and the 11th month of the reign of the Emperor [[Emperor Sushun|Hatsuse-be]]." <ref> ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'',1:43. </ref>. The standard historians' dates follow the Shoki, using the later standard names for the emperors, so the above date is known as "Sushun 5."  

==Cyclic, or ''Kanshi'' 干支, system==

==Cyclic, or ''Kanshi'' 干支, system==

Japan early took over  the [[Sexegenary cycle]] (''kanshi'' 干支) system from China.  Japan and China use completely different ''nengô'', but 1504 was the year of 甲子 throughout east Asia. In this system, two series of characters, the ten stems (''kan'' 干) and the twelve branches (''shi'' 支 ) are used cyclically. They can be combined into a series of sixty elements (see the article on the cycle), which may be used to indicate years.  甲子, the first element of the series, can indicate the years 904, 964, 1024, 1084, 1144, 1204, and all other years separated from these by a multiple of 60. 乙巳, the 42nd element in the series, can be 886, 946, 1006, 1066, 1126, 1186, 1246, etc.  It is also common to indicate a year using only the branch, or ''shi'', part of the cycle.  Thus 巳 occurs every twelve years, as 886, 898, 910, etc. As the branches have gotten animal names attached to them, the years expressed by branches are often translated using animal names. A 巳 year is a "Year of the Snake," for example. Note, however, that since the cyclic terms repeat, one needs some more information than just the cyclic name to completely identify the year.

Japan early took over  the [[Sexegenary cycle]] (''kanshi'' 干支) system from China.  Japan and China use completely different ''nengô'', but 1504 was the year of 甲子 throughout east Asia.  

 

 

In this system, two series of characters, the ten stems (''kan'' 干) and the twelve branches (''shi'' 支 ) are used cyclically. They can be combined into a series of sixty elements (see the article on the cycle), which may be used to indicate years.  甲子, the first element of the series, can indicate the years 904, 964, 1024, 1084, 1144, 1204, and all other years separated from these by a multiple of 60. 乙巳, the 42nd element in the series, can be 886, 946, 1006, 1066, 1126, 1186, 1246, etc.  It is also common to indicate a year using only the branch, or ''shi'', part of the cycle.  Thus 巳 occurs every twelve years, as 886, 898, 910, etc. As the branches have gotten animal names attached to them, the years expressed by branches are often translated using animal names. A 巳 year is a "Year of the Snake," for example. Note, however, that since the cyclic terms repeat, one needs some more information than just the cyclic name to completely identify the year.

The cycles do have the advantage over the era system of being predictable.  There is an Ôei 25 (1418) contract selling "the ten harvests of the ten years from the ''inu'' year to the following ''hitsuji'' year." While at the time the contract was written there was no way of knowing whether or not there would be a Ôei 34, there was bound to be a ''hitsuji'' year.  

The cycles do have the advantage over the era system of being predictable.  There is an Ôei 25 (1418) contract selling "the ten harvests of the ten years from the ''inu'' year to the following ''hitsuji'' year." While at the time the contract was written there was no way of knowing whether or not there would be a Ôei 34, there was bound to be a ''hitsuji'' year.  

Most modern books will translate a date expressed in the cycles into either nengô years or Western years or both, but here is how to determine a date if necessary.

Most modern books will translate a date expressed in the cycles into either nengô years or Western years or both, but here is how to determine a date if necessary.

First you have to make a guess (G) or estimate as to the year. This is necessary because the cycles repeat every 60 years.  You can look up the kanshi in the table at the end of the article on the  [[Sexegenary cycle]]  and add or subtract multiples of 60 of the "sample year" till you get near your year. Another way is this: Divide your guess (G) by 60 and throw away the remainder to get the quotient (Q). Calculate the position (P) of the ''kan-shi'' pair in the 60 cycle  or get it from the table chart.  The year is P+3+(60*Q). However, you may have to add or subtract 60 years (one cycle).  For example, assume we have a letter dated  甲寅 written by someone who died in 1580.  Let's take the guess G as 1570.  1570/60=26, so Q = 26. 甲寅 is 50th on the chart, so P=50.  So  50+3+(60*26)= 1613, so 1613 was a 甲寅  year.  But as the writer was already dead then, we subtract 60 to get 1653.

First you have to make a guess (G) or estimate as to the year. This is necessary because the cycles repeat every 60 years.  You can look up the kanshi in the table at the end of the article on the  [[Sexegenary cycle]]  and add or subtract multiples of 60 of the "sample year" till you get near your year. Another way is this: Divide your guess (G) by 60 and throw away the remainder to get the quotient (Q). Calculate the position (P) of the ''kan-shi'' pair in the 60 cycle  or get it from the table chart.  The year is P+3+(60*Q). However, you may have to add or subtract 60 years (one cycle).  For example, assume we have a letter dated  甲寅 written by someone who died in 1580.  Let's take the guess G as 1570.  1570/60=26, so Q = 26. 甲寅 is 51st on the chart, so P=51.  So  51+3+(60*26)= 1614, so 1614 was a 甲寅  year.  But as the writer was already dead then, we subtract 60 to get 1654.

 

If a letter is dated using just the branch, use 12 instead of 60.  Thus a letter from around 1610, dated 巳ノ三月十七日 , was written in 6+3+(12*134)= 1617, or maybe 1605.  

==Combined and Non-combined Era and Cyclic Years==

==Combined and Non-combined Era and Cyclic Years==

* Ryusaku Tsunoda, et. al., comp., ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'', Columbia University Press, 1958

* Ryusaku Tsunoda, et. al., comp., ''Sources of Japanese Tradition'', Columbia University Press, 1958

* Aston, W. G., trans., ''Nihongi : chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697'', London : Allen and Unwin. (Translation of the [[Nihon Shoki]])

* Aston, W. G., trans., ''Nihongi : chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697'', London : Allen and Unwin. (Translation of the [[Nihon Shoki]])

[[Category:Resource Articles]][[Category:Timeline]]

[[Category:Resource Articles]][[Category:Timeline]]