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 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.   

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, 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 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===

|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.”

|}

|}

==References==

==References==

<references/>

<references/>

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

*[[Japanese calendar]]

*[[Telling Time]]

[[Category:Resource Articles]]

[[Category:Resource Articles]]