| 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. | | 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 乙 can be read as either ''itsu'' or ''otsu'', by ''onbin'' sometimes ''it- is-, ot-'' or ''os-''. So we have the 乙丑丸 ''Itchû-maru'', "The Ship [[1865]]". | + | 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]]". |