Meireki
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Meireki (明暦?) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō,?, lit. "year name") after Jōō and before Manji. This period spanned the years from 1655 to 1658. The reigning emperor was Go-Sai-tennō (後西院天皇?).[1]
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[edit] Change of era
- Meireki gannen (明暦元年?), 1655: The era name was changed to mark the enthronement of Emperor Go-Sai. The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Jōō 4, on the 13th day of the 4th month.
The source of the new era name was:
- From the Book of the Han: "With the Nine Chapters of the Great Law, the five eras will be known" (大法九章、而五紀明歴法)
- From the Book of the Later Han: "The Yellow Emperor began the passing of time, so that is why the character 歴 [passing of time] and 暦 [rhythmic cycle] are used together" (黄帝造歴、歴与暦同作)
[edit] Events of the Meireki era
- Meireki 1 (1655): The new ambassador of Korea, arrived in Japan.[1]
- Meireki 1 (1655): The ex-Emperor went for the first time to Shugakuin Rikyū.[2]
- Meireki 3, on the 18th-19th days of the 1st month (1657): The city of Edo was devastated by a violent fire.[1]
[edit] References
- Ponsonby-Fane, Richard A.B. (1956). Kyoto: the Old Capital, 794-1869. Kyoto: Ponsonby-Fane Memorial Society.
- Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 0-700-71720-X
- Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo/Hayashi Gahō, 1652], Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon, tr. par M. Isaac Titsingh avec l'aide de plusieurs interprètes attachés au comptoir hollandais de Nangasaki; ouvrage re., complété et cor. sur l'original japonais-chinois, accompagné de notes et précédé d'un Aperçu d'histoire mythologique du Japon, par M. J. Klaproth. Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland.... Click link for digitized, full-text copy of this book (in French)
[edit] External links
- National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection
- National Archives of Japan ...Click link for map of Edo before disastrous fire in 3rd year of Meiwa (1657)
- National Archives of Japan...Click link for photograph of Ryogoku bridge (1875), first built over Sumida River after Meireki fire
Meireki | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
Gregorian | 1655 | 1656 | 1657 | 1658 |
Preceded by: |
Era or nengō: |
Succeeded by: |