- Genbun
. [Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). "Annales des empereurs du japon," pp. 417-418.]
Change of era
*;
1736 : To mark the enthronement of Sakuramachi, the era was changed to "Gembun" (meaning "Original civility"). The previous era ended and the new one commenced in "Kyōhō" 21, on the 21st day of the 4th month.Events of the "Genbun" era
* "Genbun 1"
1736 : The shogunate published an edict declaring that henceforth, the sole, authorized coinage in the empire would be those copper coins which were marked n the obverse with the character 文 (pronounced "bun" in Japanese or pronounced "wen" in Chinese -- which is to say, the same character which is found in this era name of "Genbun."Titsingh, p. 418.]
* "Genbun 2", in the 11th month (1737 ): A comet is noticed in the western part of the sky. [see above] ]
* "Genbun 3" (1738 ): Esoteric Shinto rituals nihongo|Daijō-ye|大嘗會,|ダイジヤウヱ,|"Daijō-sai"| were performed by the emperor. [see above] ]
* "Genbun 4" (1739 ): Some foundrymen in Edo are commanded to create iron coins for use across the empire. [see above] ]
* "Genbun 4" (1739 ): Hosokawa Etchū-no-kami of Higo was killed in Edo castle by Itakura Katsukane, and the killer was ordered to commit suicide as just punishment; however, Shogun Yoshimune personally intervened to mitigate the adverse consequences for the killer's "fudai" family. [Screech, Timon. (2006). "Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822," pp. 117-121,]
* "Genbun 5", on the 16th day of the 7th month (August 8 ,1740 ): Great floods in Heian-kyō.Sanjo Bridge is washed away.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1956). "Kyoto: the Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869," p. 321.]
* "Genbun 5", on the 24th day of the 11th month (January 11 ,1741 ): The esoteric "Niiname-matsuri" ceremonies were performed. This specific ceremony had otherwise been held in abeyance for the previous 280 years. [see above] ]
* "Genbun 5", on the 25th day of the 11th month (January 12 ,1741 : The esoteric "Toyonoakari-no-sechiye" ceremonies were performed. [see above] ]References
* Ponsonby-Fane, Richard A.B. (1956). "Kyoto: the Old Capital, 794-1869." Kyoto: Ponsonby-Fane Memorial.
* 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. [http://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&dq=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran ... Click link for digitized, full-text copy of this book (in French)]External links
* National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" [http://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/e/ -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection]
Genbun 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th Gregorian 1736 1737 1738 1739 1740 1741
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