Bunkyū

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Bunkyū (文久?) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō,?, lit. "year name") after Man'en and before Genji. This period spanned the years from 1861 through 1864. The reigning emperor was Kōmei-tennō (孝明天皇?).

Contents

[edit] Change of era

  • Bunkyū gannen (文久元年?); February 19, 1861: The new era name of Bunkyū (meaning "Literate Story") was created because of a belief drawn from Chinese Astrology that the 58th year of any zodiacal cycle brings great changes.[1] The previous era ended and a new one commenced in Man'en 2.

[edit] Events of the Bunkyū era

  • Bunkyū 1 (January 1862): The Bonin Islands (Ogasawara Islands) are re-confirmed as a territory of Japan, following up "discovery" of the islands in Kanbun 10 (1670) and a shogunate expedition to the islands in Enpō 3 (1675).[2]
  • Bunkyū 2 (1862): The Bunkyū Reforms relax restrictions on daimyo which had been imposed by former Tairo Ii Naosuke in the Ansei era.[3]
  • Bunkyū 2, on the 21st day of the 8th month (September 14, 1862): Namamugi Incident. Satsuma retainers kill English merchant Charles Lennox Richardson at Namamugi on the Tōkaidō road.
  • Bunkyū 3, on the 5th day of the 3rd month (April 22, 1863): Shogun Iemochi travelled in a great procession to the capital. He had been summoned by the emperor, and had 3,000 retainers as escort. This was the first time that a shogun had visited Heian-kyō since the visit of Iemitsu in Kan'ei 11 (1634) -- 230 years before.[4]
  • Bunkyū 3, on the 11th day of the 3rd month (April 29, 1863): Emperor Komei made an Imperial progress to the Kamo Shrines. He was accompanied by the shogun, all the principal officials and many feudal lords. This was the first Imperial progress since Emperor Go-Mizunoo visited Nijo Castle more than 230 years before; and no Emperor had visited Kamo since Emperor Go-Daigo honored both shrines in Kemmu 1 (1334).[4]
  • Bunkyū 3, on the 12th day of the 3rd month (April 30, 1863): In the early morning, Aizu accepts under its patronage the men of the Rōshigumi, who went on to form Shinsengumi.[5]
  • Bunkyū 3, on the 15th day of the 3rd month (May 2, 1863): The Rōshigumi men who were taken under Aizu patronage go to Konkaikōmyōji Temple to make their first formal, public appearance, and pay their respects to their new patron, Matsudaira Katamori. As Katamori is unavailable, they are instead met by two of his senior retainers.[6]
  • Bunkyū 3, on the 2nd-4th of the 7th month (August 15-17, 1863): Bombardment of Kagoshima in retaliation for the Namamugi Incident.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Satow, Ernest 'et al. (1905). Japan 1853-1864, Or, Genji Yume Monogatari, p. 38.
  2. ^ Komazawa University -- link to monogrpah by Tanaka Hiroyuki (in English)
  3. ^ Jansen, Marius.(2000). The Making of Modern Japan, p. 296.
  4. ^ a b Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1956). Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869. p. 325.
  5. ^ ShinsengumiHQ.com (SHQ) -HISTORY-FICTION-MAKOTO - Kondou Isami
  6. ^ ShinsengumiHQ.com (SHQ) -HISTORY-FICTION-MAKOTO - Kondou Isami

[edit] External links


Bunkyū 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Gregorian 1861 1862 1863 1864
Preceded by
Man'en		 Era or nengō
Bunkyū
1861 – 1864		 Succeeded by
Genji


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