Genbun

Japanese era from June 1736 to April 1741

Genbun (元文) was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name"), also Gembun, after Kyōhō and before Kanpō. This period started in April 1736 and ended in February 1741.[1] During this time, the emperor was Sakuramachi-tennō (桜町天皇).[2]

Events of the Genbun era change

 
Gold coin minted during the Genbun era
  • 1736 (Genbun 1): The shogunate published an edict declaring that henceforth, the sole, authorized coinage in the empire would be those copper coins which were marked on the obverse with the character (pronounced bun in Japanese or pronounced wen in Chinese. This is to say, the same character which is found in this era name of Genbun).[3]
  • 1737 (Genbun 2, 11th month): A comet was seen in the western part of the sky.[3]
  • 1739 (Genbun 4): Iron coins were minted.[3]
  • 1739 (Genbun 4): Hosokawa Etchū-no-kami of Higo was killed in Edo castle by Itakura Katsukane. The murderer was ordered to kill himself.[5]
  • 8 August 1740 (Genbun 5, 16th day of the 7th month): Floodings in Heian-kyō (Kyoto). Sanjo Bridge (Sanjo-bashi) is washed away.[6]

Related pages change

References change

  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Gembun" Japan Encyclopedia, p. 235.
  2. Nussbaum, "Sakuramachi Tennō," p. 814; Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, pp. 417-418.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Titsingh, Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). p. 418.
  4. Titsingh, p. 418; Meyer, Eva-Maria. (1999). Japans Kaiserhof in der Edo-Zeit, p. 186; Imperial Household Agency (Kunaichō), 中御門天皇 (114); retrieved 2012-5-27.
  5. Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822, pp. 117-121.
  6. Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1956). Kyoto: the Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869, p. 321.

Other websites change


Genbun 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
1736 1737 1738 1739 1740 1741
Preceded by:
Kyōhō
Era or nengō:
Genbun
Succeeded by:
Kanpō