Huaya

Kaō
Kaō
Korean name
Hangul	화압
Hanja	花押
Revised Romanization
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization	Hwaap
McCune–Reischauer	Hwaap
Japanese name
Kanji	花押
Romanization
Transcriptions
Romanization	Kaō

A kaō or huāyā is a stylized signature or a mark used in east Asia in place of a true signature.

History

Kaō first appeared in China during the Tang Dynasty, and began to be used in Japan during the Heian period.^[1] Though their use became far less widespread after the Edo period, they continue to be used even by some contemporary politicians and other famous people.^[2] The reading and identification of individual kaō often requires specialist knowledge; whole books devoted to the topic have been published.^[3]

Often used by Japanese swordsmith on sword tang (nakago).

References

^ 望月鶴川 [Kakusen Mochizuki] (June 2005), 花押のせかい [The World of Kaō], 朝陽会 [Chōyōkai], ISBN 978-4-903059-03-7
^ 佐藤進一 [Satō Shin'ichi] (September 2000), 花押を読む [Reading Kaō], 平凡社 [Heibonsha], ISBN 978-4-582-76367-6
^ 上島有 [Tamotsu Kamishima] (December 2004), 中世花押の謎を解く―足利将軍家とその花押 [Cracking the Riddle of Kaō from the Middle Ages: The Ashikaga Shogunate and their Kaō], 山川出版社 [Yamakawa Shuppansha], ISBN 978-4-634-52330-2, JPNO 20717189

[1] 望月鶴川 [Kakusen Mochizuki] (June 2005), 花押のせかい [The World of Kaō], 朝陽会 [Chōyōkai], ISBN 978-4-903059-03-7

[Satou-2] 佐藤進一 [Satō Shin'ichi] (September 2000), 花押を読む [Reading Kaō], 平凡社 [Heibonsha], ISBN 978-4-582-76367-6

[3] 上島有 [Tamotsu Kamishima] (December 2004), 中世花押の謎を解く―足利将軍家とその花押 [Cracking the Riddle of Kaō from the Middle Ages: The Ashikaga Shogunate and their Kaō], 山川出版社 [Yamakawa Shuppansha], ISBN 978-4-634-52330-2, JPNO 20717189

[1]

[2]

[3]

History

See also

References