Meireki

Meireki (Japanese: 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.

Change of Era

• Meireki gannen (明暦元年) or Meireki 1 (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.

Source of Name

• 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)
• And from the Book of the Later Han: "The Yellow Emperor began the passing of time, so the 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)

Events of the Meireki Era

• Meireki gannen or Meireki 1 (1655): The new ambassador of Korea, arrived in Japan.
• Meireki 3, on the 18th-19th days of the 1st month (1657): The city of Edo was devastated by a violent fire.
• Manji 5 (1659): In Edo, construction begins on the Ryogoku Bridge (ryogokubashi).

References

Further reading

• Screech, Timon. (2006). Secret Memoirs of the Shoguns: Isaac Titsingh and Japan, 1779-1822. London: RoutledgeCurzon. ISBN 0-700-71720-X
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1822). Illustrations of Japan; consisting of Private Memoirs and Anecdotes of the reigning dynasty of The Djogouns, or Sovereigns of Japan; a description of the Feasts and Ceremonies observed throughout the year at their Court; and of the Ceremonies customary at Marriages and Funerals: to which are subjoined, observations on the legal suicide of the Japanese, remarks on their poetry, an explanation of their mode of reckoning time, particulars respecting the Dosia powder, the preface of a work by Confoutzee on filial piety, &c. &c. by M. Titsingh formerly Chief Agent to the Dutch East India Company at Nangasaki. Translated from the French, by Frederic Shoberl with coloured plates, faithfully copied from Japanese original designs. London: Ackerman.
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Supplément aux annales des daïri, appended to [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo, 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.--Two digitized examples of this rare book have now been made available online: (1) from the library of the University of Michigan, digitized January 30, 2007; and (2) from the library of Stanford University, digitized June 23, 2006. Click here to read the original text in French.

Meireki	1st	2nd	3rd	4th
Gregorian	1655	1656	1657	1658

Preceded by: Jōō

Era or nengō: Meireki

Succeeded by: Manji