Page 381 - Japanese marks and seals on pottery, paper and other objects.

THE ZODIACAL CYCLE AND YEAR PERIODS. 343

reign the present period, which commenced in 1868, is
;
named Meiji, which signifies a brilliant reign, an appropriate
description of that of Emperor Mutsuhito.
Both the Zodiacal system and the Year Periods are in
constant use in Japan, and the list of Marks in this Volume
affords numerous instances of their use upon works of art.
A complete series of the former is given in the following
Tables, but it has not been thought necessary to carry the
Year Periods to an earlier date than the close of the
fourteenth century, as those before that period are of ^no
practical use in connection with this Work. The characters
are Chinese, written in the KaisJio style.

THE JIKKWAN.

JAPANESE CHINESE JAPANESE CHINESE
CHARACTER. CHARACTER.
NAME. NAME. NAME. NAME.

Kinoye Ko Tsuchinoto Ki

Kinoto Otsu Kanoye Ko

Hinoye Hei Kanoto Shin

Hinoto Tei Mizunoye Jin

Tsnchinoye Bo Mizunoto Ki