The Xuanming calendar (宣明历), also known as ''Senmyō-reki'' or ''Senmei-reki'' in its Japanese version, was a Chinese

lunisolar calendar A lunisolar calendar is a calendar in many cultures, combining lunar calendars and solar calendars. The date of Lunisolar calendars therefore indicates both the Moon phase and the time of the solar year, that is the position of the Sun in the ...

. It was used in China during the 9th century as well as in the Koryo kingdom in Korea; in Japan it remained in use from the late-9th century to the late-17th century. In China, the Xuanming calendar was the penultimate calendar to be used in the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdo ...

. In 893, it was replaced by the Chongxuan calendar (崇玄曆), which was used to the end of the Tang dynasty and beyond.

History

China

The Xuanming calendar was one of several calendars developed during the

. It was implemented in

822 __NOTOC__ Year 822 ( DCCCXXII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Byzantine Empire * Byzantine general and usurper Thomas the Slav continues his revolt ...

and was used until

892 Year 892 ( DCCCXCII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * Summer – Poppo II, duke of Thuringia (Central Germany), is deposed by King Arnu ...

, a period of 71 years. In 893, it was replaced by the Chongxuan calendar (崇玄曆), which was used to the end of the Tang dynasty and into the subsequent

Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms The Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (), from 907 to 979, was an era of political upheaval and division in 10th-century Imperial China. Five dynastic states quickly succeeded one another in the Central Plain, and more than a dozen concu ...

period.

Japan

The calendar was imported into Japan in

859 __FORCETOC__ Year 859 ( DCCCLIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. Events By place Europe * January 15 – Battle of St. Quentin: Frankish forces, led by Humfrid, d ...

. The earliest record of this calendar being used in Japan is in the 8th month of the 3rd year of ''

Jōgan was a after ''Ten'an'' and before '' Gangyō.'' This period spanned the years from April 859 through April 878. The two reigning emperors were and . Change of era * February 7, 859 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of ...

'' (861) during the reign of the

Emperor Seiwa was the 56th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 清和天皇 (56)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876.He was also the predecessor of Takeda ryu. T ...

.Japan, Monbushō. (1876)
''An outline history of Japanese education: prepared for the Philadelphia International Exhibition, 1876'', p. 160
It would continue to be used until 1685, after which it would be superseded by the

Jōkyō calendar The was a Japanese lunisolar calendar, in use from 1684 to 1753.Nussbaum"''Jōkyō-reki''"at p. 431"''Teikyō-reki''"at p. 431 It was officially adopted in 1685.Orchiston, Wayne ''et al.'' (2011)''Highlighting the History of Astronomy in the Asi ...

, the first calendar developed specifically for Japan; by that point the calendar was in error by about two days.

References

External links

National Diet Library The is the national library of Japan and among the largest libraries in the world. It was established in 1948 for the purpose of assisting members of the in researching matters of public policy. The library is similar in purpose and scope t ...

"The Japanese Calendar"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Semmyo calendar Specific calendars History of science and technology in Japan Time in Japan

History

China

Japan

See also

References

Further reading

External links