Shadowings Part 15

* In the table above, there were lines connecting the *

* five elements of nature with the lines of j.a.panese *

* syllabary: *

* The Wood element was a.s.sociated with the *

* ka/ga lines, *

* the Fire element was a.s.sociated with the *

* ta/da, na, and ra lines, *

* the Earth element was a.s.sociated with the *

* a, ka/ga, ya, and wa lines, *

* the Metal element was a.s.sociated with the *

* sa/za lines, and *

* the Water element was a.s.sociated with the *

* ha/ba/pa, and ma lines. *

III

FOR examples of contemporary aristocratic names I consulted the reports of the _Kwazoku-Jogakko_ (Peeresses' School), published between the nineteenth and twenty-seventh years of Meiji (1886-1895). The Kwazoku-Jogakko admits other students besides daughters of the n.o.bility; but for present purposes the names of the latter only--to the number of one hundred and forty-seven--have been selected.

It will be observed that names of three or more syllables are rare among these, and also that the modern aristocratic _yobina_ of two syllables, as p.r.o.nounced and explained, differ little from ordinary _yobina_. But as written in Chinese they differ greatly from other female names, being in most cases represented by characters of a complex and unfamiliar kind. The use of these more elaborate characters chiefly accounts for the relatively large number of h.o.m.onyms to be found in the following list:--

PERSONAL NAMES OF LADY STUDENTS OF THE KWAZOKU JOGAKKo

_Aki-ko_ "Autumn."

_Aki-ko_ "The Clear-Minded."

_Aki-ko_ "Dawn."

_Asa-ko_ "Fair Morning."

_Aya-ko_ "Silk Damask."

_Chiharu-ko_ "A Thousand Springs."

_Chika-ko_ "Near,"--close.

_Chitsuru-ko_ "A Thousand Storks."

_Chiyo-ko_ "A Thousand Generations."

_Ei-ko_ "Bell-Chime."

_Etsu-ko_ "Delight."

_Fuji-ko_ "Wistaria."

_f.u.ku-ko_ "Good-Fortune."

_Fumi-ko_ "A Woman's Letter."

_Fuyo-ko_ "Lotos-flower."

_Fuyu-ko_ "Winter."

_Hana-ko_ "Flower."

_Hana-ko_ "Fair-Blooming."

_Haru-ko_ "The Tranquil."

_Haru-ko_ "Spring,"--the season of flowers.

_Haru-ko_ "The Far-Removed,"--in the sense, perhaps, of superlative.

_Hatsu-ko_ "The First-born."

_Hide-ko_ "Excelling."

_Hide-ko_ "Surpa.s.sing."

_Hiro-ko_ "Magnanimous,"--literally, "broad,"

"large,"--in the sense of beneficence.

_Hiro-ko_ "Wide-Spreading,"--with reference to family prosperity.

_Hisa-ko_ "Long-lasting."

_Hisa-ko_ "Continuing."

_Hos.h.i.+-ko_ "Star."

_Iku-ko_ "The Quick,"--in the sense of living.

_Ima-ko_ "Now."

_Iho-ko_ "Five Hundred,"--probably a name of felicitation.

_Ito-ko_ "Sewing-Thread."

_Kame-ko_ "Tortoise."

_Kane-ko_ "Going around" (?).[87]

[87] It is possible that this name was made simply by taking one character of the father's name. The girl's name otherwise conveys no intelligible meaning.

_Kane-ko_ "Bell,"--the character indicates a large suspended bell.

_Kata-ko_ "Condition"?

_Kazu-ko_ "First."

_Kazu-ko_ "Number,"--a great number.

_Kazu-ko_ "The Obedient."

_Kiyo-ko_ "The Pure."

_Ko_[88] "Filial Piety."

[88] The suffix "_ko_" is sometimes dropped for reasons of euphony, and sometimes for reasons of good taste--difficult to explain to readers unfamiliar with the j.a.panese language--even when the name consists of only one syllable or of two syllables.

_Ko-ko_ "Stork."

_Koto_ "Harp."

_Kuni-ko_ "Province."

_Kuni_ "Country,"--in the largest sense.

_Kyo-ko_ "Capital,"--metropolis.

_Machi_ "Ten-Thousand Thousand."

_Makoto_ "True-Heart."

_Masa-ko_ "The Trustworthy,"--sure.

_Masa-ko_ "The Upright."

_Masu-ko_ "Increase."

_Mata-ko_ "Completely,"--wholly.

_Matsu-ko_ "Pine-tree."

_Michi-ko_ "Three Thousand."

_Mine_ "Peak."

_Mine-ko_ "Mountain-Range."

_Mitsu-ko_ "Light,"--radiance.

_Miyo-ko_ "Beautiful Generations."

_Moto-ko_ "Origin,"--source.

_Naga-ko_ "Long,"--probably in reference to time.