* 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."
_Hoshi-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.