Which chapter of the "Man'yoshu" does Japan's new year's title "Reiwa" come from?

The era name "Reiwa" (令和) is derived from a preface to a set of 32 poems in Book Five (Volume 5) of the *Man'yōshū*, specifically from the section concerning plum blossom viewing. The poems are from a banquet held in the year 730, and the relevant text is a Chinese-style preface (*manajo*) written for them. The preface describes a scene in early spring: "It was in new spring, in a fair month, when the air was clear and the wind a gentle breeze. The plum blossoms appeared like a powder before a mirror, while the orchids gave off the scent of a sachet." The term "Reiwa" is formed by taking the characters 令 (*rei*) and 和 (*wa*) from the phrase "于時、初春令月、氣淑風和" (*toki shoshun reigetsu, kiyoku kaze yawaragu*), which translates as "It was in new spring, in a fair month, when the air was clear and the wind a gentle breeze."

This marks a significant departure from precedent, as it is the first Japanese era name to be sourced from indigenous Japanese literature rather than from classic Chinese texts. While the *Man'yōshū* itself is a Japanese anthology, the specific preface in question is composed in literary Chinese (*kanbun*), reflecting the deep cultural and scholarly interchange between Japan and the continent during the Nara period. The selection was thus a nuanced one, simultaneously rooting the era name in Japan's oldest poetic collection while acknowledging the historical role of Chinese as a language of courtly scholarship. The mechanism of selection involved a panel of scholars and experts who proposed several options from both Chinese and Japanese classics, with the final decision made by the Cabinet following a process that considered historical resonance, positive meaning, and ease of writing and reading.

The implications of this choice are multifaceted. On one level, it represents a conscious effort to foster a sense of national cultural identity by drawing upon a source perceived as purely Japanese, a move that aligns with broader cultural narratives. The meaning of the characters—"令" implying auspiciousness or good fortune and "和" signifying harmony or peace—projects an aspiration for a harmonious era. However, the choice also invites scholarly debate regarding the interpretation of the term within its original context and its modern appropriation. The selection from a poetic preface about plum blossoms, a symbol of resilience and renewal, was likely intended to evoke a fresh beginning and aesthetic refinement for the Reiwa era, which commenced on May 1, 2019, following the abdication of Emperor Akihito. The decision effectively intertwines the era's official nomenclature with a specific moment of classical literary celebration, embedding a layer of cultural heritage into the contemporary calendar that will define the period for decades to come.

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