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Subject:Translate Japanese inscription
Posted By: Hugo Thu, Nov 19, 2015 IP: 85.246.85.107
Dear friends, can anyone of you transcribe and translate this inscription? Any help is highly appreciated





Subject:Re: Translate Japanese inscription
Posted By: Bill H Sat, Nov 21, 2015
The right-hand column mentions a date of the ninth year of the Kambun era (1669). From that point I believe translation would benefit from being done by someone who actually has a scholarly grounding in the language.

Best regards,

Bill H.

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Subject:Re: Translate Japanese inscription
Posted By: Guy Sun, Nov 22, 2015
I can read a little Japanese (in fact very little), so here is my attempt for a partial translation of the inscription:

寛文九
Kanbun 9 (1669)
長寺奉行所ノノ命依リ祐伍ノ迫リシモノナリ
‘Chôji bugyô sho no mikoto yoruri Yûgo(?) no haku (?) rishimononari’
(The office of the shogunate administrator of religious affairs obeying urgenty to the directives of the Lord (probably a local shogun)….)
禁複製
‘Kinfukusei’
(Reproduction prohibited!)

The plaque in bronze depicts clairly Jesus on the Cross. Christianity was introduced to Japan by Portugese Catholics in 1549 but definitely banned under the Tokugawa shogunate in 1632, after the Shimbata rebellion. The remaining Christians had been forced to publicly renounce their faith but many continued practicing Christianity in secret. These secret believers would often conceal Christian iconography within closed shrines, lanterns or inconspicuous parts of buildings.

We have no further info on the provenance of the bronze plaque or if it is genuine. If genuine, it must have a great importance for Japanese and Catholic scholars.

My idea is that the plaque was seized and confiscated by a local shogunal government in 1669 and immediately inscribed/marked as illegal but for some reason, preserved.

Guy.

URL Title :Christianity in Japan


Subject:Re: Translate Japanese inscription
Posted By: Guy Sun, Nov 22, 2015
I meant 'a local daimyô', not 'shogun' in my previous message.

Guy.

Subject:Re: Translate Japanese inscription
Posted By: Hugo Sat, Nov 28, 2015
Dear Bill,
Dear Guy,

Thank you so much for your help reading the inscription.

Best regards, Hugo

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