Taikun
Encyclopedia
Taikun is an archaic Japanese
term of respect derived from Chinese
I Ching
which once referred to an independent ruler who did not have an imperial lineage. Its literal meaning is "Great Lord/Prince" or "Supreme Commander". In the Edo Period
, this word was used as a diplomatic title designating the Shogun
of Japan
in relations with foreign countries. The official name is "Nihon-koku Taikun" (Tycoon of Japan, 日本国大君).
The term was first used by the Tokugawa shogunate
in an attempt to extricate Japan from the Sino-centric
system of relations. As Shogun, he certainly could not call himself Emperor (天皇, Tennō), but he also could not use the term "king" (国王, kokuō). Kokuō was the term used by the kings of states which were tributaries
of China, and which formally submitted politically to the Chinese emperor. As formal language is extremely important in diplomacy, the connotations of most alternative terms were found to be inappropriate, and so taikun was chosen to best represent the shogun in formal diplomatic communications.
A modified version of this word appears in the English language
as "tycoon", referring to a wealthy business manager. The term is notable as a Japanese word in English that does not refer to Japanese culture
. (cf typhoon)
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
term of respect derived from Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
I Ching
I Ching
The I Ching or "Yì Jīng" , also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes and Zhouyi, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts...
which once referred to an independent ruler who did not have an imperial lineage. Its literal meaning is "Great Lord/Prince" or "Supreme Commander". In the Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, this word was used as a diplomatic title designating the Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in relations with foreign countries. The official name is "Nihon-koku Taikun" (Tycoon of Japan, 日本国大君).
The term was first used by the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
in an attempt to extricate Japan from the Sino-centric
Sinocentrism
Sinocentrism is an ethnocentric perspective that regards China to be the center of civilization and superior to all other nations. The related but distinct concept of the superiority of the Han Chinese ethnicity both within and without China is known as Han chauvinism.- Overview and context...
system of relations. As Shogun, he certainly could not call himself Emperor (天皇, Tennō), but he also could not use the term "king" (国王, kokuō). Kokuō was the term used by the kings of states which were tributaries
Tribute
A tribute is wealth, often in kind, that one party gives to another as a sign of respect or, as was often the case in historical contexts, of submission or allegiance. Various ancient states, which could be called suzerains, exacted tribute from areas they had conquered or threatened to conquer...
of China, and which formally submitted politically to the Chinese emperor. As formal language is extremely important in diplomacy, the connotations of most alternative terms were found to be inappropriate, and so taikun was chosen to best represent the shogun in formal diplomatic communications.
A modified version of this word appears in the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
as "tycoon", referring to a wealthy business manager. The term is notable as a Japanese word in English that does not refer to Japanese culture
Culture of Japan
The culture of Japan has evolved greatly over the millennia, from the country's prehistoric Jōmon period to its contemporary hybrid culture, which combines influences from Asia, Europe and North America...
. (cf typhoon)