144 Shadowings 



explanation would occupy at least fifty pages. 

 But, stated in the briefest possible way, the rule 

 is that the first or " head-character " of a personal 

 name should be made to " accord " (in the Chi 

 nese philosophic sense) with the supposed Sei, or 

 astrologically-determined nature, of the person to 

 whom the name is given; the required accord 

 ance being decided, not by the meaning, but by 

 the sound of the Chinese written character. 

 Some vague idea of the difficulties of the sub 

 ject may be obtained from the accompanying 

 table. (Page 143.) 



Ill 



FOR examples of contemporary aristocratic 

 names I consulted the reports of the Kwa^ohu- 

 Jogahko (Peeresses' School), published between 

 the nineteenth and twenty -seventh years of Meiji 

 (1886-1895). The Kwazoku-Jogakko admits 

 other students besides daughters of the nobility ; 

 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 



