Question on Hoki no Kami MASAYOSHI...

[runagmc]

They say when the sandai Masayoshi (正良) received the title of Hoki no Kami, he changed his name to Masayuki (正幸) - but 幸 can also be read as yoshi. Does anyone have any idea how we know that 正幸 should be read here as Masayuki, rather than just a different writing of Masayoshi?

[Markus]

You pointed it out, he did not change his "name" but the character(s) for his name.

As (幸) is more often read "yuki" than "yoshi", this is an out-ouf-the-context translation

without knowing the background of the smith.

That means just by seeing the characters (正幸) the reading "Masayuki" is more likely

but in this very case, they read "Masayoshi".

[cabowen]

Many times we can't know just from the mei how it is pronounced when there are multiple readings possible. A case in point is the WWII era Tokyo smith 真国. Most sources have him listed as Sanekuni but the correct reading is Masakuni. I know this because three of his nephews each told me....

[Markus]

Many times we can't know just from the mei how it is pronounced

 

That´s true Chris. I also have to change "Sanekuni" to "Masakuni" in my index BTW as I just relied

on the "Tôshô-zenshû" where he is listed in the chapter "SA".

[runagmc]

You pointed it out, he did not change his "name" but the character(s) for his name.

As (幸) is more often read "yuki" than "yoshi", this is an out-ouf-the-context translation

without knowing the background of the smith.

That means just by seeing the characters (正幸) the reading "Masayuki" is more likely

but in this very case, they read "Masayoshi".

Thanks Markus, that's news to me... from what I've always read about him, they make it seem like he actually changed the name, and not just the kanji... but as Chris says, in most cases we can't know the intended readings anyway, so...

[cabowen]

In Japanese, changing the kanji, even if the pronunciation is the same, is changing the name...