The origin of the Japanese flag

The red circle of the national flag symbolizes the sun. The national flag of Japan is called Hinomaru, which comes from Japanese "Sun Maru" and literally means "Sun Circle". It is uncertain when the symbol of the sun circle was first used on flags and slogans. However, in the12nd century, samurai appeared. In the power struggle between Minamoto and Taira, samurai like to draw the sun circle on the folding fan (called Gunsen in Japanese). 15 and 16 During the Warring States Period in Japan, many military figures fought for spheres of influence, and the symbol of the sun flag was widely used as a military emblem. A folk craft screen painting depicting 1600 battle of Guanyuan depicts an army, and many of its military flags have the basic color of the sun flag. Although red circles on a white background are the most common, there are also gold circles on a dark blue background.

On the ship carrying the shogun, the flag of the sun circle is hung, and Hino Maru is the symbol representing the whole country. Its history can be traced back to Toyotomi Hideyoshi in the late 6th century and Tokugawa Ieyasu in the early 7th century. A picture depicting Edo (present-day Tokyo) in the17th century shows that a sun flag is used as a symbol, indicating that there is a shogun on board. During the "lock-up period" (1639- 1854), foreign trade and other relations with China, North Korea and the Netherlands are prohibited. However, when the Tokugawa shogunate began to trade with other countries (including the United States and Russia) after 1854, Japanese trade ships began to use the sun flag again. 1854, the Tokugawa shogunate accepted the suggestion of a man named Shimadzu Nariakira in Sassu (now Kagoshima Prefecture) and decided to use the "white sun flag" for Japanese ships to avoid being mistaken for foreign ships. 1860, the official ship Guanlin Maru, which sent Japanese officials to the United States, hung the sun flag. After the Tokugawa family lost their political rights, the Meiji government was established in 1868. According to Order No.57 issued by the Grand Council of State (1870 65438+1October 27th), the Sun Flag was officially designated as the Japanese flag used on merchant ships. 1872, the year before the solar calendar officially replaced the lunar calendar, the sun flag was first used on the construction site of government buildings. At that time, many ordinary families and non-governmental organizations also expressed their hope to hang the sun flag on holidays. In the following years, many notices and documents were published publicly, which strengthened the status of the Sun Flag as a symbol of Japan.

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