Hey everyone, new member here! I have something interesting to contribute -
I think I figured out what this is!
First, this is Japanese, not Chinese - you can tell by the hiragana (especially the "no" (の) character) in the text. Second, the Google Translate Android app IS able to make translations of text from pictures! It took a bit of work, but I was able to get a workable translation from yours.
First:
Reverse
"Young Qi"
is a cherry tree that had been old since the Nara district, petals are pink and pink are deep red. It is regarded as a noble species among the double cherry trees as the name suggests.
Second:
Obverse
"Sakura Otome Bunko Figure"
Edo's Ukiyo-e painter Suzuki Harunobu's painting "Koto Hiku Daughter" arranged a cherry tree twig, I tried to express a peaceful spring scene.
So it's a medal commemorating some sort of cherry tree from Nara and this ukiyo-e print of a girl playing the koto by the artist Suzuki Harunobu.
So that's the obverse, what about the reverse?
I googled "double cherry tree" and found this article about a type of Japanese cherry tree with two layers of petals, with an interesting aside:
Where to see: Japan Mint – Osaka Head Office. This organization is an Incorporated Administrative Agency where coins, medals, metallic art objects and others are produced. You can visit the factory and see the facilities and how the objects are produced. This sounds a bit strange as a place to display Yae-zakura but the special thing about this place is not the metallic objects they produce but the fact that it has so many Yae-Zakura trees inside the place.
Apparently, during hanami season, the Osaka Mint allows visitors to come see the flowering cherry trees on the campus. There's a page on the website listing visitor statistics and "The Blossom of the Year". I think this means this is a Japan Mint medal commemorating a specific "Blossom of the Year". But which year is it?
I googled the kanji for the title of the obverse (楊貴妃) and figured out they read "Yokihi", which refers to this cherry blossom cultivar:
‘Yokihi’. A Sato-zakura (Japanese village cherry) known from before 1700 from Nara, Japan. This compact, umbrella-shaped tree is rare in Vancouver, but when in bloom, entirely beguiling (like its namesake, a woman of famed beauty from the Chinese Imperial Court). The flowers are fully double and similar to ‘Ito-kukuri’ in their tightly clustered habit and subtle pink-and-ivory colouring, but the individual flowers are smaller, about 4 cm diameter, with the heart of each blossom more open and often reddening before falling.
Going back to the Japan Mint website, the Yokihi cultivar was the Blossom of the Year in 2000. I think, then, this is an official Japan Mint medal from 2000, commemorating the Yokihi cherry blossom cultivar. There might be something on the packaging to confirm this, but for now that's my guess.
Thanks for sending me down this rabbit hole! It's amazing what you can find on the Internet these days.
This medal is in Japaneses. However the flower's name 楊貴妃 (ようきひin Japanese or Yang Guifei in English) is in traditional Chinese writing just like everyone's name regardless if they are Chinese, Japanese, Korean etc.
楊貴妃 /Yang Guifei was one of the four legendary beauties in Chinese history. However the direct translation to English would be Senior concubine Yang which also meant only one rank lower than the queen. Her true name was 楊玉環. You can read more about her with the link below. https://gbtimes.com/chinese-beauty-who-brought-down-dynasty
With my limited self taught Japanese, The description of the title 楊貴妃/ようきひ is a name of rare breed of slightly reddish Sakura /cherry blossom in Nara region of Japan. On the reverse, the description is translated as Young lady playing Taisho Koto (type of musical instrument also know as qugin) under cherry blossom. This design was based from the painting of Harunobu Suzuki from Edo(former name of Tokyo).
hiijacker
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Comments
Nice
Can anyone read Chinese? What is it commemorating?
Cashback from Mr. Rebates
Cut and paste to Google Translate.
It says Confucius say, Chinese food tastes good but you'll be hungry shortly thereafter. Peace Roy
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Hey everyone, new member here! I have something interesting to contribute -
I think I figured out what this is!
First, this is Japanese, not Chinese - you can tell by the hiragana (especially the "no" (の) character) in the text. Second, the Google Translate Android app IS able to make translations of text from pictures! It took a bit of work, but I was able to get a workable translation from yours.
First:
Second:
So it's a medal commemorating some sort of cherry tree from Nara and this ukiyo-e print of a girl playing the koto by the artist Suzuki Harunobu.
So that's the obverse, what about the reverse?
I googled "double cherry tree" and found this article about a type of Japanese cherry tree with two layers of petals, with an interesting aside:
Apparently, during hanami season, the Osaka Mint allows visitors to come see the flowering cherry trees on the campus. There's a page on the website listing visitor statistics and "The Blossom of the Year". I think this means this is a Japan Mint medal commemorating a specific "Blossom of the Year". But which year is it?
I googled the kanji for the title of the obverse (楊貴妃) and figured out they read "Yokihi", which refers to this cherry blossom cultivar:
Going back to the Japan Mint website, the Yokihi cultivar was the Blossom of the Year in 2000. I think, then, this is an official Japan Mint medal from 2000, commemorating the Yokihi cherry blossom cultivar. There might be something on the packaging to confirm this, but for now that's my guess.
Thanks for sending me down this rabbit hole! It's amazing what you can find on the Internet these days.
You got it!
Thanks
imperialjapanmedalsandbadges.com/cherryblossom.html
Cashback from Mr. Rebates
This medal is in Japaneses. However the flower's name 楊貴妃 (ようきひin Japanese or Yang Guifei in English) is in traditional Chinese writing just like everyone's name regardless if they are Chinese, Japanese, Korean etc.
楊貴妃 /Yang Guifei was one of the four legendary beauties in Chinese history. However the direct translation to English would be Senior concubine Yang which also meant only one rank lower than the queen. Her true name was 楊玉環. You can read more about her with the link below.
https://gbtimes.com/chinese-beauty-who-brought-down-dynasty
With my limited self taught Japanese, The description of the title 楊貴妃/ようきひ is a name of rare breed of slightly reddish Sakura /cherry blossom in Nara region of Japan. On the reverse, the description is translated as Young lady playing Taisho Koto (type of musical instrument also know as qugin) under cherry blossom. This design was based from the painting of Harunobu Suzuki from Edo(former name of Tokyo).
Sweet !!!
@cursive Welcome to the forum and great first post!
Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association