Lesson plan
Benkan
The is a type of ceremonial crown formerly worn by Japanese emperors and crown princes. It is also called . Although gilt-bronze crowns and crown caps are known from elite burials of the Kofun period, the benkan proper is first clearly associated with the imperial court in the early 8th century. The Shoku Nihongi records that Emperor Shōmu wore the for the first time at the New Year's court ceremony of 732. Later Japanese benkan combined features of the Chinese , such as a crown board and pendant jeweled ornaments, with distinctive Japanese elements, most notably a sun-shaped ornament on the top of the crown. The benkan was worn together with the imperial ceremonial robe called kon'e at enthronement and chōga ( , New Year's court audience) ceremonies. Its last use was at the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Kōmei in 1847, and it has not been worn since. Related imperial crowns included the for a female emperor and the for a child emperor. Edo-period examples of the benkan, hōkan, and nikkeikan survive as and are not ordinarily open to public view. They have, however, occasionally been displayed in exhibitions commemorating imperial enthronements.
Article summary
The is a type of ceremonial crown formerly worn by Japanese emperors and crown princes. It is also called . Although gilt-bronze crowns and crown caps are known from elite burials of the Kofun period, the benkan proper is first clearly associated with the imperial court in the early 8th century. The Shoku Nihongi records that Emperor Shōmu wore the for the first time at the New Year's court ceremony of 732. Later Japanese benkan combined features of the Chinese , such as a crown board and pendant jeweled ornaments, with distinctive Japanese elements, most notably a sun-shaped ornament on the top of the crown. The benkan was worn together with the imperial ceremonial robe called kon'e at enthronement and chōga ( , New Year's court audience) ceremonies. Its last use was at the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Kōmei in 1847, and it has not been worn since. Related imperial crowns included the for a female emperor and the for a child emperor. Edo-period examples of the benkan, hōkan, and nikkeikan survive as and are not ordinarily open to public view. They have, however, occasionally been displayed in exhibitions commemorating imperial enthronements.
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.