Glossary

Tengen

天元

Term · calendar

Japanese era name (天元) for the years 978–982: 978 is Tengen 1 (元年) and Tengen 5 is 982. Tengen (天元) is a Japanese era name (nengō), proclaimed in 978. Its years are counted in lunar years from the new year before the proclamation: 978 is Tengen 1 (元年), 982 its last year, Tengen 5. A Japanese source dates a year within it as “Tengen 2” (天元2年) rather than by a continuous count. Before: Jōgen. After: Eikan.