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Go-on (呉音) are one of the different readings of Japanese kanji. They are old pronunciations of Chinese characters, believed to be taken from China to Japan prior to the importation (by the Kenzuishi envoy to the Sui dynasty and monks studying abroad) of "kan-on" (漢音, literally "Han sound") readings from Chang'an during the Nara period. Like kan-on readings, they are said to display the characteristics of Middle Chinese.

Introduced to Japan during the 5th & 6th centuries, when China was divided into separate northern and southern dynasties, it is thought that go-on readings were imported either directly from the southern dynasty, or through Korea. This explanation is based mainly on historical reasoning: there was an influx of other foreign thought from Korea and China to Japan at that time, including both Buddhist and Confucianist thought. However, there is no historical documentation to conclusively demonstrate that go-on readings are actually based on southern dynastic Chinese.

Go-on readings are used particularly often in Buddhist terms and legal terms, especially those of the Nara and Heian periods. When kan-on readings were introduced to Japan, their go-on equivalents did not disappear, and even today, go-on and kan-on readings continue to be used together. Go-on readings were also used for the Chinese characters of the ancient Japanese syllabary used in the Kojiki.

Name

Go-on readings were formally referred to as "wa-on" (和音, literally "Japanese sound"). The term "go-on" was first introduced in the mid-Heian period, likely by people who wished to promote kan-on readings. During the reign of the Tangs, people in the capital (Chang'an) referred to their own way of reading characters as 秦音 (pronounced in Japanese as "shin-on", literally meaning "Qin sound") and all other readings, particularly those originating south of the Yangtze, as 呉音 (pronounced in Japanese as "go-on", literally meaning "Wu sound"), or one of many other similar names. It is thought that Japanese students studying in China adopted this practice, and, taking the position that Chang'an's readings were the correct ones, they also began to refer to Japan's previously imported kanji readings as "go-on".

Go-on readings are also sometimes referred to as "tsushima-on" (対馬音, literally "Tsushima sound") and "kudara-on" (百済音, literally "Korean sound"). This is according to a tradition that a Korean nun named Hōmei taught Buddhism in Tsushima by reading the Vimalakīrti Sutra entirely in go-on.

Characteristics

Go-on readings are generally less orderly than kan-on readings, but can be characterized as follows.

Voiced consonants and unvoiced consonants are differentiated for initial consonants.
In contrast with kan-on readings, leading consonants are often pronounced nasally.
In go-on readings of characters such as 素 ("so", "su"), 奴 ("no", "nu") and 都 ("to", tsu") otherwise equivalent "-o" and "-u" readings are both acceptable and widespread. This is thought to be due to a lack of differentiation between these sounds in the Chinese language at the time they were introduced to Japan. Because the sounds could not be distinguished in Chinese, both "-o" and "-u" were considered acceptable pronunciations upon their import to Japanese.

References

Most of the content of this article comes from the equivalent Japanese-language article, accessed on June 5th, 2006.

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-'''Go-on''' (呉音, literally "[[Wu (region)|Wu]] sound"）are one of the different readings of a [[kanji]].  They are old pronunciations of kanji, taken from China to Japan prior to the establishment of the [[Kenzuishi]] envoy to the [[Sui Dynasty]].  They are said to display many of the characteristics of [[Middle Chinese]].
+'''Go-on''' (呉音) are one of the different readings of [[Japanese]] [[kanji]]. They are old pronunciations of [[Chinese characters]], believed to be taken from [[China]] to [[Japan]] prior to the importation (by the [[Kenzuishi]] envoy to the [[Sui dynasty]] and monks studying abroad) of "[[kan-on]]" (漢音, literally "[[Han]] sound") readings from [[Chang'an]] during the [[Nara period]].  Like kan-on readings, they are said to display the characteristics of [[Middle Chinese]].
+Introduced to Japan during the 5th & 6th centuries, when China was divided into separate northern and southern dynasties, it is thought that go-on readings were imported either directly from the southern dynasty, or through [[Korea]].  This explanation is based mainly on historical reasoning: there was an influx of other foreign thought from Korea and China to Japan at that time, including both [[Buddhist]] and [[Confucianist]] thought.  However, there is no historical documentation to conclusively demonstrate that go-on readings are actually based on southern dynastic Chinese.
-{{Japan-stub}}
+Go-on readings are used particularly often in Buddhist terms and legal terms, especially those of the Nara and [[Heian period]]s.  When kan-on readings were introduced to Japan, their go-on equivalents did not disappear, and even today, go-on and kan-on readings continue to be used together.  Go-on readings were also used for the Chinese characters of the ancient Japanese syllabary used in the [[Kojiki]].
-<!--
+==Name==
-, 6世紀に導入され、一般的に中国の[[南北朝時代 (中国)|南北朝時代]]、[[南朝]]の発音が直接、あるいは[[朝鮮半島]]（[[百済]]）経由で伝わったと考えられているが、これは[[倭の五王]]が[[南朝]][[宋 (南朝)|宋]]に[[朝貢]]したことや朝鮮半島から[[儒教]]や[[仏教]]など多くの文物を輸入したという歴史的経緯が根拠となるのであろう。しかし、呉音が本当に南方系統の発音かどうかについて、それを実証できるような史料はない。
+Go-on readings were formally referred to as "'''wa-on'''" (和音, literally "Japanese sound").  The term "go-on" was first introduced in the mid-Heian period, likely by people who wished to promote kan-on readings.  During the reign of the [[Tang]]s, people in the capital (Chang'an) referred to their own way of reading characters as 秦音 (pronounced in Japanese as "shin-on", literally meaning "[[Qin]] sound") and all other readings, particularly those originating south of the [[Yangtze]], as 呉音 (pronounced in Japanese as "go-on", literally meaning "[[Wu]] sound"), or one of many other similar names.  It is thought that Japanese students studying in China adopted this practice, and, taking the position that Chang'an's readings were the correct ones, they also began to refer to Japan's previously imported kanji readings as "go-on".
-呉音は[[仏教]]用語や[[律令]]用語でよく使われ、漢音導入後も駆逐されず、現在にいたるまで漢音と併用して使われている。なお『[[古事記]]』の[[万葉仮名]]には呉音が使われている。
+Go-on readings are also sometimes referred to as "'''tsushima-on'''" (対馬音, literally "[[Tsushima]] sound") and "'''kudara-on'''" (百済音, literally "Korean sound").  This is according to a tradition that a Korean nun named [[Hōmei]] taught Buddhism in Tsushima by reading the [[Vimalakīrti Sutra]] entirely in go-on.
-== 名称 ==
-かなり定着していたことから古くは'''和音'''（やまとごえ・わおん）と呼ばれ、[[平安時代]]中期以降、呉音と呼ばれるようになったが、これらの語は漢音の普及を推進する側からの蔑称であったらしい。中国の唐代、首都長安ではその地域の音を秦音と呼び、それ以外の地域の音、特に長江以南の音を「呉音」とか「呉楚之音」と呼んでいた。帰国した留学生たちが、これにもとづいて長安の音を正統とし、日本に以前から定着していた音を呉音と呼んだものと考えられる。
+==Characteristics==
-また'''対馬音'''（つしまごえ・つしまおん）・'''百済音'''（くだらごえ・くだらおん）という名称もあるが、[[欽明天皇]]の時、[[百済]]の尼僧、[[法明]]が[[対馬]]に来て呉音で[[維摩経]]を読んで[[仏教]]を伝えたという伝承によるものである。
+Go-on readings are generally less orderly than kan-on readings, but can be characterized as follows.
-== 字音の確定 ==
-常用字でない漢字音について、漢音はその認定が中国の[[韻書]]などの[[反切]]資料を中心に行われるのに対して、呉音は日本に古くから伝わる仏典資料や律令などの歴史的史料が中心になるため、その認定が難しい部分があり、各漢和字典ごとに異なっている場合が多い。
+* [[Voiced consonant]]s and [[unvoiced consonant]]s are differentiated for [[initial consonant]]s.
-== 特徴 ==
+* In contrast with kan-on readings, leading consonants are often pronounced [[nasal]]ly.
-呉音は雑多なものを含んでいると考えられ、漢音ほどの整った体系を備えていないが、以下のような特徴がある。
+* In go-on readings of characters such as 素 ("so", "su"), 奴 ("no", "nu") and 都 ("to", tsu") otherwise equivalent "-o" and "-u" readings are both acceptable and widespread.  This is thought to be due to a lack of differentiation between these sounds in the Chinese language at the time they were introduced to Japan. Because the sounds could not be distinguished in Chinese, both "-o" and "-u" were considered acceptable pronunciations upon their import to Japanese.
-*頭子音の[[清濁]]の対立構造を反映し、清音と濁音を区別している。
-*頭子音（[[声母]]）の[[鼻音]]は[[漢音]]が[[口音]]で伝えられたものが多いのに対し、鼻音のまま伝えられている。
-*末子音（[[韻尾]]）を表す規則が一定していない。呉音でも[ŋ]を表すのに「ウ」や「イ」が使われることが多いが、公（ク）のように省略されているものもある。一方、双六（ス'''ゴ'''ロク）や三位（サン'''ミ'''）のように、熟語の途中で末子音が現れるものもある。
-*素（ソ・ス）・奴（ノ・ヌ）・都（ト・ツ）のようにオ段音とウ段音の両方を持つものがある。これは当時の中国語が[o]と[u]を区別する体系を持っていなかったために表記するのにどちらでもよかったからだと考えられる。
-*[[切韻]]の音韻体系のうち、[[等呼]]の違いを一等韻にはア段音を使い、二等韻にはエ段音を使うことで区別している。[[漢音]]では両者ともア段音として区別していない。
+==References==
--->
+Most of the content of this article comes from the equivalent Japanese-language article, accessed on June 5th, 2006.
-[[Category:Kanji]]
-[[ja:呉音]]