What is the origin of the English word japan?

The English name for Japan came to the West in ancient trade. The first appearance of Japan in Western literature was in Marco Polo's Travels, where Marco Polo recorded Japan as Cipangu, which was the pronunciation of "Japan" in Middle Chinese (or Wu at the time). Even modern Shanghainese (a dialect of Wu) still pronounces Japan as Zeppen.

The Malay word for Japan is Jepang (modernized as Jepun), which is also derived from Chinese. The name was first encountered by the Portuguese trading in Malacca in the 16th century and was brought back to Europe. It first appeared in English in 1577, when it was strung as Giapan, becoming the Indo-European source of Japan.

Expanded:

English 'chi' is the name of an Indian-European family. p>The English word "china" means both "China" and "porcelain". And "japan" is both "Japan", and "lacquer". Thus, porcelain and lacquer are the most representative of the traditional classic crafts in China and Japan.

China, now translated as "China", "porcelain". Ceramics was originally called "Chinaware", directly translated: Chinese ceramic products, called tile (ancient pottery made of pottery, can be called "tile"). Later omitted ware porcelain for china, china to get the meaning of porcelain has been the end of the Qing Dynasty.

Another theory is that it originated in the Qin Dynasty in the third century BC. In French, "Qin" is known as "Chine," which became known as "China" in English, and china in lowercase means "porcelain". china" means "porcelain". Westerners believe that China is the country of origin of porcelain.

Lacquerware is a craft in which several layers of sap extracted from the lacquer tree are applied to wood to give it a beautiful shine. The technique spread from China and Korea and was transferred to Japan.

The Japanese realized that the sap from the lacquer tree could be preserved for a long time when applied to woodware, and felt the unique and stately beauty of the color black. As a result, much effort was put into lacquer ware, and large quantities were exported to the West after the beginning of the inter-oceanic trade. Japanese lacquerware was superb and beautifully decorated, and the original maki-e art and gold lacquer tracing gradually became known to the world, and Japan became the English name for lacquerware and was used in place of Japan.

Therefore, Europeans mistakenly thought that lacquerware was a specialty of Japan, so it was called "japan".

Japanese lacquer ware craftsmanship is renowned in the world, "japan" word in addition to understanding as "Japan", but also for the meaning of lacquer ware. Japanese lacquerware is characterized by gold and silver as a decorative pattern, the so-called "maki-e", inlaid in the lacquer gold and silver fragments, after drying and then promote the photochemical treatment, showing the most luxurious gold and silver colors.

Sometimes with snails, silver wire, ginseng gold embedded in the pattern of flowers, birds, grass or auspicious motifs, has a high artistic value.