The Origin of Kumazaki Style Surname Determination

Abstract

Currently, one of the most popular methods of determining family names in Japan is based on the number of strokes in their Chinese characters. This method is said to have originated in "The Mystery of Family Names" (1929, Jitsugyo no Nihonsha) by Ken-o Kumazaki (1881-1961). However, a close reading of "The Mystery of Family Names" raises five serious questions. First, although his book discusses "innate luck" and "acquired luck," it is ambiguous in its understanding of "innate luck” and incorrect in its understanding of "acquired luck." Second, Ken-o Kumazaki unconsciously inherited the belief that words carry spiritual force. Third, it is founded on a mixture of ancient Shintoism and the ten signs of the zodiac, and uses the Chinese five elements and the ten signs of the zodiac as the basis for ascribing good fortune to the ancient number spirits. Fourth, Kumazaki does not correctly understand the I-Ching, Yin-Yang, nor the Four Pillars of Life. Fifth, he does not indicate good fortune or bad fortune statistically,merely giving examples of famous people to whom his theory applied, but he is unclear what constitutes "happiness or unhappiness" or "success or failure.In light of the above, the modern basis for judging family names by strokes is ultimately based on the belief that words have spiritual force, to which the ten signs of the zodiac have been added, and therefore lacks credibility. Rather, it would be better to use the Zhouyi interpretation,which goes back to the original I-Ching, to achieve a more accurate analysis of family names.