Re: Non-Sumo Question

["Yuko" <fgmnt@k4.dion.ne.jp>]

> There is a related custom of taking a single name of a past master 
> and passing it -- or portions of it, such as a single Chinese 
> character -- down, generation after generation. This practice 
> can of course be seen in the sumo world as well.


I don't know really much about other genre of Japanese art activities, 
and probably this custom may vary depending on which school of what
art you practice or how your master esteems giving deshis special names,  
but in my case,  the special name was given after some ten years of 
practicing calligraphy.  About three years for flower arrangement.  
In many cases the art name is given with one kanji from the master's.  
Or some schools have one special kanji that's been traditionally handed 
down and all deshis there bear. 


But you don't necessarily have to have a master. You can just give one to 
yourself,  like pen names ( or cyber shikonas ), maybe when you like to have 
the other special identity than the everyday-you.  Artists or even scholars 
sometimes have this type of names ( gagou is the word and it writes 雅号
-sorry if this gets garbaged. Haigou俳号 for Haiku poets. ).


-And this is not another April 1st posting.   :))

Yuko