Obituary of a Sumo Wrestler

choi

Margalit Fox, Taiho, 72, Dominant Postwar Sumo Champ; A Yokozuna smaller than many rivals, but better than almost all of them. New York Times, Jan 23, 2013.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/2 ... amp-dies-at-72.html

Note:
(a) The obituray says, "Taiho, whose Japanese name was Koki NAYA, won Emperor's Cup 32 times."
(i) Taihō Kōki 大鵬 幸喜
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taih%C5%8D_K%C5%8Dki
(1940-2013; born 本名 納谷 幸喜, Ukrainian: Ivan BORYSHKO)

* Japanese Wiki page under his name states, "大鵬の意味は、中国の古典「荘子 逍遥遊」にある「鯤之大不知其千里也、化而為鳥、其名為大鵬」."
* His mother remarried.
(ii) Emperor's Cup  天皇賜杯 【てんのうしはい】 (pronounced "tennō shihai")
(b) Makuuchi  幕内
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makuuchi
(section 2 Yokozuna 横綱)

* maku 幕  【まく】 (n): "curtain"
* uchi 内 【うち】 (n): "inside"
* The maku and uchi are Chinese prionunciations, whereas yoko and tsuna 綱 are Japanese pronunciations.