Who started saying /be?????/?

[Mucus]

I used to ask Taiwanese people were Xi Jing (Western Capital) was, they always seem to come up with humorous suggestions.

Based on the historical dynasties that have their capitals in each of the cities, I think that Xian would be the best bet.

In fact, Wikipedia notes that it actually was renamed to Xijing from 1930 till 1943.

Additionally, it also notes that Tokyo doesn't get its name as an eastern capital from the Chinese but since a Japanese government moved their capital from a western city (looks like Kyoto), renaming Edo to 'Eastern Capital' after the move.

 

[BlackBlade]

I don't think I suggested that Dong Jing comes from the Chinese.  Merely that as there is a Beijing, Nanjing, and Dongjing, that a Xijing would be nice.  

I wonder why Xi'an was called Xijing during the period you specified.

edit: Also, love your avatar!

[fugu13]

Yep, Kyoto was the capital for quite some time (with a really brief interlude). Before that, the main capital of note (and substantial historical record) was Nara.

[Annie Subjunctive]

The English word for Japan came to the West from early trade routes. The early Mandarin or possibly Wu Chinese (??) word for Japan was recorded by Marco Polo as Cipangu. In modern Shanghainese, a Wu dialect, the pronunciation of characters ?? 'Japan' is Zeppen [z??p?n];

I win!

I don't think I suggested that Dong Jing comes from the Chinese.

It doesn't come from but because they share characters, Japanese and Chinese tend to take each other's place names verbatim but pronounce them as they would in their own languages. Tokyo is Tokyo because the Japanese named it "Eastern Capital" (as opposed to Kyoto - "capital capital") and Dong Jing is just the Chinese reading of those characters. ?? is ?? in both Chinese and Japanese - they both write the name the same, but in Chinese it's pronounced Zhong Guo while in Japanese it's Chuugoku.

They do this with personal names too - most foreigners go by katakana versions of their names, but Chinese people in Japan go by the Japanese pronunciation of their Chinese names. My friend pronounced her name Xu Hai Ling, but went by Jo Kairei in Japan.

[Mucus]

BB: Thanks.

I don't think I suggested that Dong Jing comes from the Chinese.

Sorry, anyways just take it as a fun fact.

I wonder why Xi'an was called Xijing during the period you specified.

If I had to guess about Xijing, that should be during the warlord period. Maybe a warlord with grand dreams? Some good luck thing? My Google-fu is unhelpful.