Can anyone help with these characters?
My uncle brought the picture home in the 1940’s when he was in the Merchant Navy and my cousin would like to know what it means.
.I have asked pals…they might help…
Thank you.
1 Like
Google translate suggests :
Lake Ming Dingshan Shouwan
As always take Google Translate with a pinch of salt
Thanks, Mat. Didn’t think Google translate would work as I don’t have a Chinese keyboard!
Don’t forget you can get a live translation using a camera of text but thankfully I have one of these:
2 Likes
Does your cousin have a local Chinese Restaurant - from my experience in UK - they are very helpful and friendly…
This has been suggested, Stella, thank you but, I don’t think there’s one near her that she uses often enough to give her the confidence to ask.
That’s a shame. I’m shy to (believe it or not) yet I have done this sort of thing. She needs to be brave 
She could always drop into the Resto and speak with someone first, rather than just arriving with said picture.
I look at it this way, if someone here in France mentions some souvenir of UK 1940’s (whatever) - it ends up with a delightful conversation on both sides.
An in-law of hers suggested the restaurant and she can always take her mobile phone or tablet with the photo rather than the picture and frame.
But, she seems reluctant! If I were there, I’d go with her/do it for her- I’m not backward in that respect! - and I was quite well recognised in my local restaurant/takeaway!
Well, we can lead a horse to water, but we’ll obviously get nowhere with your cousin 
1 Like
Toshiko - in Yamaguchi …I think
, says its the name of the mountain, and the lake, she can read the words, ‘lake’ and ‘mountain’ …but hasn’t got those two names sorted, yet. I’ve put the picture up on my fb page, good chance someone in Japan will come up with the names before long… If you don’t know anyone else…
I believe it’s Chinese, Jeanette, rather than Japanese.
1 Like
Yes, I understand Ian, that’s why Toshiko is finding the names difficult. But she recognized the words for Lake and Mountain.
Somebody might know there are several who know some Chinese.
Kanji often change meaning between China and Japan but I don’t suppose eg a place name will be altered much.
1 Like
Tim, my son, sent a note.
He says…
"I can’t read the 4th kanji
(the label is read from the right)
萬 壽 山 ? 明 湖
萬（万） 10,000
壽（寿） longevity
山. mountain,
?,
明. light,
湖. lake "
…So My guess!! Maybe " longevity 10000" suggests the name of a famous place …just google places in China with pointy mountains and lakes…what’s the building…maybe famous shrine/temple…
I like detective stories!..I will google it myself… 
This looks possible, but only (so far) because the vid. Shows a pointy mountain with. " Heavenly Lake" in front of it…looks like the image to me… But I haven’t got a 10000 link yet.
It is probably a volcano, being pointy, and this mountain,in the vid. with Heavenly Lake, is a volcano…
https://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/xinjiang/urumqi/tianchi.htm That travel page allows tourist questions too, so I sent the kanji title for identification. Maybe someone will know it…
This is a peaceful investigation in the middle of the night, if you can’t sleep!
Well, thank you all for the effort you’re putting in. You are following strands and links I would never have thought of.
1 Like