also: しょうわ
noun
Jōwa era; Shōwa era
Japanese era name (年号) spanning 834–848 CE. The reading じょうわ is standard; しょうわ is an alternate reading. Not to be confused with the later Shōwa era (昭和, 1926–1989).
承和年間に遣唐使が派遣された。
During the Jōwa era, envoys were sent to Tang China.
この仏像は承和の頃の作と伝えられている。
This Buddhist statue is said to date from around the Jōwa period.
Refers to the Shōwa era (1926–1989), a much later period. 承和 is an earlier era name with a different kanji spelling and primary reading.
The era name 承和 was adopted in 834 CE. The exact derivation is uncertain; it follows the traditional practice of selecting auspicious characters from classical Chinese texts.