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The character 血 (blood) originated as a pictograph depicting a vessel containing blood. In oracle bone script, it showed a dish or bowl with a dot or short line inside representing blood. By the bronze script period, it evolved into its modern form with the vessel component at the top and the blood drop below. The character represents both literal blood and metaphorical concepts of lineage, sacrifice, and life essence in Chinese culture. Arrived in Japan: The character 血 arrived in Japan during the Yayoi period (300 BCE - 300 CE) through cultural exchange with China, but became systematically established with the introduction of Chinese writing systems during the Kofun period (3rd-7th centuries CE), particularly through Buddhist texts and official documents.