Hakuchi (白雉) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit.
[3] The daimyō of Nagato Province brought a white pheasant to the court as a gift for the emperor.
Emperor Kōtoku was extraordinarily pleased by this special avian rarity, and he wanted the entire court to see this white bird for themselves.
He commanded a special audience in which he could formally invite the sadaijin and the udaijin to join him in admiring the rare bird; and on this occasion, the emperor caused the nengō to be changed to Hakuchi (meaning "white pheasant").
[6] The system of Japanese era names was not the same as Imperial reign dates.