Association - Kaimei

In China, this refers to meetings (kai) held mainly between feudal lords or states, and the accompanying treaties or the ceremony for concluding them (men). Since the Zhou dynasty, it has been a place to settle disputes between towns and states, but when the authority of the Zhou dynasty declined during the Spring and Autumn period, it became more common among feudal lords, with the participation of the feudal lords themselves and sometimes ministers and officials. The contents of treaties were wide-ranging, and especially when led by a hegemon, they were sometimes used as a place to legally make treaties based on personal wishes. However, the role that treaties played in maintaining order among feudal lords during the decline of the Zhou dynasty cannot be ignored. After the Qin and Han dynasties, this role of treaties was lost, but the tradition was passed down to later generations, as treaties were held between different ethnic groups during the Tang and Song dynasties.

[Michiko Abe]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国で、おもに諸侯間または国家間で行われた会礼（会）と、それに伴う盟約、またはその締結の儀式（盟）をいう。周代より邑(ゆう)や国の間の紛争解決の場であったが、春秋時代に周室の権威が衰えると、多くは諸侯自身、ときに卿(けい)、大夫(たいふ)が参加して、諸侯間で盛んに行われた。盟約の内容は広範囲にわたり、とくに覇者によって主導される場合には、その私意を合法的形式で盟約化させる場として利用されることもあった。しかし、周室の衰えのなかで、諸侯間の秩序維持に会盟が果たした役割は無視することはできない。秦(しん)・漢以後、会盟のこうした役割は失われたが、唐・宋(そう)代にも異民族との間で会盟が行われているように、その伝統は後世まで受け継がれた。

［安倍道子］

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