Award of rank - Ikaijuyo

...A rank or rank that indicates an individual's status in official society.
[The history of the rank system]
The Japanese ranking system began with the Twelve Ranks of Crowns in 603 (the 11th year of the reign of Empress Suiko). This system aimed to indicate the rank of officials by the color of their crowns, and its origins can be found in the system of the Korean peninsula. It consisted of 12 ranks, divided into large and small crowns for virtue, benevolence, courtesy, faith, righteousness, and wisdom, but it was not applied to all officials, and the highest rank, virtue crown, is thought to correspond to the later fourth rank. According to the Nihon Shoki, 13 ranks of seven colors were introduced in 647 (the 3rd year of the Taika era), and a ranking system was established for all officials. In 649, 19 ranks of crowns were established, and in 664 (the 3rd year of the Tenchi era), 26 ranks of crowns were established, but the details of these ranks remain to be examined.

*Some of the terminology used in relation to "rank awarding" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…官人社会における個人の地位を表す序列･等級。
［冠位制の流れ］
　日本における位階制は603年(推古11)の冠位十二階に始まる。これは，官人序列を冠の色によって表そうとするもので，源流は朝鮮半島の制度に求められる。徳･仁･礼･信･義･智の各冠を大小に分けた12階から成るが，ただし，全官人に適用されたものではなく，最上位の徳冠が後の四位に相当すると考えられている。《日本書紀》によると，その後647年(大化3)には七色十三階が導入され，全官人を対象とする位階が成立し，649年には冠位十九階，664年(天智3)には冠位二十六階が制定されたことになっているが，その具体相についてはなお検討すべき点を残す。…

※「位階授与」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報