Rank seal - Ifu

In the Nara and Heian periods, this was a fief of households given to kings and ministers according to their ranks, and was one of the economic privileges of Ritsuryo officials. It was the same as the honpu given to princes according to their ranks. It began in 646 (Taika 2) when jikifu was given to those of the rank of taifu or higher. The Taiho Code stipulated that 300 to 100 households would be given to those of third rank or higher, and in 706 (Keion 3), the amount of the stipend was almost double that of the Ritsuryo system. At this time, it was also decided to give the fief to those of fourth rank, who had previously been given ashiginu (cotton), cotton, cloth, and yofu (cloth), called iroku (rank stipend), but in 808 (Daido 3), the amount and scope of the stipend were restored to the Ritsuryo system. Women received half the amount of men's, but the amount of rank pay for empresses, wives, and concubines was the same as that for men. The Engishiki and Shugaisho also record the amount of rank pay. However, the amount of the latter differs from the provisions of the Ritsuryo system and other regulations, and it is unclear when and why this originated. The system of rank pay was gradually dissolved, and later became one of the causes of the formation of manors.

[Yusuke Yoneda]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

奈良・平安時代に、諸王、諸臣の位階に応じて支給された封戸(ふこ)で、律令(りつりょう)官人らの経済的特権の一つ。親王の品階に応じて支給した品封(ほんぷ)に同じ。646年（大化2）大夫(たいふ)以上に食封(じきふ)を給したのに始まる。大宝令(たいほうりょう)では三位(さんみ)以上に300～100戸を支給すると規定し、706年（慶雲3）に支給額を令制のほぼ2倍とした。またこのとき、従来位禄(いろく)と称して、絁(あしぎぬ)、綿、布、庸布(ようふ)を支給されていた四位の者にも位封を与えることにしたが、808年（大同3）支給額やその範囲は令制に復した。女子は男子の2分の1だが、妃、夫人、嬪(ひん)の品位封は男子と同額。『延喜式(えんぎしき)』『拾芥抄(しゅうがいしょう)』にも位封支給額が記されている。ただし後者の支給額は令制などの規定と相違するが、それが、いつ、何に由来したか明らかでない。なお位封の制は漸次解体し、のち荘園(しょうえん)形成の原因の一つとなった。

［米田雄介］

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