Kankin (prisoner) - Kankin

...When a person became a zato, he was allowed to wear purple silk kimono with chrysanthemum motifs, white hakama, and a painted staff. He also collected tax from commoners on 17 types of auspicious or inauspicious occasions, such as childbirth, marriage, construction, funerals, and memorial services, and was given a monk's contribution by the shogunate. Thus, under the protection of the shogunate, a person who became one of the four official positions in the art gained a high social status and wealth. He was also granted the right to operate a loan business called zatogane, and the loans he made were called kankin (official funds) and were guaranteed priority in collection over other debts. The zatogane often caused suffering to the people due to their high interest rates and harsh collection methods.

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "kankin (zato)" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…座頭になると，紫の菊綴の長絹（ちようけん）に白袴をはき，塗杖を使うことが許され，また庶民の出産，結婚，建築，葬礼，法要など吉凶17種の場合に運上（うんじよう）金を取り立て，幕府から冥加金が与えられた。こうして幕府の保護のもと，当道の四官になると社会的地位も高く，財力も豊かとなり，さらに座頭金（ざとうがね）とよばれた高利貸の営業権が認められ，その貸付金は官金と称して他の債務に対して取り立ての優先権が保障された。座頭金は高利と過酷な取り立てで，民衆を苦しめる場合も多かった。…

※「官金（座頭）」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