Nine Lords

In China, a general term for the heads of various government offices (nine temples) that shared the execution of government affairs under the Prime Minister (Josho). During the Qin dynasty, there were twelve of them, but they were reorganized into nine ministers and nine temples during the Han dynasty, and in principle this structure continued until the Ming dynasty. The names and duties of the nine temples have changed over time, but during the Han dynasty the nine temples were: Taichang, in charge of state ceremonies; Guanglu Xun, the guards of the imperial court; Weiwei, the guards of the palace gates; Zongzheng, in charge of the imperial family; Taiboku, in charge of the palace's carriages and horses; Teiwei, the judicial branch; Dahonglo, in charge of foreign affairs; Dasinong, in charge of national finances; and Shaofu, in charge of the imperial household's finances. During the Tang dynasty there were nine temples: Taichang, Guanglu, Weiwei, Zongzheng, Taibu, Dali, Honglo, Sinong, and Daifu. From the Later Han dynasty to the Six Dynasties, as the Shangshu system developed and the administrative organs of the Six Ministries were established, the real power of the nine temples was lost. By the way, during the Tang Dynasty, the chief officials of the six ministries (Shangshu) were all of senior third rank, while the nine nobles, except for the Taichang noble who was of senior third rank, were all of junior third rank.

[Isamu Ogata]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、丞相(じょうしょう)（宰相(さいしょう)）のもとにあって、政務を分担執行する諸官庁（九寺(きゅうじ)）の長官の総称。秦(しん)代に十二あったのが、漢代に九卿九寺に整理され、原則としてこの構成が明(みん)代まで受け継がれた。時代によって九寺の名称と職掌には差異があるが、漢代の九寺は、国家の儀式をつかさどる太常(たいじょう)、宮廷の護衛にあたる光禄勲(こうろくくん)、宮門を守護する衛尉(えいい)、皇族をつかさどる宗正(そうせい)、宮中の車馬器物を管理する太僕(たいぼく)、司法機関の廷尉(ていい)、外交を処理する大鴻臚(だいこうろ)、国家財政をつかさどる大司農(だいしのう)、帝室の財務を扱う少府(しょうふ)であり、唐代には太常、光禄、衛尉、宗正、太僕、大理、鴻臚、司農、大府の九寺があった。後漢(ごかん)から六朝(りくちょう)の時代にかけて、尚書の機構が発達し、六部(りくぶ)の行政機関が成立するにつれて、九寺の実権は失われていった。ちなみに唐代では、六部(りくぶ)の長官（尚書）はみな正三品であったのに対し、九卿は、太常卿の正三品を除き、すべて従(じゅ)三品であった。

［尾形　勇］

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