Hometown agreement

A code and organization created in Chinese villages to maintain order and practice education, self-cultivation, and mutual aid. It was created in 1076 by Lü Dajun in his hometown of Lantian in Shaanxi (Lüshi no Koyaku), and was revised by Zhu Xi (Zhu Xi) of the Southern Song Dynasty, giving it the authority of Zhu Xi's teachings and making it widespread. The code's principles were "We encourage each other in virtue and deeds, we discipline each other in faults, we mingle with each other in etiquette and customs, and we forgive each other in hardships," and to put these principles into practice, it appointed a Council President and Vice President, who met on the first of each month to criticize and reflect on the actions of the Council members. It became popular from the mid-Ming dynasty onwards, when the Lijia system began to disintegrate, and efforts were made to reestablish order in rural areas based on the Six Instructions of Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, and it was considered an important policy for local officials along with the Baojia organization. During the Qing dynasty, the commentary on the 16 articles of the Sacred Instructions of the Sacred Ancestor Emperor Kangxi became central, and the system was formalised.

[Shima Kazuyasu]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の郷村で、秩序維持を目的とし、教化と修養、相互扶助を実践するためにつくられた規約およびその組織。1076年、呂大鈞(りょたいきん)が郷里陝西(せんせい)の藍田(らんでん)で創行（呂氏郷約）、南宋(そう)の朱熹(しゅき)（朱子）が補訂し、朱子学に権威づけられて普及した。郷約は「徳業相い勧む。過失相い規(ただ)す。礼俗相い交(まじわ)る。患難(かんなん)相い恤(めぐ)む」を綱領とし、その実行のため約正、約副を置き、毎月1日に会合して約員の行動を批判反省した。盛んになったのは、里甲(りこう)制が解体し始めた明(みん)代中期以降で、太祖朱元璋(しゅげんしょう)の「六諭(りくゆ)」に基づいて郷村秩序の再建が図られ、保甲組織とともに地方官の重要施策とされた。清(しん)代には聖祖康煕帝(こうきてい)の「聖諭」16条の解説が中心となり、形式化した。

［島居一康］

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