Construction - Gofushin

Japanese: 御普請 - ごふしん

Civil engineering works carried out by the shogunate and feudal domains during the Edo period. In particular, in the construction of river diversions, irrigation canals, road bridges, etc., works carried out at the expense of the feudal lord were called self-construction, whereas works carried out at the expense of the surrounding villages were called self-construction. The management of rivers and canals in the shogunate's territory was originally the responsibility of the magistrates, and in a notice to the head of the accounting group and magistrates in 1687 (Jokyo 4), it was stipulated that irrigation canal construction should be carried out by the peasants themselves, with up to 50 laborers for a stipend of 100 koku, and that laborers' allowances should be paid if the number exceeded this number, that rice allowances should be paid for river diversions regardless of the number of laborers, that gold and silver should be paid for all construction, that bamboo, reeds, straw ropes, etc. should be provided if they were within the jurisdiction, and that if they were not, payment should be made for them, and that bridge construction along highways, regardless of length, should be paid for by the shogunate, and that in the case of residents of rural areas, it should be paid for as a general rule.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

江戸時代，幕府や藩が施工した土木工事。とくに堤川除（かわよけ）･用水･道橋等の普請において，周辺村落が費用を出して行った工事を自普請というのに対し，領主側が費用を負担して行った工事をいう。幕領における河川･用水等の管理は元来代官の任務で，1687年(貞享4)の勘定組頭･代官への布達に，灌漑用水普請は高100石に人足50人まで百姓自普請で行うこと，この人数を超えるときには人足扶持を支給すること，堤川除普請は人数の多少にかかわらず扶持米を支給すること，また金銀入用はいずれの普請についても支給すること，竹木･カヤ･わら縄等は支配所内にあればこれを与え，ない所は代金を支給すること等と規定され，橋普請は街道筋の場合，長短に限らず幕府が出費し，在郷の場合は原則として所役とすることとされた。

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

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