Family name system

Japanese: 氏姓制度 - しせいせいど

It is also called the "Ujikabane" system. It is a ruling system of the Yamato dynasty that was based on the organization of clans (Uji) and organized by family names (Kabane).

[Reiji Harashima]

Family name and surname

First of all, clans are terms that indicate male lineage, and it is said that the l in the Korean word ul became d, and was pronounced udi in ancient times. There was also a theory that clans were the clan communities (clans, gens) seen in Greece and Rome, but since the research of Tsuda Sokichi, it has become clear that clans have no relation to clans in primitive society. In other words, clan names were first derived from the place names of the place of residence, such as Soga and Kose, and then from the names of the clan's occupations, such as Mononobe, Nakatomi, Inbe, and Haji, but all of them were inseparable from the ruling organization of the Yamato dynasty.

Next, the family name (kabane) was given many characters from the family name, and there are two theories about its original meaning: one is that it was interpreted from Japanese words such as "agamena (revered name)," "kabane (bone)," and "kabanena (bone name)," and the other is that it is a Japanese reading of the ancient Korean word for bone = clan, but the latter is more likely. Regardless of which theory you choose, "kabane" was a name that showed respect for the clan, and it referred to the clan itself, and was usually placed under the name of the clan (Soga, Omi), but sometimes both the clan and the family name were combined and called "kabane."

[Reiji Harashima]

Origin of the Surname

The origin of surnames (kabane) is said to come from the ancient custom of calling local chiefs by honorifics such as Hiko or Hime after the place names they ruled over, and some people call these honorifics primitive kabane. Other known names include Tobe, Mimi, Tama, Nushi, Mori, Neko, Kimi, Wake, Hafuri, and Tsumi. In the Gishiwajinden, high-ranking officials in various provinces are called by names such as Hiko, Tamo, and Mimi. Additionally, an iron sword excavated from the Inariyama Kofun Tumulus in Gyoda City, Saitama Prefecture, contains an inscription dating to the Xinhai era (471 or 531), which includes the name of a person named "Owake." This "wake" is believed to have been a primitive kabane, or an honorific title for a chief.

[Reiji Harashima]

Establishment of the clan and surname system

Based on these honorifics, the clan and surname system was established in the 5th and 6th centuries. It was created as the Yamato dynasty expanded its rule over the whole country. In reality, the clan consisted of many households, and the head of a powerful family held the position of head of the entire clan, and his direct and collateral relatives and non-blood relatives were subordinate to this head. The head of the clan (Uji no Kami) led the clan group, participated in the imperial government on behalf of the clan, and was given a surname according to his political status. This surname was also given to the chief's relatives within a certain range, and it also represented the political status of the clan. In addition to the clan members (Ujibito), slaves (Nuhi) and benotami (Benotami) belonged to the clan. Of these, slaves were owned by each family within the clan and were subject to sale, gift, and inheritance. The benotami were farmers and fishermen given by the Yamato dynasty's great king, and were obligated to pay tribute and labor to the clan. As the clan-based family name system was established, the primitive kabane (honorific title) also changed in quality. There are many ancient family names, but they can be divided into two types based on their characteristics.

One of these is given by the origin of the clan, and many of the clans that include the term "omi" such as Soga no Omi, Kasuga no Omi, and Kino no Omi are said to be descendants of the various emperors from Emperor Jimmu to Emperor Kōgen. Also, clans that include the term "kimi" or "ko" such as Kamitsukenu no Kimi and Okinaga no Kimi are limited to the descendants of the various emperors from Emperor Kaika onwards. In contrast, clans that include the term "mura" such as Otomo no Muraji, Nakatomi no Muraji, and Mononobe no Muraji are said to be descendants of gods who lived before Emperor Jimmu. In this way, the clans were divided according to their origins, with more vassals representing distant relatives, lesser nobles representing closer relatives, and the clans representing descendants of heavenly gods and heavenly grandchildren.As the clan and surname system was established and the Yamato imperial authority's control over the nation expanded, this was nothing more than an order in which powerful clans were organized with the Emperor and his ancestral gods at the center.

[Reiji Harashima]

Granting of surnames and status

Among these surnames, there are also other clan names, but when viewed from the perspective of the clan's political status, this ordering is often based on the following reality: the title of Omi was given mainly to powerful clans in the Kinai region, while the title of Murasaki was given mainly to powerful Tomo no Miyatsuko who were directly subordinate to the Emperor.

Another type of surname was given in relation to the government office of the Yamato dynasty. For example, Miyatsuko was given to many of the Tomo no Miyatsuko clans who were members of the imperial household, some of the Tomo no Miyatsuko clans who were involved in handicrafts, and to powerful immigrant clans such as Hata no Miyatsuko. Atai was given to Kuni no Miyatsuko throughout the country, and also to powerful immigrant clans (Yamato no Ayano Atai). Among the Kuni no Miyatsuko, the most powerful clans were given the surname Kimi, such as Kamitsukenu no Kimi (Kozuke Province) and Hinokimi (Higo Province). Furthermore, surnames with strong ties to Korea, such as Suguri, Suguru, and Kishi, were often given to immigrant clans. Other surnames related to official positions include Obito, Inagi, Abiko, Kuni no Miyatsuko, Agatanushi, Eshi, Kusushi, Fuhito, Osa, Kannushi, and Hafuri.

[Reiji Harashima]

Change in the clan and surname system

This clan and surname system, which linked family names and clan names, eventually underwent the Taika Reforms and reached a major turning point during the reign of Emperor Tenmu after the Jinshin War (672). This was the establishment of the eight-class surname system in 684 (the 13th year of Emperor Tenmu's reign).

First, in response to the strengthening of the Emperor's divine status, the eight new surnames were created by placing some clans close to the Imperial family as Mahito (the clans of the Imperial family with the Kimi surname mentioned above). The second-ranked Ason was then given to the greatest aristocrats in the Kinai region, such as Nakatomi (Fujiwara) and Isonokami (Mononobe), and the third-ranked Sukune was given to powerful clans with the Muraji surname, such as Otomo and Saeki. Next came Imiki (fourth rank) and Michinoshi (fifth rank), and below them were placed the higher-ranked Omi and Muraji (eighth rank) surnames (Inaoki). In this way, the traditional order of the clan and surname system was reorganized by the eight-ranked surnames, and a system was established in which the Imperial family were close aides to the Emperor's divine status.

After that, Ason virtually occupied the top positions throughout the Nara and Heian periods, and many clans sought the Ason surname, so the number of clans bearing the name Ason gradually increased. As a result, the reorganized clan and surname system itself ceased to function, and only some of the surnames survived as honorifics in later generations.

[Reiji Harashima]

"Abe Takehiko, Clan Names and Surnames" (1966, Shibundo) ▽ "Maenozono Ryoichi, Research History: Ancient Surnames" (1976, Yoshikawa Kobunkan) ▽ "Harashima Reiji, The Formation of Ancient Kingship" (1977, Azekura Shobo)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

「うじかばね」制度ともいう。氏(うじ)の組織を基にして、それを姓(かばね)によって秩序づけた大和(やまと)王権の支配制度をいう。

［原島礼二］

氏・姓の語

まず氏は男系の血縁を示す用語で、朝鮮語の族(ul)のlがdになって、古代にはudiと発音されていたともいわれる。そしてかつては、氏をギリシア、ローマにみられる氏族共同体（クラン、ゲンス）とみる説もあったが、津田左右吉(そうきち)の研究以来、いまでは原始社会の氏族とは無縁であることが明瞭(めいりょう)になっている。すなわち、氏の名は、まず、蘇我(そが)、巨勢(こせ)など居住地の地名によるものと、物部(もののべ)、中臣(なかとみ)、忌部(いんべ)、土師(はじ)（はにし）など、氏の職業の名によるものとがあったが、いずれも大和王権の支配組織と不可分なものであった。

　次に姓(かばね)は、姓の字を多くあて、その本来の意味を、「あがめな（崇名）」「かばね（骨）」「かばねな（骨名）」などの国語から解釈する説、および古代朝鮮語の骨＝族という意味を日本読みにしたとする説があるが、後者のほうが有力である。そのいずれをとるにしても、「かばね」は氏を尊んだ名で、氏そのものをもさし、また氏の名の下に普通つけたが（蘇我(そがの)・臣(おみ)）、ときには氏と姓を両方あわせて、「かばね」とよぶこともあった。

［原島礼二］

姓の起源

姓(かばね)の起源については、古く各地の首長を、その支配した地名に彦(ひこ)、姫(ひめ)などの尊称をつけてよぶ慣習からきているとされ、この尊称を原始的カバネとよぶ人もいる。そのほかにも戸畔(とべ)、耳(みみ)、玉(たま)、主(ぬし)、守(もり)、根子(ねこ)、君(きみ)、別(わけ)、祝(はふり)、積(つみ)が知られる。『魏志倭人伝(ぎしわじんでん)』では、諸国の大官が「卑狗(ひこ)」「多模(たも)」「弥弥(みみ)」などの名称でよばれている。また埼玉県行田(ぎょうだ)市の稲荷山(いなりやま)古墳出土鉄剣の辛亥(しんがい)年（471年か531年）銘文には、「乎獲居(お（を）わけ)」という人物の名がみられるが、この「ワケ」は原始的カバネ、すなわち首長の尊称の一つであったとされている。

［原島礼二］

氏姓制度の成立

このような尊称を基にしながら、氏・姓の制度が5～6世紀に成立していく。それは、大和王権が全国への支配を拡大していくなかで生み出されたものである。この氏の実態をみると、氏は多くの家からなり、有力な家族の首長が氏全体の族長という地位を占め、その直系・傍系の血縁者や非血縁の家族が、この首長に従属していた。氏の首長（氏上(うじのかみ)）は氏集団を率い、氏を代表して朝政に参与し、その政治的地位に応じて姓を与えられた。この姓は、首長のある範囲の血縁者にも与えられ、その氏の政治的地位を表すものともなっていた。氏には氏人(うじびと)のほか、奴婢(ぬひ)や部民(べのたみ)が所属していた。そのうち奴婢は氏内の各家族に所有され、売買、贈与、相続の対象となった。また部民は、大和王権の大王から与えられた農民・漁民などで、氏に対して貢納と賦役の義務を負わされていた。このような氏を基にした氏姓制度の成立に応じて原始的カバネ（尊称）も変質していった。古代の姓は多数にわたるが、その性質によって姓を二つに分けることができる。

　その一つは、氏の出自によって与えられるもので、蘇我臣、春日臣(かすがのおみ)、紀臣(きのおみ)など、臣を称する氏の多くは、神武(じんむ)天皇から孝元(こうげん)天皇までの諸代の天皇の子孫とされている。また上毛野君(かみつけぬのきみ)、息長(おきなが)公など、君・公を称する氏は、開化(かいか)天皇以降の諸代の天皇の子孫に限られている。それに対して、大伴連(おおとものむらじ)、中臣(なかとみ)連、物部(もののべ)連のように連を称する氏は、神武天皇より前の神々の子孫ということになった。このように、出自別に分けられた氏は、臣が多く遠い皇親に、公が近い皇親に、また連が天神・天孫の子孫と区分されており、氏姓制度が確立し、大和王権の全国支配が拡大するなかで、天皇とその祖先神を中心としながら、有力な豪族が秩序づけられたものにほかならないのである。

［原島礼二］

姓の賦与と地位

そうした姓(かばね)のなかには、ほかに別(わけ)も含まれるが、こうした秩序づけは、これを氏族の政治的地位からみると、次のような実態によるところが多い。すなわち、臣は畿内(きない)の有力な豪族を中心に与えられたもので、連は、大王に直属する有力な伴造(とものみやつこ)を中心に与えられたものといえよう。

　ところで、姓のもう一つのタイプは、大和王権の官職と関係して与えられたものである。たとえば造(みやつこ)は、皇室部民の伴造氏族の多く、および手工業関係の伴造氏族の若干、あるいは秦造(はたのみやつこ)のように、有力な渡来系氏族に与えられている。また直(あたい)は、全国各地の国造(くにのみやつこ)に与えられ、また有力な渡来系氏族（倭漢直(やまとのあやのあたい)）にも与えられた。そして国造のなかでも有力な豪族は、上毛野君(かみつけぬのきみ)（上野(こうずけ)国）、肥君(ひのきみ)（肥後国）のように、君という姓を与えられている。さらに村主(すぐり)、勝(すぐり)、吉志(きし)など、朝鮮との関係の深い姓は、多く渡来系氏族に与えられた。官職関係の姓としては、そのほかに首(おびと)、稲置(いなぎ)、阿比古(あびこ)、国造、県主(あがたぬし)、画師(えし)、薬師(くすし)、史(ふひと)、日佐(おさ)、神主(かんぬし)、視(はふり)などがある。

［原島礼二］

氏姓制度の転換

このような姓と氏を結び付けた氏姓制度は、やがて大化改新を経て、壬申(じんしん)の乱（672）後の天武(てんむ)朝に大きな転機を迎えた。684年（天武天皇13）に制定された八色(やくさ)の姓(かばね)がそれである。

　八色の姓ではまず、天皇の神格的地位が強化されたのに応じて、皇室に近い血縁氏族若干を、8種の新姓のトップ真人(まひと)に位置づけた（前記の公(きみ)姓皇親氏族）。続いて第二位の朝臣(あそん)には、中臣(なかとみ)（藤原）、石上(いそのかみ)（物部）など畿内の最大級貴族をこれにあて、大伴(おおとも)、佐伯(さえき)など有力な連(むらじ)姓豪族には第三位の宿禰(すくね)を与えた。以下第四位の忌寸(いみき)、第五位の道師(みちのし)を置いて、その下位に従来の上級の姓だった臣と連を位置づけた（第八位は稲置）のである。このように、八色の姓によって、氏姓制度の伝統的秩序は再編成され、皇親を天皇の神格的地位の側近とする体制が成立した。

　その後、奈良・平安時代を通じて朝臣が事実上上位を占め、多くの氏族が朝臣姓を求めたため、朝臣を名のる氏族数がしだいに増加した。それにつれて、再編成された氏姓制度そのものが機能しなくなり、後世には尊称として姓の一部が生き続けるだけとなった。

［原島礼二］

『阿部武彦著『氏姓』（1966・至文堂）』▽『前之園亮一著『研究史　古代の姓』（1976・吉川弘文館）』▽『原島礼二著『古代王権の形成』（1977・校倉書房）』

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