Xiang - xiang (English)

Japanese: 廂 - しょう（英語表記）xiāng

The name of the divisions inside and outside of cities used in China mainly during the Song dynasty. The original meaning was the sub-houses on either side of the main building. During the 8th century under Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang dynasty, the forbidden army was divided into two xiangs, and the meaning expanded to include military divisions and garrison areas. At the beginning of the Five Dynasties, xiangs were established as military police jurisdiction areas within cities. In Kaifeng, the capital of the Northern Song dynasty, the inner and outer cities were divided into eight xiangs, each of which had a xiang administrator or lower, and performed functions such as crime prevention, disaster prevention, and summary courts. In the Southern Song dynasty, functions were subdivided, and corners and other areas were created, and xiangs came to refer to adjacent areas outside the city.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中国で主として宋代に使われた都市内外の区画の名称。原義は母屋（おもや）の両脇の副屋。8世紀唐の玄宗時代，禁軍を左右の廂に分置したことから，軍隊区分，駐屯地域に意味が拡大した。五代初めには都市内の軍事警察管轄区としての廂が確立。北宋の国都開封では内外城が四廂ずつ八廂に分けられ，各廂に廂典以下の胥吏（しより）が配置されて，防犯，防災，簡易裁判などの機能を果たした。南宋になると機能が細分化して隅（ぐう）などを生じ，廂は城外隣接区の呼称に変わる。

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

<<: Imperial Rescript - Sho

>>: Sho