A star of a thousand ryo

The term originally came from Kabuki, but is now used more generally as a compliment to politicians, business people, and others who have a dignified presence that overwhelms others. In the Edo period, Kabuki actors were employed by theaters on a one-year contract that ran from November to October of the following year. Actors whose annual contracts amounted to the high sum of 1,000 ryo were called senryo actors in praise of their performance. The exact origins of the term are unclear, but it is said to have been Yoshizawa Ayame I of Kamigata and Ichikawa Danjuro II of Edo around the time of the Shotoku and Kyoho eras (1711-1736). Later, there were actors who actually earned more than 1,000 ryo a year, but the term became common as a standard and was used to mean a great actor or a high-ranking actor who could earn 1,000 ryo.

[Yukio Hattori]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

もと歌舞伎(かぶき)用語から出たことばだが、現在ではむしろ一般語として、政治家や経済人などで、堂々と他を圧するような風格をもつ人をさす褒めことばとして使われている。江戸時代の歌舞伎俳優は、11月から翌年10月までの1年間の契約で劇場に抱えられた。その年間契約が千両の高額に上る俳優を賛仰して千両役者とよんだ。その始めは正確ではないが、正徳(しょうとく)・享保(きょうほう)（1711～36）ごろにおける上方(かみがた)の初世芳沢(よしざわ)あやめ、江戸の2世市川団十郎などと伝えられる。のちには、実際には年給千両を超える俳優も出てきたが、一つの基準としてこの用語が一般化し、千両をとるほどの偉大な俳優、格式の高い俳優という意味で使われた。

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