Damage relief - Somen

Japanese: 損免 - そんめん

A historical term from the Middle Ages and the early modern period. In the early modern period, it was also written as "sonmen." It refers to the reduction or exemption of rice tax when crops are damaged by natural disasters such as drought, wind and flood damage, or insect damage. "Although there are village and local rules for exemptions, these will be gradually abolished in the future. From now on, the stewards, landlords, headmen, and farmers will have the land inspected and will ask for compensation according to the amount of crops," (Rokkaku Shikimoku, Article 13), and so on. In the Middle Ages, when damage from natural disasters was severe, peasants would request exemptions, and procedures were required to have the lords recognize the damage situation and acknowledge the reduced harvest by not harvesting the crops.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中･近世の歴史用語。近世には損面とも書く。作毛が干ばつや風水害，虫害などの自然災害による被害をこうむった際，年貢所当米を減免または免除されることをいう。〈損免の事，庄例郷例有りと雖も，先々次第棄破せられおわんぬ。自今以後に於いては，所務人地主名主作人等立相内検せしめ，立毛に応じて之を乞い，下行有るべし〉(六角氏式目13条)などと見えるように，中世においては自然災害による被害がひどい場合，百姓たちは損免要求を行い，作毛を刈り取らず領主側に被害状況を認識させ，収穫の減少することを認めさせる手続が必要となる。

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

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