Lady of the Court - Nyokan

Originally, they were women (Kunin) who worked in the twelve offices of the Imperial Court, such as Naishi no Tsukasa and Kura no Tsukasa, as stipulated in the "Gokushiki Inryo (Order for the Personnel of the Harem)." In the twelve offices of the Imperial Court, Nyoju and Uneme (Sanji) were placed under the duties of Sho-, Ten-, and Sho- (e.g., Kura no Tsukasa = Shozo, Tenzo, Shozo). During the Nara period and the mid-Heian period, the twelve offices were dismantled and reorganized with Naishi no Tsukasa at the center, and many positions were created for high-ranking court ladies, such as Myobu (in the Ritsuryo system, women of the fifth rank or higher were called Nai-myobu, and wives of government officials of the fifth rank or higher were called Soi-myobu), and for low-ranking court ladies, Nyokurodo, Tokusen, and Nyosu were created. However, there are also cases where only lower-ranking court ladies are referred to as "nyōkan." It can also be read as "nyokan," and there is a theory that in the early modern period "nyokan" referred to higher-ranking court ladies and "nyokan" referred to lower-ranking court ladies, but this is questionable.

[Nobuo Kuroita]

"The Harem and Court Ladies" by Nomura Tadao (1978, Kyoikusha Rekishi Shinsho)" ▽ "The Japanese Harem" by Tsunoda Fumiei (1973, Gakutosha)" ▽ "A Study of the History of Women under the Ritsuryo System" by Suda Haruko (1978, Chiyoda Shobo)" ▽ "A Study of the Harem and Court Ladies in the Heian Period" by Suda Haruko (1982, Chiyoda Shobo)" ▽ "A New Interpretation of Court Ladies" by Asai Torao, edited by Tokoro Kyoko (Kodansha Academic Library)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

本来は『後宮職員令(ごくしきいんりょう)』に定められた内侍司(ないしのつかさ)・蔵司(くらのつかさ)などの十二司に勤務する女子（宮人(くにん)）。後宮(こうきゅう)十二司には、尚―・典―・掌―（例、蔵司＝尚蔵・典蔵・掌蔵）の職事(しきじ)の下に、女孺(にょじゅ)や采女(うねめ)（散事(さんじ)）が置かれた。奈良時代を経て平安中期に至る間に変遷し十二司は解体に向かい、内侍司中心に再編され、上級女官には命婦(みょうぶ)（令制は五位以上の女子を内(ない)命婦、五位以上の官人の妻を外(げ)命婦という）、下級女官には女蔵人(にょくろうど)・得選(とくせん)・女史など多くの職ができた。なお下級女官のみを女官と称している場合もみられる。また「にょうかん」とも読み、近世に「にょかん」は上級女官を、「にょうかん」は下級女官を称するという説があるが疑問である。

［黒板伸夫］

『野村忠夫著『後宮と女官』（1978・教育社歴史新書）』▽『角田文衛著『日本の後宮』（1973・学燈社）』▽『須田春子著『律令制女性史研究』（1978・千代田書房）』▽『須田春子著『平安時代後宮及び女司の研究』（1982・千代田書房）』▽『浅井虎夫著、所京子校訂『新訂女官通解』（講談社学術文庫）』

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