Law - Haha

A word meaning law in the Middle Ages and early modern times. During the Sengoku period, there were cases where the Sagara family of Higo (Kumamoto Prefecture) called provincial codes "so-and-so hatto" (laws), but after the Edo Shogunate enacted the Kinchu Narai Kuge Shohatto (laws for the Imperial Court and the Nobles) and the Buke Shohatto (laws for the Buke), laws, especially basic laws, came to be called "hatto." Important laws such as the Buke Shohatto were enacted by the Roju with the approval of the Shogun. Ordinary laws did not bear the name "hatto," and those that affected common people were issued in the form of "furegaki" (notices), and those for magistrates and other officials were issued in the form of "tassi" (notices). It is important to be careful, as some laws called "so-and-so hatto" were given names later. For example, the one called "shoshi hatto" (laws for the samurai) was enacted as "jo-jo" (articles), and later generations gave it the name "shoshi hatto."

[Ryosuke Ishii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世・近世において法令を意味する語。戦国時代に、肥後（熊本県）相良(さがら)家にみられるように、分国法典を何々法度とよぶものがあったが、江戸幕府が禁中並公家諸法度(きんちゅうならびにくげしょはっと)（禁中并公家中諸法度）、武家諸法度という法令を制定してより、法令、ことに基本的な法令を法度とよぶことが行われるようになった。武家諸法度のように重要なものは、老中が将軍の裁許を経て制定した。普通の法令は法度の名を帯びることなく、庶民に触れられるものは触書(ふれがき)、奉行(ぶぎょう)などの役人に対するものは達(たっし)の形式で発せられた。何々法度とよばれるもののなかには、のちに付名したものもあるから、注意しなければならない。たとえば、諸士法度とよばれるものは「条々」として制定されたもので、後人がこれに「諸士法度」という名称を与えたのである。

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