Mr. Uji

Japanese: 氏 - うじ

A name that indicates lineage, referring to a family name or surname. It is also sometimes used with a surname to show respect, such as "Yamada-shi (Uji)." In ancient Japanese society, it was the name given to the ruling class' patrilineal blood-related group.

[Hiromichi Mayuzumi]

Surnames in ancient societies

The patrilineal blood-relationship groups of ancient society were fictitious clan groups that included people who were not actually blood relatives, and blood-relationship groups of the general public, who were the ruled class, were not called uji. There are various theories about the origin of the word "uji," including "uchi" (inside), "umisuji" (life line), "umiji" (path of life), and "umichi" (raw blood). There is also a theory that it is the Korean pronunciation of the Chinese character "uji" with the prefix "u" added. However, it is said today that uji is of the same root as the Korean ul (tribe), and that it was pronounced udi during the Nara period. This is not impossible to think of, since the Korean word l corresponds to the Japanese word d. It has also been pointed out that the words for relatives, sons, or descendants in Mongolian, Turkish, Tungusic, and Buryat languages, which are close to Korean, are all of the same root, and are used only in the paternal or male line, and not in the maternal or female line. "Uji" is a word that indicates paternal kinship, and in this respect it is clearly different from the archaic words "Ugara" and "Yakara," which are used without limiting either male or female lineage. In ancient Japanese society, clan was the title of a ruling group, and cannot be considered the same as the clans of primitive societies or ancient Greek and Roman societies.

A clan was a collection of patriarchal families, and the patriarch of a patriarchal family was the representative and leader of the clan. This person was called the Uji no Kami (Ujimune), but the method of inheritance of the Uji no Kami position varied depending on the clan. As the representative of the clan, the Uji no Kami held the position and duties specific to the clan in the Yamato Imperial Court, and exercised a certain degree of political authority. Furthermore, within the clan, as the leader, he held the right to perform rituals for the Ujigami (family deity), maintained religious authority, adjudicated disputes within the clan, and exercised powers such as carrying out punishment. In contrast to the Uji no Kami, who was the representative and leader of the clan, the other general members of the clan were called Ujibito. Of course, many of them were related by blood to the Uji no Kami, but in many cases there was no direct blood relationship, and they only recognized each other as blood relatives in an abstract sense. For example, the relationship between the central Saeki clan (with the surname Muraji) and the local Saeki clan (with the surname Atai, etc.) is one such example. In such cases, those with higher surnames in effect controlled those with lower surnames. And under these surnames were groups of farmers and technicians with the surname Be, and there were also slaves. Thus, clans were nothing but political organizations linked through official positions in the Yamato court, rituals, and places of residence, and were fictitious blood-related groups that included many non-blood relatives but were themselves thought to be connected by blood ties. Many of the families that made up clans had independent economic bases and the clan lords' control did not seem to extend to economic aspects, so considering this in conjunction with the previous point, it is also a mistake to equate clans with the communist clans of primitive society.

The names of clans can be roughly divided into those derived from the place names of the place of residence and those derived from the names of occupations in the Yamato Imperial Court. The main ones of the former were Katsuragi, Heguri, Soga, Kose, Wani (all in Yamato), Ki, Kibi, Izumo, etc., while the powerful ones of the latter were Otomo, Mononobe, Nakatomi, Inbe, Haji, etc. Ancient clan names were one of these two types, and the latter were older in origin and far more numerous. The former were local clans with private citizens (kakibe), while the latter were bureaucratic clans that controlled Shinabe, who were their official subordinates, and their characteristics were different. The former powerful ones took the surname Omi, while the latter took the surname Muraji. The Omi clan generally claimed to be descended from the Emperor, while the Muraji clan claimed to be descended from the Kamibetsu clan, or gods who had served the Imperial Ancestors since the Age of the Gods. This can be compared to the difference between the Tozama and Fudai daimyo in the Edo period. In other words, the Omi clan were powerful clans who formed the Yamato government in alliance with the Imperial family, while the Muraji clan were former officials who played key roles in the household administration that rose to prominence as the Imperial family's status and power as the leader of the Yamato government improved, and these household administrations were expanded and reorganized to become the central organs of the Yamato government. This is similar to how the Tokugawa Shogunate is said to have been established by simply expanding the Shoya-style village control system. Considered from this, clans were privileged blood-related groups created by the ruling system of the Yamato court, and as the government developed, powerful local clans were also incorporated into the clans through organization.

The clans that were created in this way were given various surnames according to their lineage and status, in addition to Omi and Muraji. Thus, surnames were created as an indication of the clan's character, lineage, and lineage, and were also used by the emperor to control the clans. Ranks of dignity, superiority, and inferiority were established among the surnames, and the emperor promoted and demoted surnames as rewards and punishments. Therefore, in ancient society, the ruling class had to add a surname to their clan name, and it seems that clan names alone did not guarantee privileges. Thus, clans were politically and economically privileged groups, and even after the Taika Reforms, their privileges continued to be guaranteed, albeit in a changed form, politically through new ritsuryo-based official positions, and economically through the salaries and wages that accompanied them.

[Hiromichi Mayuzumi]

Legal surname

A surname refers to an individual's family name as per the family register. Traditionally, a surname was a family name, but with the revision of the Civil Code in 1947 (Showa 22), the family system was abolished and it became simply a name to refer to an individual. Under the current Civil Code, the general rule is that a married couple and their unmarried children should use the same surname, with various provisions in place. A married couple shall use the surname of either the husband or wife as determined at the time of marriage (Article 750 of the Civil Code). However, there is debate over whether to selectively allow a so-called separate surname system in which married couples each keep their previous surnames upon marriage, and various proposals for amending Article 750 of the Civil Code have been presented (Separate surnames for married couples issue). When a person who has changed their surname returns to their previous surname, this is called "reverting to a surname," and the Civil Code allows this in the following cases: When a married couple divorces, the person who changed their surname returns to the surname they had before marriage (Articles 767 and 771 of the Civil Code). When one of the married couples dies, the surviving spouse who changed their surname can return to their surname before marriage. However, if the person wishes, they can also use their surname before divorce (Article 751 of the Civil Code). A legitimate child shall take the surname of his/her parents. A child born out of wedlock shall take the surname of his/her mother (Article 790 of the same Act). In addition, if a child has a different surname from his/her father or mother, regardless of the reason, the child may take the surname of his/her father or mother with the permission of the family court (for example, if a father acknowledges a child born out of wedlock, he/she may change to the father's surname with the permission of the family court). As for an adopted child, the adopted child shall take the surname of the adoptive parent, and in the event of divorce, the child shall revert to the surname before the adoption (Article 816 of the same Act). In all of the above cases, persons who take the same surname shall be listed in the same family register. However, whether or not they are listed in the same family register and take the same surname has no bearing on the treatment under family law and inheritance law. For example, children are treated the same in terms of parental authority, support, inheritance, etc., whether they have the same surname or not. A change of surname (change of surname) requires the permission of the family court (Article 107 of the Family Register Act).

[Yasuyuki Takahashi and Masamitsu Nozawa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

家系を表す名称で、姓、苗字(みょうじ)をさす。また、「山田氏(うじ)」などと苗字につけて敬意を表すこともある。日本の古代社会においては、支配階級の父系血縁集団の呼称。

［黛　弘道］

古代社会の氏

古代社会の父系血縁集団は、実際の血縁以外の者をも包含する擬制的氏族集団のそれであり、また被支配階級である一般民衆の血縁集団を氏とはよばなかったことなどに、その特色があった。「うじ」の語源については「内(うち)」「生筋(うみすじ)」「生路(うみじ)」「生血(うみち)」などの諸説があり、漢字の「氏」の朝鮮音に「う」という接頭音がついたものという説もあった。しかし今日では、氏は朝鮮語のul（族）と同根で、奈良時代にはudiと発音されたとも説かれる。朝鮮語lと日本語dとは対応するから、こう考えられないことはない。なお朝鮮語に近い蒙古(もうこ)（モンゴル）語、トルコ語、ツングース語、ブリヤート語などで親戚(しんせき)・息子ないし子孫を表す語がいずれも同根であり、父系・男系にのみ用いられ、母系・女系には用いられないことも指摘されている。「うじ」は父系の血縁を示す語で、男系・女系いずれとも限定せずに用いられる古語「うがら」「やから」ともその点で明瞭(めいりょう)に相違する。日本古代社会における氏は支配集団の称呼であり、未開社会やギリシア・ローマの古代社会の氏族クランclanと同一視できない。

　氏は家父長制的家族の集合体であり、そのうちの族長的家族の家父長が、その氏の代表者、統率者となった。これを氏上(うじのかみ)（氏宗）とよんだが、氏により氏上の地位の継承法には相違があった。氏上はその氏の代表者として大和(やまと)朝廷におけるその氏固有の地位、職掌を保有し、一定の政治的発言権を行使した。また氏族内部に対しては、その統率者として氏神(うじがみ)の祭祀(さいし)権を握って宗教的権威を保ち、氏内の争訟を裁断し、刑を執行するなどの権力を行使した。このような氏の代表者、統率者としての氏上に対して、その他の氏の一般成員を氏人(うじびと)という。彼らは氏上と血縁関係のある者ももちろん多いが、往々にして直接血縁関係がなく、ただ互いに観念的に血縁者と自認しているにすぎない場合も少なくなかった。たとえば、中央の佐伯(さえき)氏（連(むらじ)姓）と地方の佐伯氏（直(あたい)姓など）との関係などがこれである。このような場合、事実上は上級の姓(かばね)を有する者が下級の姓の者を支配しているわけである。そしてこれら有姓者の下にはそれぞれ部(べ)姓の農民とか技術者の集団が分属しており、さらに、それとは別に奴隷も存在した。かくして氏は、大和朝廷における官職、あるいは祭祀、居住地などを通じて結合した政治団体にほかならず、非血縁者を多く含みながら、彼ら自身血縁的紐帯(ちゅうたい)によって結ばれていると観念したところの擬制的血縁集団であった。氏を構成する多数の家族は独立の経済的基盤をもち、氏上の統制は経済面には及ばなかったようなので、これを先の点とあわせ考えて、氏を原始社会の共産的氏族と同一視することも誤りである。

　氏の名には大別して、居住地の地名に由来するものと、大和朝廷における職業名に由来するものとがあった。前者のおもなものは葛城(かずらき)、平群(へぐり)、蘇我(そが)、巨勢(こせ)、和邇(わに)（以上大和）、紀(き)、吉備(きび)、出雲(いずも)などであり、後者の有力なものは大伴(おおとも)、物部(もののべ)、中臣(なかとみ)、忌部(いんべ)、土師(はじ)などであった。古代の氏の名はこの2種のいずれかであり、また後者が起源においてより古く、数においてはるかに多かった。前者は私有民（部曲(かきべ)）をもつ土豪的氏族、後者は職務上の配下である品部(しなべ)を統率する官僚的氏族であり、その性格を異にした。前者の有力なものは臣(おみ)の姓を称し、後者では連(むらじ)を称した。臣姓豪族は皇別すなわち天皇の後裔(こうえい)と称するのが一般であり、連姓豪族は神別すなわち神代の昔から皇祖の神々に奉仕した神の後裔と称しているが、これは江戸時代における外様(とざま)大名と譜代(ふだい)大名との違いにも比せられる。すなわち、臣姓豪族は天皇家と連合して大和政権を構成した有力豪族、連姓豪族は大和政権の盟主としての天皇家の地位、実力の向上に伴って頭角を現した家政機関のおもだった役人あがりであり、その家政機関が拡大改組されて大和政権の中枢機関となったのである。徳川幕府が「庄屋(しょうや)仕立て」つまり庄屋の村落支配機構をそのまま拡大して成立したといわれるのと似ている。これによって考えれば、氏は大和朝廷の支配体制によって生み出された特権的血縁集団であり、政権の発展に伴って地方の有力豪族も氏に組織される形で取り込まれていったのであろう。

　このようにして生まれた氏には臣、連のほか、その家柄や身分に応じてさまざまな姓が与えられた。したがって、姓は氏の性格・系統・家柄の表示として創出され、天皇が氏々を支配する手段ともされた。姓の間に尊卑、上下の序列、格差が設けられ、賞罰としての姓の昇降が天皇の手によって行われた。したがって、古代社会では支配階級は氏の名に姓を添えて名のる必要があったのであり、氏の名だけでは特権の保証とはならなかったものと思われる。氏はこのように政治的、経済的な特権団体であるが、大化改新後もその特権は政治的には新しい律令(りつりょう)的官職により、また経済的にはそれに伴う俸給、給与により、形を変えながらも引き続き保証された。

［黛　弘道］

法律上の氏

戸籍ごとの個人の姓をいう。従来は氏は家名であったが、1947年（昭和22）の民法の改正により、家の制度が廃止された結果、単なる個人の呼称となった。現行民法では、夫婦と未婚の子は同じ氏を称することを原則として、種々の規定が置かれている。夫婦は婚姻の際に定めるところにより、夫または妻の氏を称する（民法750条）。ただし、婚姻に際して、夫婦がそれぞれ従来の氏をもち続けるいわゆる夫婦別姓制度を選択的に認めるかどうかが議論され、民法750条についてさまざまな改正案が提示されている（夫婦別姓問題）。氏を改めた者が以前の氏に復することを復氏といい、民法では以下のような場合に復氏を認めている。夫婦が離婚した場合、氏を改めた者が婚姻前の氏に復する（同767条・771条）。夫婦の一方が死亡した場合には、氏を改めた生存配偶者は婚姻前の氏に戻ることができる。ただし、本人が望めば離婚前の氏を称することもできる（同751条）。嫡出子は父母の氏を称する。嫡出でない子は母の氏を称する（同790条）。また、子が父または母と氏を異にする場合には、どのような原因によるかを問わず、子は家庭裁判所の許可を受けて、その父または母の氏を称することができる（たとえば、父が嫡出でない子を認知すれば、家庭裁判所の許可を受けて、父の氏に変更することができる）。養子については、養子は養親の氏を称し、離縁した場合には縁組み前の氏に戻る（同816条）。以上、いずれの場合にも同一の氏を称する者は、同一の戸籍に記載される。なお、同じ戸籍に載っていて、同じ氏を称しているかどうかは、親族法、相続法上の取扱い上なんの関係もない。たとえば、子であれば氏が同じでも違っていても親権、扶養、相続などに関して、同じ扱いを受ける。氏の変更（改氏）については、家庭裁判所の許可を要する（戸籍法107条）。

［高橋康之・野澤正充］