Concubine - Shou

Japanese: 妾 - しょう

A spouse other than the legitimate wife under polygamy. There is doubt as to whether the distinction between legitimate wife and concubine existed before the Taika period. There is a theory that it is similar to the ancient distinction between "konami" and "uhanari," but there is no definite proof. In the Ritsuryo system, the system of wives and concubines was inherited, following the Chinese system. However, the Ritsuryo of Yoro revised the mother law and stipulated that concubines were the same as wives, being the second degree of kin. Also, in the interpretation found in the Ritsuryo Shukai, concubines were treated as "second wives," but the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate was determined by the power relationship among the polygamous wives, unlike the law. There is no doubt that the second wives of ancient times and concubines under the Ritsuryo system were spouses, but the status of concubines steadily declined as the marriage system changed from a son-in-law marriage to a wife-in-law marriage. After the Meiji Restoration, the editors of the "Shinritsu Koryo" rode the wave of restorationism, revived the Taiho Code and established a system of second-degree kinship between wives and concubines, giving concubines a status equivalent to that of wives. However, this system was opposed from the standpoint of European law, and during the process of drafting the old Criminal Code, which came into effect in 1882, heated debates were held, with the proponents of monogamy and the abolition of concubines prevailing. Then, shortly after the old Criminal Code was enacted, the concubine registration system was abolished, and concubines, even those of noble families, lost their legal status.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

一夫多妻制下における嫡妻以外の配偶者。大化以前に，嫡妻，妾の区分が存在したか否かには疑いがある。古語の「こなみ」「うはなり」の別を，これに擬する説もあるが，確証がない。律令制においては，中国の制にならって，妻妾の制が継受された。しかし，養老の儀制令は，母法を改正して，妾を妻と同じ2等親と定めている。また，『令集解』にみえる解釈においても，妾は「次妻」として取扱われているが，嫡庶の別は，法律とは異なり，多妻間における力関係によって定められる有様であった。上代の次妻，律令制の妾が，配偶者であることは疑いがないが，妾の地位は，婚姻制が，執聟婚より迎婦婚へと変化するにつれて下落の一途をたどった。明治維新後，妾の地位は，『新律綱領』の編者が，復古主義の波に乗って，大宝令制を復活し，妻妾2等親の制を定めたために，妻に準じるものとなった。しかし，この制度については，ヨーロッパ法の立場より反対が唱えられ，1882年施行の旧刑法の立法過程において，激論がかわされた結果，一夫一婦論者，廃妾論者の主唱が勝を制した。そして，旧刑法施行後，ほどなく，妾の登録制も廃止され，妾は貴顕のそれといえども，法律上の地位を失うこととなった。

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