Eight-colored surnames - Yakusa no kabane

Japanese: 八色の姓 - やくさのかばね

Also called "Hashiki no sei" or "Hashiki no kabane." A surname system established in the 13th year of the reign of Emperor Tenmu (684). The existing surnames were consolidated into eight ranks: Mahito, Asomi, Ason, Sukune, Imiki, Michinoshi, Omi, Muraji, and Inagi, in order to clarify the hierarchy of family ranks and to place clans under the control of the Imperial Court. The names of Masato were given to powerful clans with the surname Kuni whose ancestors were Emperors after the Keitai period, Ason to clans separate from the Emperor, Sukune to powerful clans with the surnames Omi and Muraji, Kimi to naturalized clans, Doshi to clans with hereditary skills and arts, Omi and Muraji to clans with the old surnames Omi and Muraji that were not included in Sukune, and Inanoki to clans with the original surname Inanoki. Of these, there are no examples of the surname Doshi being bestowed in historical records.

The remains of the eight-colored surnames

Please see the "Eight Colored Surnames" page.

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

Japanese:

「はっしきのせい」「はっしきのかばね」ともいう。天武 13 (684) 年制定された姓の制度。従来の姓を統合して，真人 (まひと) ，朝臣 (あそみ，あそん) ，宿禰 (すくね) ，忌寸 (いみき) ，道師 (みちのし) ，臣 (おみ) ，連 (むらじ) ，稲置 (いなぎ) の8級に改め，家格の尊卑を明らかにすると同時に氏族を朝廷の統制のもとにおこうとした。真人は継体朝以後の天皇を祖とする公姓の豪族に，朝臣は皇別の諸氏に，宿禰は臣・連姓の有力氏族に，忌寸は帰化系氏族に，道師は技芸を世襲する氏族に，臣・連は宿禰にもれた旧来の臣・連姓の氏族に，稲置はもとの稲置姓の氏族にそれぞれ与えられた。このうち道師賜姓の実例は史籍に見当らない。