Testament - Yuigon

Japanese: 遺言 - ゆいごん

〘Noun〙① Words left behind for afterlife. Igen. Igon. Yuigen. ※Man'yoshu (late 8th century) 4, 567, left note: "I wished to ask my stepbrother, _Ina _{no Omi} , for my niece, Komaru, _to leave _{a will} _. " ※Utsubo (c. 970-999) Toshikage: "He left Yuigon and died out." ② A single expression of intent made in accordance with a certain format for bequests, designation of inheritance shares, recognition, etc., for the purpose of generating legal effect after one's death. In modern law, it is customarily read as "igon." [Etymology] (1) From ancient times to the present, the Go-on reading Yuigon has been used, but in medieval dictionaries such as "Unpo Shikiyoshu" and "Irohaji," the form Yuigen, which combines Go-on and Kan-on, can be seen.
(2) In early modern documents, Yuigon is the norm, but Yuigen is also used, and sometimes Igen in the Chinese reading is also seen. In the Meiji period, the use of these three readings continued, but Yuigon was generally used.
(3) The term "igon" currently used as a legal term is based on the most common "yuigon" and combines it with the Chinese reading of "i," which is the most common reading of "i" as in "will" (kosho) (a will) and "inheritance," and began to be used around the end of the Meiji period as a word with a strict legal meaning.

I- gen'i... [Will]

〘Noun〙① = yuigon (will) ※Ukiyo-zoshi, Shinjitsu Ise Monogatari (1690), 3 "The will of the dead was written down" [Shunju Zuo Zhuan, Ai Gong 3rd year] ② What the ancestors said in their lifetime. Also, their words. Speaking from the perspective of people in later generations. ※Yomihon, Tsubakisetsu Yumiharizuki (1807-11), 3 "The Tenson clan once wrote a will, and they were a great raider of our country" [Xunzi, Encouragement of Learning] ③ ⇒ igon (will) ②

I- gon-i... [Will]

〘Noun〙① = Igen (will) ② In law, a person's final will is a declaration of intent made by a person alone in accordance with a certain format regarding bequests, designation of inheritance shares, recognition, etc., for the purpose of creating legal effect after death. Generally, it is called "Yui-gon."

Ii- gon'ihi [will]

〘Noun〙 (A variant of the word "yui-gon" (will)) Something to be said after death. Also, the words themselves. Ii-gen. Ii-gen. ※Shingaku-dangi (1430), another edition of the record: "It was said that Motokiyo should perform a dance."

Yui-gen [Will]

〘Noun〙 = Yuigon (Will) ※Yonezawa Honshasekishu (1283) 10th chapter "In the will ( Yuigen ), it was stated that the property should be opened after the end of the reign."

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙① 死後のために生前に言いのこすことば。いげん。いごん。ゆいげん。※万葉（８Ｃ後）四・五六七・左注「望_二請庶弟稲公姪胡麿_一、欲_レ語_二遺言_一者」※宇津保（970‐999頃）俊蔭「ゆいごんし置きて、絶え入り給ひぬ」② 自分の死後に法律上の効力を発生させる目的で、遺贈、相続分の指定、認知などにつき、一定の方式に従ってする単独の意思表示。現代の法律では習慣として「いごん」と読む。[語誌](1)古くから現在に至るまで、呉音よみのユイゴンが使われているが、中世の辞書「運歩色葉集」「いろは字」などには呉音と漢音を組み合わせたユイゲンの形が見える。
(2)近世の文献ではユイゴンが主だが、ユイゲンも使われており、時に漢音よみのイゲンも見られる。明治時代にもこの三種併用の状態は続くが、一般にはユイゴンが用いられた。
(3)現在、法律用語として慣用されるイゴンという言い方は、最も一般的なユイゴンをもとにして、「遺書」「遺産」など、「遺」の読み方として最も普通な、漢音のイを組み合わせた形で、法律上の厳密な意味を担わせる語として明治末年ごろから使われ始めた。

い‐げんヰ‥【遺言】

〘名〙① ＝ゆいごん（遺言）※浮世草子・真実伊勢物語（1690）三「むようのいげんを書置けると」〔春秋左伝‐哀公三年〕② 先人が生前言ったこと。また、その言葉。後世の人の立場からいう。※読本・椿説弓張月（1807‐11）残「天孫氏嘗(かつて)遺言(イゲン)すらくわが国の大なる寇(あた)なり」〔荀子‐勧学〕③ ⇒いごん（遺言）②