Imperial command - Rinji

Documents issued by Kurodo (Treasury Secretary) at the command of the Emperor. The documents issued by the Emperor as stipulated in the Official Orders (Kushikiryo) were imperial edicts and chokusho (imperial orders), but when the Kurodosho was established in the Heian period, rinji and senji (sendai) issued by Kurodo at the command of the Emperor were added to these. Rinji are documents in the hosho style issued by Kurodo under the command of the Emperor and signed by the Kurodo. They were originally written in the form of private letters and were used for minor matters, but were later used for political and official matters as well. There are still surviving rinji from the mid-Heian period onwards, but many remain that were issued by Emperor Godaigo and his descendants during the Southern Court during the Kenmu government and the subsequent Nanboku-cho period, when the power of the Emperor was growing significantly. The paper used for the imperial edict was usually shukushi (refined paper, also known as usuzumi paper or kouya paper), but sometimes blank paper was also used.

[Momose Kesao]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

天皇の命を受けて蔵人(くろうど)が発行する文書。公式令(くしきりょう)に定める天皇の発給文書は詔書、勅書などであったが、平安時代に蔵人所が設置されると、蔵人が勅命を受けて出す綸旨や宣旨(せんじ)がこれに加わった。綸旨は勅命により蔵人が自分の署名で発行する奉書形式の文書で、もともと私的な書状形式であり、内容も軽微な事柄に用いられたが、のちには政治的・公的事柄にも使用された。平安中期以降の綸旨が現存するが、天皇権力の伸長著しかった建武(けんむ)政府およびその後の南北朝時代に、後醍醐(ごだいご)天皇とその子孫の南朝で発行したものが数多く残っている。綸旨の用紙は宿紙(しゅくし)（漉(す)き返した紙で、薄墨(うすずみ)紙、紙屋(こうや)紙ともいう）が普通であるが、ときに白紙も使われた。

［百瀬今朝雄］

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