The Kabane System was a system of division between different clans (uji). It was also known as the Shisei system and developed from the interchange of ideas from Paekche.

This system saw to it that the uji would give the imperial monarch needed services as well as acting to reinforce imperial authority outside of Yamato through the use of regional members given kabane titles. This allowed provincial leaders to be incorporated into the kabane system even if they had no direct relation to an uji family.

The uji created more types of Be professions allowing uji groups to grow and spread into new branch families. Marriage alliances would link high and low ranking members of the uji at court together.

During the 6th century the four major level of kabane were Omi (臣), Muraji (連), Tomo no miyatsuko and Kuni no miyatsuko (国造). But by the 7th century this system came to be dismantled into a system of a corps of officials charge with leading a place for a specific time.

The Taika Reforms would emphasise the need for this change so that the Emperor could consolidate power. A few consessions were made and in 664 the uji were divided into ‘Great uji‘, ‘Small uji‘ and ‘tomo no miyatsuko.’

By 670 the titles had become hereditary to male descendants and in 684 the Yakusa no Kabane system was created.¹

Yakusa no Kabane

The Yakusa no Kabane (八色の姓) was a system established in 684 by Emperor Tenmu to strengthen imperial authority. This system involved bestowing eight honorary titles (kabane) to certain families after the events of the Jinshin no Ran.¹

These titles were Mahito, Ason (Asomi) (朝臣), Sukune, Imiki, Michinochi, Omi (臣), Muraji (連) and Inagi (Inaki).¹²

The titles of Mahito and Ason were given to close Imperial relatives. Sukune and Imiki to members with illustrious lineage. With the other titles bestowed to lesser officials. The titles were appended to family names.

The highest four titles were used to reconcile the kabane status of families with a heirarchy based on rank and office and a legal ruling made it that an uji’s prestige was a criteria for promotion. The Taihō Code however, in 702, did away with this provision.¹

Kabane Titles

The Kabane (姓) were hereditary titles indicative of the social rank and duty of the uji no kami. The kabane were also held by the uji no kami’s close kin and originally may have been to show deference from the uji no bito to the uji no kami.¹

The titles of Omi (臣), Muraji (連) and Miyatsuko (国造) were traditionally given to those who were in service at court. Kimi (君/公), Atae ,(直) and Obito were given to regional lords with Imiki and Fuhito given to families of continental origin (Kikajin).¹

This system was reorganised in 684 into the Yakusa no Kabane, but did not fully die out until the 10th century.¹²

Individuals/Clans who held these titles:

Ason:

• • Kasa
    • Kasa Kanamura
    • Kasa Maro
  • Ō no Yasumaro
  • Yamabe no Akahito

Atahe:

• • Chikatsu Afumi no Yasu no atahe
  • Ki no Atahe
  • Ohoshikafuchi no Atahe
  • Yamashiro no Atahe

Omi:

• • Abe no Omi
  • Ahata no Omi
  • Ahe no Omi
  • Ana no Omi
  • Chita no Omi
  • Haguri no Omi
  • Hozumi no Omi
  • Ichihiwi no Omi
  • Iga no Omi
  • Izumo no Omi.
    • Izumo no Omi Hiroshima
  • Kakinomoto no Omi
  • Kashihade no Omi
  • Kasuga no Omi
  • Kibi no Omi
  • Kusaki no Omi
  • Miyake no Omi
    • Miyake no Omi Kanatari
  • Muza no Omi
  • Noto no Omi
  • Oho no Omi
  • Ohoyake no Omi
  • Taki no Omi
  • Tsunuyama no Omi
  • Wani no Omi
  • Wonu no Omi
  • Yamashiro no Uchi no Omi

Kimi

• • Amu no Nagato no Kimi
  • Harima no Aso no kimi
  • Himeda no kimi
  • Homujibe no kimi
  • Ichishi no kimi
  • Inugami no kimi
  • Ise no Ihitaka no kimi
  • Iyo no Wake no kimi
  • Kamitsuke no kimi
  • Kamo no kimi
  • Kibi no homuji no kimi
  • Miwa no kimi
  • Mononobe no kimi
  • Mori no kimi
  • Muketsu no kimi
  • Murokata no kimi
    • Idzuhime
  • Ōmiwa no kimi
  • Sanuki no Aya no kimi
  • Sasa no kimi
  • Sasakiyama no kimi
  • Shimotsuke no kimi
  • Tagima no Magari no kimi
  • Takebe no kimi

Kuni no miyatsuko

• • Chikatsu Atsufumi kuni no miyatsuko
  • Himuka no kuni no Miyatsuko
  • Ise no Sana no miyatsuko
  • Izumo no miyatsuko
    • Izumo no Omi Hiroshima
  • Ki no kuni no miyatsuko
    • Ki no kuni no miyatsuko no aya
    • Arakahatobe
  • Minu no kuni no miyatsuko
  • Mototsu no kuni no miyatsuko
  • Tajima no kuni no miyatsuko

Muraji

• • Haji Clan
    • Haji no Mino
  • Kagamidzukuri no muraji – The Mirror Makers, descendants of Ishikoridome.³
  • Kusakabe no muraji
  • Nagahatabe no muraji
  • Nukada Be no muraji
  • Takehi
    • Takehi no muraji
  • Witsukahi no muraji
  • Wohari no muraji

Sukune

• • Haji Clan
    • Haji no Umate

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
3. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.

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• Reign: 673-686AD
• Period: Asuka Period
• Family: Empress Kōgyoku (mother) Empress Jitō (wife) Emperor Tenji (brother) Prince Kusakabe (son) Emperor Kōbun (nephew) Prince Ōtsu (son)
• Burial Place: –
• Order of Succession: Predecessor Emperor Kōbun * Successor Empress Jitō

Emperor Tenmu

Emperor Tenmu (天武天皇) (Prince Oama⁷) was the 40th Emperor of Japan reigning from 673-86AD. He was the brother of Emperor Tenji and uncle to Emperor Kōbun¹, his mother was the Empress Kōgyoku and his son was Prince Kusakabe. His wife would become the later Empress Jitō.²

Jinshin no Ran

The Jinshin no Ran (壬申の乱) was a battle involving the forces of Temmu and Kōbun who at the time was on the throne. Temmu was growing impatient for the throne and so raised an army against his nephew. Though Kōbun fought alongside his troops he was bested in battle and committed suicide, thus allowing Temmu could cease the throne.¹

During the war in 672 members of the Haji supported Emperor Tenmu, though one Haji was caught by the future Emperors forces. Haji no Umate fought during the Jinshin War seeing a long career afterwards before his death in 711AD.⁵

Reign

During his reign, he strengthened his position by taking nine wives. Four were his nieces, two were daughters of Fujiwara no Kamatari and the another was of the Soga Clan.

He was not a fan of Buddhism and it was this Emperor who instated the tradition of rebuilding the Ise Grand Shrine every twenty years as a symbol of rebirth.¹

During the first year of Tenmu’s reign Jitō

followed the Emperor when he took refuge in the Eastern provinces. She addressed the troops and mingled in the throng, until at length they together formed a plan by which several tens of thousands of fearless men were separately ordered to take up their posts in all the most defensible positions.

For 14 years Tenmu left the position of Great Minister vacant as he and Jitō governed jointly with a team of Imperial Princes, making decisions with them and without consulting the Council of Nobles.

In 681 he decrees an edict for the creation of law-codes known as the Asuka no Kyomihara Ritsuryō. During this decree he and his wife sat in the same seats befitting those of equal status.²

In AD682 Tenmu commissioned his Princes and High Officials to prepare:

a history of the Emperor’s and of matters of high antiquity

which would eventually lead to the creation of the Kojiki.³⁴

In 684 we see the Emperor establish the Yakusa no Kabane to strengthen imperial authority. This system involved bestowing eight honorary titles (kabane) to certain families after the events of the Jinshin no Ran.⁶

In 687 he decrees:

all matters of the Empire, without distinction of great and small, should be referred to the Empress-Consort (Jitō) and the Prince Imperial (Prince Kusakabe).²

Footnotes

1. Martin, P. (1997) ”The Chrysanthemum Throne”. Gloucestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited.
2. Tsurumi, P. (1981) “Early Female Emperors” Historical Reflections Vol.8 No.1 pp.41-49.
3. Yasumaro. O, translated by Gustav Heldt. (2014) “Kojiki. An Account of Ancient Matters”. New York: Columbia University Press.
4. Aston. W.G. (1896) “Nihongi Volume 1: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD697″. Tuttle Publishing.
5. Borgen, R. (1975) “The Origins of the Sugawara. A History of the Haji Family”. Monumenta Nipponica. Vol.30 No.4 pp.405-422.
6. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
7. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.

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The post Emperor Tenmu appeared first on . A History . . of Japan . 日本歴史.