Taihō Code

The Taihō Codex ( Japanese 宝律令 Taihō-ritsuryō ) was the result of an administrative reform in 701 at the beginning of the so-called Taihō period in Japan, which marked the end of the Asuka period . The code was one of the Ritsuryo ( 律令 ). Like many other developments in Japan at the time, it was heavily influenced by the system of government of the Tang Dynasty then ruling China . It was one of the first instances that ideas of Confucianism played an important role in Japanese ethical and government regulations.

The original version of the law was lost in the course of time.

It was revised in 718 in the Nara period to better reflect Japanese traditions and the practical needs of administration. The revised edition was called Yōrō-ritsuryō . For some parts of the law, however, Chinese logic and morals were taken to extremes.

The body of law contains only two important deviations from the Tang model.

First of all, government positions and class status were determined after birth, as it had always been in Japanese tradition - not according to skills like (at least the theory) in China. Second, the Japanese rejected the Chinese concept of a Mandate from Heaven because, according to Japanese tradition, the power of the Japanese emperor stems solely from his ancestry, not his ability or justice as a ruler.

Government organization

The law established two branches of government: the Jingi-kan (area of worship) and the Daijō-kan (area of the state). The Jingi-kan was the higher level area above the Daijō-kan and dealt with all spiritual, religious and ritual matters. The Daijō-kan dealt with secular administrative matters.

The Jingi-kan was responsible for the annual festivals ( Matsuri ) and official court ceremonies such as coronations, as well as for the maintenance of the Shinto shrines , the discipline of the shrine guardians, the recording and observation of oracles and prophecies. Although he managed all of the Shinto shrines in the country, he had no ties to Buddhism and the Buddhist temples.

The Daijō-kan dealt with all secular affairs and was led by the Grand Council of State, headed by the Daijō Daijin (Chancellor). The ministers on the left and on the right ( Sadaijin and Udaijin ), the controllers on the left and on the right ( Sadaiben and Udaiben ), four great councils ( Dainagon ) and three minor councils ( Shōnagon ) formed the council that was responsible for the Daijō Daijin . The eight government ministries alternated the controllers and ministers on the left and on the right. Furthermore it was recorded which prince or court rank the respective incumbent had to have.

Provinces and Administration

The country was divided into provinces ( kuni ) and the central government appointed administrative officials - kokushi or kuni no tsukasa - for each province. The provinces were further in districts kōri or gun , which were administered by local officials - gunji or kōri no tsukasa . These were mainly responsible for maintaining the peace, collecting taxes, recruiting workers to do unpaid work on government projects, keeping records of population and land distribution. The further subdivision of the districts varied greatly, but often consisted of groups of around 50 families led by a head.

The number of provinces was not known. With the conquest and settlement of new lands, new provinces emerged. At the time the Code went into effect, there were 66 provinces with a total of 592 counties.

source

George Sansom: A History of Japan to 1334. Stanford University Press, Stanford / Cal 1958.