Page:Nihongi by Aston volume 2.djvu/213

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206
Nihongi.

A.D. 646. 2nd year, Spring, 1st month, 1st day. As soon as the ceremonies of the new year's congratulations were over, the Emperor promulgated an edict of reforms, as follows:—

"I. Let the people established by the ancient Emperors, etc., as representatives of children be abolished, also the Miyake of (XXV. 14.) various places and the people owned as serfs by the Wake,[1] the Omi, the Muraji, the Tomo no Miyakko, the Kuni no Miyakko and the Mura no Obito.[2] Let the farmsteads[3] in various places be abolished." Consequently fiefs were granted for their sustenance[4] to those of the rank of Daibu and upwards on a descending scale.[5] Presents of cloth and silk stuffs were given to the officials and people, varying in value.

"Further We say. It is the business of the Daibu to governBell-token.
Bell-token.
the people. If they discharge this duty thoroughly, the people have trust in them, and an increase of their revenue is therefore for the good of the people.

II. The capital is for the first time to be regulated, and Governors appointed for the Home provinces and districts. Let barriers, outposts, guards, and post-horses, both special and ordinary, be provided, bell-tokens[6] made, and mountains and rivers regulated.[7]

  1. See above, Vol. I. p. 192.
  2. Chief men of villages.
  3. Of serfs.
  4. Instead of the serfs taken from them.
  5. The "Roku-rei" gives a scale of sustenance-fiefs at a later period. A Prime Minister had 3000 houses, a Junior Prime Minister 2000, a Dainagon 800, etc., etc. These fiefs were hereditary.
  6. I was at first disposed to regard the bells and tokens as different objects, but now agree with Dr. Florenz that they are the same. They were small globular bells, sometimes single, sometimes in groups as in the illustration, and indicated by their shape and number how many horses the bearer was entitled to. This institution was borrowed from China.
  7. By the regulation of mountains and rivers is meant the provision of guards at ferries and mountain passes which serve as boundaries between different provinces.