Chunagon
Encyclopedia
was a counselor of the second rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.
The role was eliminated from the Imperial hierarchy in 701, but it was re-established in 705. This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period
in the 19th century.
This became a Taihō Code
office in the early feudal Japanese government or daijō-kan.
In the ranks of the Imperial bureaucracy, theChūnagon came between the Dainagon
(major counselors) and the Shōnagon
(minor counselors). Imperial honors included the sometimes creation of a temporary or .
The number of Chūnagon has varied, from three in 705 to four in 756. There were eight in 1015; and in later years, there were up to ten Chūnagon at one time.
reached its nadir during the years of the Tokugawa shogunate
, and yet the core structures of ritsuryō
government did manage to endure for centuries.
In order to appreciate the office of Chunagon, it is necessary to evaluate its role in the traditional Japanese context of a durable yet flexible framework. This was a bureaucratic network and a hierarchy of functionaries. The role of Chunagon was an important element in the Daijō-kan (Council of State). The Daijō-kan schema proved to be adaptable in the creation of constitutional government in the modern period.
The next highest tier of officials were:
Other high ranking bureaucrats who function somewhat flexibly within the Daijō-kan were;
The specific ministries above are not grouped arbitrarily. The two court officials below had responsibility for them as follows: This administrator was charged or tasked with supervising four ministries: Center, Civil Services
, Ceremonies
, and Taxation
. This administrator was charged or tasked with supervising four ministries: Military
, Justice
, Treasury
and Imperial Household.
The role was eliminated from the Imperial hierarchy in 701, but it was re-established in 705. This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
in the 19th century.
This became a Taihō Code
Taiho Code
The was an administrative reorganization enacted in 701 in Japan, at the end of the Asuka period. It was historically one of the . It was compiled at the direction of Prince Osakabe, Fujiwara no Fuhito and Awata no Mahito...
office in the early feudal Japanese government or daijō-kan.
In the ranks of the Imperial bureaucracy, theChūnagon came between the Dainagon
Dainagon
was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
(major counselors) and the Shōnagon
Shōnagon
Shōnagon was a counselor of the third rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court of Japan from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
(minor counselors). Imperial honors included the sometimes creation of a temporary or .
The number of Chūnagon has varied, from three in 705 to four in 756. There were eight in 1015; and in later years, there were up to ten Chūnagon at one time.
Chūnagon in context
Any exercise of meaningful powers of court officials in the pre-Meiji periodMeiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
reached its nadir during the years of the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
, and yet the core structures of ritsuryō
Ritsuryo
is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei"...
government did manage to endure for centuries.
In order to appreciate the office of Chunagon, it is necessary to evaluate its role in the traditional Japanese context of a durable yet flexible framework. This was a bureaucratic network and a hierarchy of functionaries. The role of Chunagon was an important element in the Daijō-kan (Council of State). The Daijō-kan schema proved to be adaptable in the creation of constitutional government in the modern period.
Highest Daijō-kan officials
The highest positions in the court hierarchy can be cataloged. A dry list provides a superficial glimpse inside the complexity and inter-connected relationships of the Imperial court structure.- Daijō daijin (Chancellor of the Realm or Chief Minister).
- SadaijinSadaijin, most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...
(Minister of the Left). - UdaijinUdaijinUdaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central...
(Minister of the Right). - Naidaijin (Minister of the Center).
The next highest tier of officials were:
- DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
(Major counselor). There are commonly three Dainagon; sometimes more. - Chūnagon (Middle counselor).
- ShōnagonShōnagonShōnagon was a counselor of the third rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court of Japan from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
(Minor counselor); there are commonly three Shōnagon.
Other high ranking bureaucrats who function somewhat flexibly within the Daijō-kan were;
- SangiSangi (Japan)was an associate counselor in the Imperial court of Japan from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century.This was a position in the daijō-kan, or early feudal Japanese government...
(Associate counselor). This office functions as a manager of Daijō-kan activities within the palace. (Secretariat). These are specifically named men who act at the sole discretion of the emperor.
The Eight Ministries
The government ministries were eight semi-independent bureaucracies. A list alone cannot reveal much about the actual functioning of the Daijō-kan, but the broad hierarchical categories do suggest the way in which governmental functions were parsed:
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|
The specific ministries above are not grouped arbitrarily. The two court officials below had responsibility for them as follows: This administrator was charged or tasked with supervising four ministries: Center, Civil Services
Ministry of Civil Services (Ritsuryō)
The was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period...
, Ceremonies
Ministry of Ceremonies (Ritsuryō)
The was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto), and it is sometimes identified as the "Ministry of the Interior"....
, and Taxation
Ministry of Taxation (Ritsuryō)
The was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was replaced in the Meiji period.-Overview:...
. This administrator was charged or tasked with supervising four ministries: Military
Ministry of the Military (Ritsuryō)
The , also known as Ministry of War and sometimes called Tsuwamono no Tsukasa, was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period...
, Justice
Ministry of Justice (Ritsuryō)
The was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was replaced in the Meiji period.-Overview:...
, Treasury
Ministry of the Treasury (Ritsuryō)
The was a division of the eighth century Japanese government of the Imperial Court in Kyoto, instituted in the Asuka period and formalized during the Heian period. The Ministry was replaced in the Meiji period. -Overview:...
and Imperial Household.
See also
- Daijō-kan
- Sessho and KampakuSessho and KampakuIn Japan, was a title given to a regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his coming of age, or an empress. The was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the emperor, but was the title of both first secretary and regent who assists an adult emperor. During the Heian era,...
- KōkyūKokyuThe is a traditional Japanese string instrument, the only one played with a bow. Although it was introduced to Japan from China along with the shamisen, its material, shape, and sound are unique to Japan...
- KugeKugeThe was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese imperial court in Kyoto until the rise of the Shogunate in the 12th century at which point it was eclipsed by the daimyo...
- Imperial Household AgencyImperial Household AgencyThe is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
- Hamamatsu Chūnagon MonogatariHamamatsu Chūnagon Monogatari, also known as , is an eleventh century Japanese monogatari that tells about a chūnagon who discovers his father has been reborn as a Chinese prince. He visits his reincarnated father in China and falls in love with the Hoyang Consort, consort to the Chinese Emperor and mother to his reincarnated...
- Tsutsumi chūnagon monogatariTsutsumi Chunagon Monogatariis a post late-Heian period Japanese collection of short stories.-Authorship:With the exception of one story, the authorship is unknown. It is likely each story was written by different authors at various times and later collected together into a single text....
- Torikaebaya monogatariTorikaebaya Monogatari, translated into English as The Changelings, is a Japanese tale from the late Heian period by an unknown author, or possibly more than one author. It is four volumes in length....
Further reading
- Dickenson, Walter G. (1869). Japan: Being a Sketch of the History, Government and Officers of the Empire. London: W. Blackwood and Sons. OCLC 10716445