type:Bulletin

わが国の元号は中国より移植したもので, 最初の元号は「大化」(645)といわれているが「大宝」とみた方が確度がたかいとみることができよう。いずれにしても249程の「元号」が今日まで使用されてきているのだが, 現在の「平成」を除けばその決定権は天皇にあったものとみてよいであろう。法制史家滝川政次郎氏は元号大権とは「天皇が元を建て, 元を改められる権利であって, この権利は臣下の者の干犯を許さない天皇に専属せる権利」(同氏著「元号考證」)であるといっておられる。古代国家の確立期に整備導入された元号制は十二世紀末あたりから確立した武家権門としての鎌倉幕府ならびにそれ以降の「武家」とはどんな関係にあったのか, こうした検討を通じて平安末期以降の「国王」及び「王権」の特質はどの点にあったのかに接近しようとの試みが本稿の課題である。なお封建時代を通じて元号制度が存続し得た理由として考えられるのは三代将軍家光の言といわれる「年号ハ天下共二用フルコトナレバ」という一言に端的に示されているし, それ以前でいえば, 「公武」ならんで用いるものとの考え方が定着しているのである。つまり, 「元号」はある天皇の時代を意味するものでなく, ましてや天皇の独占物でなくなったことが, 封建制下でも, なお維持存続した理由とみてよいであろう。

The concept of “Gengo” (imperial era name of Japan) in Japan was introduced from China. The first Gengo is officially known to be “Taika" (AD 645), however “Taiho,” a succeeding Gengo, can be regarded as more appropriate. So far, 249 Gengo have been used, all of which but today's “Heisei” were established exclusively by the emperors. According to Mr. Seijiro Takigawa, a historian of legal systems, prerogative of Gengo is “the power held exclusively by the emperor, who allowed no interference or violation by his vassals in the process of establishing and amending Gengo.” (Refer to his book, “The study of Gengo.”) The system for Gengo was introduced to Japan and established, when the country began to solidify the foundation for development as an ancient nation. This paper will discuss two things regarding the system. First, how was this system involved with Buke (warrior families), who took power around in the late 12th century during the Kamakura Period (1192-1333), and with its succeeding Buke. Second, based on the discussion of it, what characteristics of “Emperor” and “Powers of Emperor” were noteworthy following the late Heian Period (794-1185). The reason why this system continued to take effect throughout the feudal age lies in what Mr. Iemitsu Tokugawa, the 3rd Shogun during the Edo Period (1603-1867), was believed to say. It was “Once the country is united, Gengo is established.” Prior to the feudal age, the thought of using Gengo, along with Kobu (the imperial court and the shogunate), was dominant. In other words, Gengo represented no era of a particular emperor. What the emperors put an end to exclusive use of Gengo is regarded to have caused the system to continue, even under the feudal system.

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