The kuge ( 公家 ) was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese Imperial Court in Kyoto . The kuge were important from the establishment of Kyoto as the capital during the Heian period in the late 8th century until the rise of the Kamakura shogunate in the 12th century, at which point it was eclipsed by the bushi . The kuge still provided a weak court around the Emperor until the Meiji Restoration , when they merged with the daimyō, regaining some of their status in the process, and formed the kazoku ( peerage ), which lasted until shortly after World War II (1947), when the Japanese peerage system was abolished. Though there is no longer an official status, members of the kuge families remain influential in Japanese society, government, and industry.
17-658: Saionji (西園寺) is a Japanese family name of former kuge descent. People with the name include: The Saionji family , kuge family. Prince Saionji Kinmochi , 12th and 14th Prime Minister of Japan Empress Saionji, wife of Emperor Go-Fukakusa Fictional characters [ edit ] Chiaki Saionji of Demon Ororon Kaoru Saionji of Gakuen Heaven Kyoichi Saionji of Revolutionary Girl Utena Sekai Saionji of School Days Reimi Saionji of Star Ocean: The Last Hope Hiyoko Saionji of Danganronpa 2: Goodbye Despair Rika Saionji of Yamada-kun and
34-630: A position of Associate Counselor or higher were referred to as e.g. former Major Counsellor ( saki no Dainagon ), but courtiers holding a court rank of Third Rank or higher who had never been Associate Counselor were referred to as non-Associate Counselor ( Hisangi ). In 758, the Chancellor of the Realm was renamed Taishi from Daijō-daijin , the Minister of the Left was renamed Taifu from Sadaijin ,
51-546: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles Kuge Kuge (from Middle Chinese kuwng-kæ 公家, "ducal family", or "nobility" in a pre– peerage context ) originally described the Emperor and his court. The meaning of the word changed over time to designate bureaucrats at the court. During the Heian period , the relative peace and stability provided freedom for the noble class to pursue cultural interests, and
68-479: The daimyōs (the feudal land holders and warriors). In the 1870s, the organizational structure of the court itself was also modernized. In the period after the Second World War , the kazoku was abolished, as a part of post-war Japanese reforms. The remaining political powers of the Emperor were transferred to the constitutional government of Japan , and the responsibility for state matters concerning
85-611: The Kiyohara clan , and the Ōe clan . Kugy%C5%8D Kugyō ( 公卿 ) is the collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre- Meiji eras . The term generally referred to the Kō ( 公 ) and Kei ( 卿 ) court officials and denoted a court rank between First Rank and Third Rank under the Ritsuryō system, as opposed to
102-592: The Sangi ), who held the court rank of Third Rank or higher. Under the Ritsuryō system, the kugyō included the three Ministers ( Daijin ), the Chancellor of the Realm, the Minister of the Left, and the Minister of the Right, and the Major Counsellor ( Gyoshitaifu or Dainagon ), who held the court rank of Third Rank or higher. However, later on government offices not specified in the administrative code of
119-472: The biwa , and they had disciples among the daimyō and sometimes rich commoners. As masters of a certain field, kuge gave their disciples many licenses certifying that the disciples had learned a certain field and allowed them to perform in public or sometimes to teach others. Disciples were expected to pay their master a fee for each issued license. During the Edo period, this was an important source of income for
136-519: The dōjō , separating them into groups according to their office at court. These determined the highest office to which they could be appointed. Within the dojo class, the groupings were: The jige class was associated with but not a part of the dojo : Most of the highest-classed kuge belonged to the Fujiwara clan and Minamoto clan , but there were still other clans like the Sugawara clan ,
153-596: The kuge became regents to the emperor ( sesshō or kampaku ). These daijō-kan offices were restricted to members of the Fujiwara family . Though they lost most of their political power, they sustained the court culture and maintained a cultural influence. In particular, after the Sengoku period they lost most of their financial basis and were no longer in a position to act as patrons of culture, but they passed on their knowledge as masters of particular fields such as writing waka poetry and playing instruments such as
170-470: The kuge . In 1869 during the Meiji Restoration the kuge merged with the daimyō to form a single aristocratic group, the kazoku . Others associated with the kuge included Buddhist priests, Kyoto cultural patrons, geisha , and actors. The kuge were divided into two classes, the higher dojo and the lower jige . In the 12th century conventional differences were established among
187-656: The ritsuryō , the Regent ( Sesshō and Kampaku ), the Inner Minister ( Naidaijin ), the Middle Counsellor ( Chūnagon ), and Associate Counselors holding the Fourth Rank were also included in the kugyō . The kugyō was also divided into the incumbent courtiers ( Gennin ) and courtiers without a post ( Sani ). Additionally, among the courtiers without a post, the courtiers who had at least once held
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#1732772318191204-578: The Minister of the Right was renamed Taiho from Udaijin , and the Major Counsellor was renamed Gyoshitaifu from Dainagon . However, after the death of Fujiwara no Nakamaro in 764, the old names were restored. As part of the Meiji reforms , a single aristocratic class, the kazoku , was created in 1869 by merging the kuge (the court nobility in Kyoto, of which the kugyō was a part) and
221-735: The Seven Witches Takato Saionji of Buriki One Ukyo Saionji of Dr.Stone Enju Saion-ji of Moe! Ninja Girls by NTT Solmare [REDACTED] Surname list This page lists people with the surname Saionji . If an internal link intending to refer to a specific person led you to this page, you may wish to change that link by adding the person's given name (s) to the link. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Saionji&oldid=965583780 " Categories : Surnames Japanese-language surnames Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
238-624: The ancient Chinese Qin dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC). In Japan, the kugyō was similarly divided into two groups of court officials the three Kō and the nine Kei . The Kō comprised the Chancellor of the Realm ( Taishi or Daijō-daijin ), the Minister of the Left ( Taifu or Sadaijin ), and the Minister of the Right ( Taiho or Udaijin ); and the Kei comprised the Associate Counselors ( Shōshi , Shōfu , Shōho , Chōsai , Shito , Sōhaku , Shiba , Shikō , and Shikū , or collectively
255-638: The kuge became leaders and benefactors of arts and culture in Japan. Most of the Kuge resided in the capital city of Kyoto . Later in the Kamakura period (1185–1333), kuge became an antonym to buke (warrior nobles), that is, samurai who swore loyalty to the shogunate. At this point, kuge began to be used to describe those who worked in the Court; both aristocratic noblemen and commoners. Two classes formed
272-448: The kuge: the dōjō ( 堂上 ) noblemen who sat on the floor with the Emperor; and the jige ( 地下 ) who were unable to sit with the Emperor. Although kuge included those two classes, mainly this word described the dōjō, the noblemen. The highest offices at the court were called kugyō and eligibility was limited to members of dōjō kuge. During the Edo period there were about 130 families of dōjō kuge. The most prominent members of
289-487: The lower court nobility, thus being the collective term for the upper court nobility. However, later on some holders of the Fourth Rank were also included. In 1869, following the Meiji Restoration , the court nobility and daimyo were merged into a new peerage , the kazoku . The kugyō generally refers to two groups of court officials: The kugyō originated from the Three Lords and Nine Ministers (三公九卿) of
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