A Study of the Formation of Japan's Ancient State System

Abstract

This paper analyses the role uji played in the formation of the state in ancient Japan. It has been argued that the Japanese ancient state was formed in the process from a blood relationship-based socuty to a commanity-based one. However, a social organisation called uji or ujizoku had been so strong that it continued to function even in the period from the fifth century to the end of the Nara era. Indeed, the use of the family name was a cornerstone of the whole ritsuryo bureaucracy-a ranking system and promotion procedures were administered on the uji principle. The ritsuryo administration was controlled by higher-rank uji, and various promotion policies kept the uji system intact. This remained unchanged throughout the Nara era. It should be pointed out, moreover, that common people were not rigidly streamed into a clan-tribe structure. All this suggests that the conventional theory is not tenable. In view of the fact that the social and administrative organisation in ancient Japan was based largely on the ujizoku, Japan's ancient state system should be called 'ujizokusei kokka'(ujizoku-based state).