In the medieval documents concerning the non-agricul tural populace such as Kugonin and Shokunin (職人), we often find very ancient emperors or imperial families cited whither to assign their origins. The reality of the emperors and their deeds mentioned in such documents as were drafted up to the Kamakura period is generally confirmed by supporting evidence. But from the Muromachi period on, we find that legendary emperors and imperial families began to appear in formal documents and also find that bogus documents which connests the origins of trades to particular emperors or imperial families were extensively produced, bringing about subsequently Yuishogaki (由緒書) and Zaho (座法) of Shokunin and Geinomin (芸能民). This turn bears relation to the decisive weakening of the imperial power after the period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties and to the great change of the organization of the division of labour between the agriculture and the other industries. And it may be mentioned as a remarkable characteristic of Japanese society that Zaho (which may be compared with the bylaw of guild) was connected to legendary emperors or imprrial familers and that on the ground of their legends some branches of Shokunin and Geinomin were reduced to the social rank worthy of castelike disdain.

抄録全体を表示