Kuge

{{short description|Japanese aristocratic class}} {{for2|the village in Bosnia|Kuge, Bosnia and Herzegovina|the leader in ancient Chinese history|Li Kuge}} {{More citations needed|date=January 2010}} {{Infobox ethnic group | group = Kuge | native_name = 公家 | native_name_lang = | image = Japanese-Kuge-Nobleman-1873-by-Shinichi-Suzuki.png | image_caption = A kuge in 1873 | regions = Japan }} {{Italic title|reason=:Category:Japanese words and phrases}} The {{nihongo||公家|'''kuge'''|{{IPA|ja|kɯ.ɡe, -ŋe}}<ref>{{cite book|script-title=ja:NHK日本語発音アクセント新辞典|publisher=NHK Publishing|editor=NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute|date=24 May 2016|lang=ja}}</ref>}} was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese Imperial Court in Kyoto.<ref>Louis Frédéric. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&pg=PA570&dq= "Kuge"] in ''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 570.</ref> 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 the Japanese peerage system was abolished with the 1947 constitution. Though there is no longer an official status, members of the ''kuge'' families remain influential in Japanese society, government, and industry.<ref>Lebra, ''Above the Clouds: Status Culture of the Modern Japanese Nobility''.</ref>

==History== ''Kuge'' (from Middle Chinese ''kuwng-kæ'' {{Lang|ltc|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 the ''kuge'' became leaders and benefactors of arts and culture in Japan.<ref>Lorraine Witt, [http://academic.mu.edu/meissnerd/witt.html "Poetry and Processions: The Daily Life of the Kuge in the Heian Court"], accessed 30/4/2012</ref> Most of the ''kuge'' resided in the capital city of Kyoto.<ref>John Whitney Hall, Jeffrey P. Mass, [https://books.google.com/books?id=J-tO9pOjzmsC&pg=PA3 "Medieval Japan: Essays in Institutional History"] Stanford University Press, 1988, accessed 30/4/2012</ref>

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 the ''kuge'': the {{nihongo||堂上|dōjō}} noblemen who sat on the floor with the Emperor; and the {{nihongo||地下|jige}} 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 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 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 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.

==Classification== The ''kuge'' were divided into two classes, the higher ''dōjō'' and the lower ''jige''. In the 12th century conventional differences were established among 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 ''dōjō'' class, the groupings were: #{{nihongo||摂家|'''Sekke'''}}: could be appointed as Sesshō and Kampaku: This was the highest class of ''kuge''. Only five families belonged to this class, all descended from Fujiwara no Michinaga. #{{nihongo||清華家|'''Seigake'''}}: could be appointed ''daijin'' (minister), including ''daijō-daijin'' (chancellor), the highest of the four ministers of the court. They were descended from the Fujiwara clan or Minamoto clan, descendants of the emperors. #{{nihongo||大臣家|'''Daijinke'''}}: could be appointed ''naidaijin'', if this office became vacant. In reality, the highest office they could normally achieve was ''dainagon''. #{{nihongo||羽林家|'''Urinke'''}}: was a military class; they could be appointed ''dainagon'' or rarely to ''naidaijin''. #{{nihongo||名家|'''Meika'''|also pronounced "''Meike''"}}: was a civilian class; they could also be appointed ''dainagon''. #{{nihongo||半家|'''Hanke'''}}: was the lowest class among the ''dōjō'', created in the late Sengoku period. They could only be appointed to lower ranks than ''sangi'' or ''chūnagon''.

The ''jige'' class was associated with but not a part of the ''dōjō'': *{{nihongo||地下家|'''Jigeke'''}}:This class is not a part of all the classes above. Their status is lower than Hanke and they may not enter certain important places in the imperial palace. They are in charge of miscellaneous business in the palace such as cooking and sanitary services. Like other ''kuge'' classes, their positions and ranks in the imperial court are hereditary. Most of the highest-classed ''kuge'' belonged to the Fujiwara clan and Minamoto clan, but there were still other clans like the Sugawara clan, the Kiyohara clan, and the Ōe clan.

==See also== *List of Kuge families

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == *[https://www.touken-world.jp/tips/27486/ Decorative swords of Royal Family and Kuge] (in Japanese)

{{Nobility by nation}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Kuge Category:Japanese historical terms