Governmental organization and Chinese influence
– The Taihō Code established two branches of government: the Department of Worship and the Department of State.
– The Department of Worship handled all spiritual, religious, or ritualistic matters.
– The Department of State handled all secular and administrative matters.
– The Department of Worship was responsible for annual festivals and official court ceremonies.
– The Department of State was responsible for the upkeep of shrines, the discipline of shrine wardens, and the recording and observation of oracles and divinations.
– The Chinese system known as ritsuryō in Japan was adopted by both the kingdoms of the Korean peninsula and Japan.
– The Taihō Code had the participation of 18 Japanese aristocrats and one Chinese scholar, Satsu Koukaku.
– Satsu Koukaku played an important role in the edit of Nihon Shoki and received rewards from the Japanese emperor.
Chronology
– The Reform of 645 was more abrupt and radical than the similar change of 1868.
– The Japanese of the nineteenth century were more prepared for their new life than those of the seventh century.
– The Taihō Code exists in the edition of 833, which contains the text of 701 and official commentaries compiled in 718 and 833.
– The work is written in three different types which interlace one another in each article.
– The third type of writing represents the commentary of 833.
Government positions and class status
– The Taihō Code based government positions and class status on birth, not merit.
– This departure from the Chinese model was in line with the Japanese tradition.
– The Japanese rejected the Chinese concept of the Mandate of Heaven.
– The Emperor’s power in Japan comes from his imperial descent, not from his righteousness or fairness as a ruler.
– The Taihō Code was one of the first events to include Confucianism as a significant element in the Japanese code of ethics and government.
Provinces and districts
– The Taihō Code established provinces and districts as administrative divisions.
– The number of provinces was not fixed and new provinces came into being as new land was developed.
– At the time of the Code’s enactment, there were sixty-six provinces comprising 592 districts.
– Local officials called ‘kunshi’ were responsible for keeping the peace, collecting taxes, and recruiting labor.
– Within the districts, there were further subdivisions resembling townships led by a headman.
Impact and Legacy of the Taihō Code
– The Taihō Code contributed to the centralization of power in Japan and the strengthening of imperial authority.
– It laid the foundation for subsequent legal codes and administrative systems in the country.
– The hierarchical structure established by the code influenced social and political structures in Japan for centuries.
– The emphasis on order and discipline in the code shaped the cultural values of the Japanese society.
– The Taihō Code played a role in shaping the development of Japanese law and governance. Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taih%C5%8D_Code
