睡虎地秦墓竹簡の屬邦律をめぐって

Abstract

In the Warring States period, the State of Qin had to integrate a great many other tribes in the process of unification of the country. How was this accomplished? For the first time, this question can now be examined in the light of newly unearthed bamboo slips in the Qin tomb at Shuihudi 睡虎地. The conclusion of my examination are as follows : The ruling system of the Qin was organized in three levels : around a kernel area of inner ministers there were the territories of the vassals, around which the territories of the outer retainers were established. The area of the inner ministers was the dominion of the Qin themselves, here, whether ruled according to the administrative or feudal system, all the people were deeply involved with the rites and laws of Qin. The territories of the vassals were either those of other tribes who had sworn allegiance to the Qin or those of different states, also allies, but with the permission to keep up their own ancestral shrines. 0n this level generally the ruler would be a scrupulous follower of Qin rites and laws, and accordingly would pass these on to his people. On the other hand, the rites and laws of Qin were usually limited to the person of the ruler in the territories of the outer retainers. The acceptance of Qin regulations by other tribes among the vassals was greatly enhanced by a twofold status system : there was the status of zhen 眞, i.e., guest, on the one hand, and the status of xiazi 夏子, native Qin man, on the other. All vassals, --allied states, and retainers--were defined as zhen. In order to become a xiazi, native Qin man, one had to be born by a native Qin mother. This regulation helped to accelerate the process of integration of other tribes into the Qin state.