唐長安城の官人居住地

Abstract

In recent years, more than four thousand new rubbings of offcials' epitaphs, excavated mainly near Chang'an and Luoyang, have been published consecutively. These epitaphs have opened new areas of research not only on the topic of the Tang capitals, but also on all aspects of Tang studies. Using these, it is now possible to revise and enlarge the statements of the Tang-liaojing-chengfang-kao 唐兩京城坊考, which was written by Xu Song 徐松 in the Qin 清 dynasty and still remains as the most important work on the Tang capitals. This article is an enlargement of the Tang-liaojing-chengfang-kao. Using these new sources, it has become clear that an official gentry zone was established in the eastern part of Chang'an. With the transfer of the political stage from the Taiji-palace 太極宮 to the Daming-palace 大明宮, it was formed. Many officials moved to the north and central part of the East City, particularly after the construction of the Xingqing-palace 興慶宮. With the formation of an official gentry zone in the East City, a commoners' zone developed in the West. The East Market and the West Market became the centers of respective zone. The East Market together with several surrounding wards became the midtown area, which served as the commercial, financial and information center, as well as the amusement quarter of the city. The West Market functioned as the center of popular commerce. Functional specialization developed around these two characteristic Markets in Chang'an. There are several reasons for the concentration of official gentry residences in the central part of the East City: (1) Accessibility to the outside wall and the East Market made this area attractive. It was, moreover, located not far from the palace. (2) Land value near the Market had already risen during the reign of Wu-Zetian 武則天 (690-705), and of officials sought cheaper residences a little removed from the Market. As a result, an official residence zone developed to the south of the East Market. (3) It was also widely held at that time that this area was an auspicious area of the city according to Chinese geomancy. (4) Last and most importantly, this area comprised Yueyouyuan Hill 樂遊原, one of the two highest areas in the city. The second highest area was that occupied by the Daming-palace, constructed in 662. This gravitation toward high places was due to the numerous floods which afflicted the lower areas of Chang'an, primarily after the middle of the Tang period. It is clear that the West City was the lower area of the city, whereas the central part of the East City, where many officials lived in the late Tang period, comprised the highest areas. As for the two hills in the East City, the northern one was occupied by the emperor and the central one was developed mainly by officials.