戰國秦の相邦について

Abstract

During the Spring and Autumn period, high-ranking nobles, especially those of the aristocratic clan, held a firm grip on the reins of power in Qin 秦. As the Warring States period began, the aristocratic clan had fallen from power, and a class of noble scions 公子 took center stage. One of the revisions to the legal system made by Shang Yang 商鞅 during the reign of Duke Xiao 孝公 was to introduce noble ranks earned by military service. This amounted to the reformation of the aristocratic order and the establishment of a system in which those who displayed military prowess could attain a bureaucratic post. The intent of integrating newly risen forces into the aristocratic order is clearly visible within the policy. However, due to the fact that it was the class of noble scions who blocked the extension of the authority of the sovereign during the reign of Duke Xiao, the aim of a creating a class of aristocrats based on military service itself did not figure in the suppression of the Imperial clan, and the class of noble scions thus continued their grip on power as before. During the reign of King Hui-wen 惠文王, the class of noble scions continued to sustain the regime as before. The office of Xiang-bang 相邦, was established during this period, but it differed from the Han-era post of Xiang-guo 相國, Counselor-in-chief, and was at first solely concerned with foreign relations. This was due to the trends of the time, resulting from the Qin's expansion into the central plain and the increasing importance of diplomatic negotiations with other states. During the first half of the reign of King Zhao-xiang 昭襄王, those in the office of Xiang-bang were frequently replaced on account of vicissitudes in foreign relations. Due to the fact that those in the office of Xiang-bang were replaced whenever there was a change of ruler or changes in foreign relations, the status of the Xiang-bang remained unstable as before. It is thought that the office of Minister 相 as the ultimate post in the government hierarchy was established following the Warring States period. The aim of the policy of recognizing merit 尚賢 was to establish a bureaucratic base for the newly rising forces as a counter weight to the power of the clans and to confirm the status of those forces. Official posts were prized as evidence of ability, which along with aristocratic ranks, came to recognized as indicators of status. When it came to supposing how exalted one might be on the basis of one's office, the Ministers were placed at the top of the bureaucratic hierarchy. Consistent with the flow of the times, Wei Ran 魏冉 built his monopoly of power as xiang-bang in Qin. The cause of his rise was to be found in his maternal relations with the throne. Because Qin military supremacy was established during the regime of Wei Ran, diplomatic relations were of diminished importance and the functions of the xiangbang were transformed, becoming the base from which his exclusive authority was built up. Lu Bu-wei 呂不瑋, who had no blood relation to the sovereign at all, was able to attain further authority by establishing a fictive relationship. The traditional importance placed on the influence on blood relations and noble status retained since the Spring and Autumn period is seen therein.