<論説>座について

Abstract

中世の商工業の発展を特色づけた座については過去に華々しい論争があり、最近それらを纏めて概説が発表されているが、未解決の問題が多く、その全貌が明らかにされているとは云えない。この論文は供御人・建築工について新しい史料を紹介すると共に、供御人については、それが平安時代中期に地方に置かれた事情、鎌倉時代初頭に京都の町商人が代って任命された事情を明らかにし、建築工については社寺工と官工が一つの系譜に属することを証明して、それが持っている特別の問題を明らかにする。

In the middle ages of Japan the name of za 座 (gild) was often applied to those manufacturers and traders who belonged to nobles and religious establishments. But as to the origin of the word of za it is not still decided whether it came from the word of seki which means seat or from the word of kumi which reveals a sort of union. Moreover as to its object it has been a purplexed problem. One has emphasized a monopolistic side of za, while the other stressed its freedom from feudal dues. The question as to the earliest form of za has recently been answered by an urban document in the twelveth century, but as to the contemporary local za nothing has been known from the lack of documents. The aim of this article is to point out the monopolistic union of those who supplied the court with food (kugonin 供御人) and their enjoyment of freedom from feudal dues. And in this connection important was this that they were also the local gentry who formed a sort of gild in the country-side toward the end of the eleventh century. As to the process of the replacement of these gentle families by the city merchants which took place in the twelveth century I have also said something in the following pages. Lastly I have traced the influence of the overwhelming beaurocracy of the ancient state in the formation of za, exemplifying the craft gild of carpenters.