吏から官への途 --明代「省祭官」攷--

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide a basic study of the xingjiguan 省祭官 in Ming Dynasty China. During the Ming Dynasty, clerks in charge of official paperwork were assigned to each government office, and they were able to acquire the status of an official after their nine-year term of office was completed. This process was called chushen 出身. From the mid-Ming Dynasty onward, the number of clerks increased, and it became difficult to appoint them to official posts immediately after they had acquired the status of an official. Under the pretext of xingji 省祭, which means visiting parents and worshiping ancestors, the government ordered them to return to their homes and wait until they were appointed to an official post. Those in this status were referred to as xingjiguan. The number of clerks continued to increase, which in turn led to an increase in the number of xingjiguan and a lengthening of waiting times. As a result, many of the xingjiguan had reached old age by the time they received their letters of appointment, and it was difficult for them to work in an official post. The government permitted them to retire and guaranteed their status as an official for life. On the other hand, it requested their cooperation when implementing military and river dredging projects and had them mobilize and lead the workforce. Because xingjiguan had the status of an official, albeit of lower rank, they also had a social status that was second only to local gentlemen and students. In addition, although less than other officials, they were granted the privilege of exemption from corvee labour, and while clerks' privileges were limited to their term of office, the privileges of xingjiguan were guaranteed for life. This status and privilege drove people to become clerks, complete their term of office, and acquire the status of an official. Some of them tried to shorten the time waiting for an appointment letter by donation or military exploits, but most of them considered it sufficient to have acquired the status of xingjiguan. In special cases, some left their homes to engage in commerce, participate in military operations against wako 倭寇, or formed an organization to launder stolen goods in Nanjing. Many xingjiguan did not seek to be appointed an official, but rather to use their status and privileges to maintain their social and economic power. This status and power served an important function in leading to the success of the family in the next generation and beyond.