THE POSITION AND COURT OF THE SHIOGOON
In the above code Iyeyas laid down the order of rank in which the
officers about him or under him should move. The offices were probably
more or less settled and in existence during the rule of Taikosama and
of Nobu nanga, and of the ministers who had filled a somewhat analogous
office during many generations at Kamakura.
The head of this Yedo system, as it may be called, is the Shiogoon, the
commander-in-chief or head of the military department of the empire,
under which is included the police and financial departments.
From the account of the court of the Mikado, as given in a previous
chapter, it is to be gathered that the Mikado is the chief ruler over
the empire. To him the whole empire looks up with reverence; from him
flows the stream of honors conferred upon subjects--all equally his
servants.
After the royal family (the Shinwo), the highest subject is the
Kwanbakku, who is at the head of the five highest families of Koongays.
After these follow the other Koongay families in order, down to the
lowest and poorest enrolled in the peerage of the empire.
Beneath all this court, and standing upon a lower platform, is the
court of the Shiogoon, at the head of which is the Shiogoon, the
commander-in-chief of the army, and around him the Kami or Daimio
class, who receive and hold their territory from him as viceroy for
the Emperor. The words Shio goon were derived in early times from the
Chinese. Tsiang kiun is the title of the general commanding one of the
divisions of the army in China.--In ancient times in Japan the title of
the commander-in-chief was Mono nobe.
The past history of the empire has shown that the Emperor himself was
originally the leader or commander-in-chief of his own armies, but that
in course of time the office was conferred upon one of the younger
members of the imperial family. It was afterward transferred to the man
who in a lawless revolutionary period showed himself capable of seizing
and holding the command of the army. Thus Yoritomo held it, and so it
afterward became hereditary in the Ashikanga family, until the last of
these died out a few years before Iyeyas achieved the object of his
ambition.
In any consideration of the government of Japan and its relations, it
is necessary to have clear ideas of the position in which the Emperor
and the Shiogoon stand to one another. A reference to the history of
the country, as given above, may in some measure explain these; but it
may not be without use to state briefly what is the position of the
Shiogoon.
The Japanese generally are imbued with the idea that their land is a
real Shin koku, a Kami no kooni; that is, the land of spiritual beings
or kingdom of spirits. They are led to think that the Emperor rules
over all, and that among other subordinate powers he rules over the
spirits of the country. He rules over men, and is to them the fountain
of honor; and this is not confined to honors in this world, but is
extended to the other, where they are advanced from rank to rank by
the orders of the Emperor. The doctrine of the divine right is carried
perhaps further than it ever was in England, though, after all, he is
probably only regarded as “that sanctified person who, under God, is
the author of our true happiness.” He confers rank upon the officers
of the empire, and from him Nobu nanga, Taikosama and Iyeyas received
whatever rank each held in the empire. By the death of the last of the
Ashikanga Shiogoons the opportunity presented itself of giving the
title to one who had earned it, and it was given to Iyeyas.
The name by which the Shiogoon of the present day is known to
foreigners is that of Tycoon; there is, however, no such title as
Tycoon in the language of Japan. The two words Tai kiun are Chinese,
signifying “the great prince, sovereign, or exalted ruler,” implying
that the bearer of the title is the great sovereign or ruler of Japan.
Such a title conveys an idea of superiority over all in the empire
which is not conveyed by any of the native titles given to or assumed
by the Shiogoon. The title is of foreign growth, and the assumption has
been looked upon with great jealousy by the Mikado.
By the old Jesuit writers, the head of the executive was frequently
spoken of as the Emperor, the Kubosama, the Xogune, etc. There was,
indeed, in their case, some difficulty, as of the three Iyeyas alone
was Shiogoon, and that toward the end of his life. Kubosama, as has
been stated elsewhere, was a title of respect given by the Emperor to
the first Ashikanga. It was given to him after he had given up the
title of Shiogoon, and it is somewhat inconsistent to use them together.
The title used by the Mikado to the Shiogoon is Tai jiu, “the large
tree”; and this is probably the best name that could be used by
foreigners in speaking of him, or in addressing him officially. That
used by the Daimios in addressing him is Rioo ay, or “the green tent.”
The son and heir of the Tai jiu, whether his father be alive or not,
till he is fifteen years of age, goes by the name of Takke cheoo, two
Chinese words meaning a bamboo shoot of a thousand years. He generally
assumes the _toga virilis_ (the ceremony known as Gembuku) when he is
about fifteen; but if he is called to the succession as a child, this
may take place at an earlier period, or about eight or ten, when he
has his head shaved as a man and takes his man-name, by which he is
thenceforth known.
There is a civil title which the present dynasty has been proud to
assume as patrons of learning; namely, the head or rector of the two
principal colleges of the empire, June wa and Shoongaku drio in no
bettowo, implying that he is the principal patron or rector of the two
colleges of June wa and Shoongaku. This title is assumed as his being
the “Genji no choja”; _i.e._, the head of the Gen or Minnamoto family.
He may be spoken of as Minnamoto no choja--as such he considers himself
as the first of all the military families of the empire. These titles
he assumes, and they may be called family and literary honors. So soon
as he has passed the ceremony of Gembuku, the Emperor confers rank
and title upon him; these are civil and military, and also of rank or
position. The lowest civil rank given to him is probably Dai nagoon,
from which he is raised to Naidaijin, Oodaijin, and Sadaijin, and may
be raised to the highest, Daijodaijin; but this is generally reserved
for the Kwanbakku. The military rank given him is Shiogoon, to which
the prefix Dai, “great,” may or may not be added. The Dai Shiogoon is
the commander-in-chief of the army, and being, to a certain extent,
looked upon as hereditary, is only an honorary title. To this title
is sometimes added the two words Se i (Ching i of the Chinese), the
chastiser or tranquilizer of the barbarians or of foreigners; _i.e._,
outside people at a distance from court. This title was originally
given with reference to the conquest of the Ai nos in the north of
Japan and Yezo; but it has lately been applied to foreigners by the
Mikado in his dispatches, as when he says, “I have given you the title
of Se i; why do you not fulfill the expectations which I had of you?”
Se i fhoo, the office of the pacifier of barbarians, is one of the
names applied to the castle of Yedo.
Over and above these the Mikado denotes his place in the ranks of the
nobility, as that he is of the second grade, first or second class.
The titles of Iyeyas were Jin itchi-i, first of the second
grade.--Oodaijin, the great minister of the right.--Se i dai Shiogoon,
tranquilizer of foreigners and great commander-in-chief.--June wa,
Shoongaku drio in no bettowo, principal of the two colleges of June wa
and Shoongaku.--Genji no choja, the head of the Gen clan.--Minnamoto no
Iyeyas.
The name of Daifusama, by which the Jesuits spoke of Iyeyas, is
a corruption of Naidaijin, as Nai foo sama, or, according to the
subsequent use of sama, lord of the inner office.
The Shiogoon adopts a crest or coat-of-arms differing from that in use
by the Mikado. It is called awui, or a representation of three leaves
of a species of mallow, “awui,” joined at the points and inclosed
in a circle. This is used in all official matters issuing from the
office. No one is allowed to use it but those who are relatives of the
Shiogoon, or upon business emanating from the office.
Iyeyas took up his residence at Yedo, in the castle which had been
built at a former period by Owota do kwang, and which was formerly
known by the name Tchi oda, and is at times still so called. Large sums
of money were expended upon this residence. It was increased greatly
in size. A deep trench or moat was dug round it, cutting it off from
communication, except by the gates, with the town. This trench or moat
was and is kept filled by a canal drawn off from the Rokungo kawa, near
the village of Omaro, about nine miles from Yedo. At Miako the castle
of Nijio Maro is his residence.
At Osaka, the large castle, formerly the temple of Hoonganji, and the
residence of Buddhist priesthood, afterward converted into a castle or
fort by Taikosama, is in possession of the Shiogoon.
At Surunga, the castle formerly belonging to Imagawa is kept up at his
expense.
In Kahi, the castle of Kofu, formerly the property of Takeda, is
another residence, while in different provinces there are minor seats
or residences occupied by retainers and officers.
Iyeyas was buried at Nikko san, where a magnificent temple was reared
in his honor, to which repair at certain times his descendants and the
officers of the dynasty to pay reverence to his names, to commemorate
his greatness, or in the way of official duty.