著者

義江 明子

出版者

国立歴史民俗博物館

雑誌

国立歴史民俗博物館研究報告 (ISSN:02867400)

巻号頁・発行日

no.41, pp.p35-65, 1992-03

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日本の伝統的「家」は、一筋の継承ラインにそう永続性を第一義とし、血縁のつながりを必ずしも重視しない。また、非血縁の従属者も「家の子」として包摂される。こうした「家」の非血縁原理は、古代の氏、及び氏形成の基盤となった共同体の構成原理にまでその淵源をたどることができる。古代には「祖の子」(OyanoKo)という非血縁の「オヤ―コ」(Oya-Ko)観念が広く存在し、血縁の親子関係はそれと区別して敢えて「生の子」(UminoKo)といわれた。七世紀末までは、両者はそれぞれ異なる類型の系譜に表されている。氏は、本来、「祖の子」の観念を骨格とする非出自集団である。「祖の子」の「祖」(Oya)は集団の統合の象徴である英雄的首長(始祖)、「子」(Ko)は成員(氏人)を意味し、代々の首長(氏上)は血縁関係と関わりなく前首長の「子」とみなされ、儀礼を通じて霊力(集団を統合する力)を始祖と一体化した前首長から更新=継承した。一方の「生の子」は、親子関係の連鎖による双方的親族関係を表すだけで、集団の構成原理とはなっていない。八~九世紀以降、氏の出自集団化に伴って、二つの類型の系譜は次第に一つに重ね合わされ父系の出自系譜が成立していく。しかし、集団の構成員全体が統率者(Oya)のもとに「子」(Ko)として包摂されるというあり方は、氏の中から形成された「家」の構成原理の中にも受け継がれていった。「家の御先祖様」は、生物的血縁関係ではなく家筋観念にそって、「家」を起こした初代のみ、あるいは代々の当主夫妻が集合的に祀られ、田の神=山の神とも融合する。その底流には、出自原理以前の、地域(共同体)に根ざした融合的祖霊観が一貫して生き続けていたのである。現在、家筋観念の急速な消滅によって、旧来の祖先祭祀は大きく揺らぎはじめている。基層に存在した血縁観念の希薄さにもう一度目を据え、血縁を超える共同性として再生することによって、「家」の枠組みにとらわれない新たな祖先祭祀のあり方もみえてくるのではないだろうか。The first axiom of the traditional Japanese "Ie" (family) is the continuity of a successive line, and blood relationship is not necessarily regarded as important. A subordinate not related by blood is included in the family as "Ie-no-Ko" (child in family). The origin of the principle of non-blood relationship in the "Ie" traces back to the ancient Uji (Clan) and structural principles of the community on which was based the formation of the Uji. In ancient times, there extensively existed the concept of Oya-noko (child in lineage) in a non-blood parent-child relationship. A child related by blood was distinguished from the above, and was called "Umi-no-Ko" (child of birth). Before the end of the 7th century, each was described in different types of genealogy. Uji was originally a non-descent group, based on the concept of "Oya-no-Ko". The "Oya" of the "Oya-no-Ko" indicated the heroic chief (ancestor), who was the symbol of the unification of the group; the "Ko" indicated a member of the group (Ujibito). Successive chiefs (Uji-no-kami) were considered as "Ko" of the previous chief, regardless of their blood relationship. Through a ceremony they renewed, that is, succeeded to, their spiritual power (the power to unify the group) from the previous chief, who was incorporated into the ancestors. "Umi-no-Ko", on the other hand, only indicated a bilateral kinrelationship in the chain of parent-child relationships, and wat the not structural principle of the group.After the 8th or 9th century, the two types of genealogies gradually overlapped to establish a paternal genealogy, along with the transition of the "Uji" into a descent group. However, the inclusion of all group members as "Ko" under the control of the leader (Oya) was continued to the structural principle of the "Ie", which was derived from the "Uji". The "family ancestors", meaning either only the first generation who established the "Ie", or successive chiefs and their wives, are worshiped in line with the concept of the family line, not the biological blood relationship, and they are fused with Ta-no-Kami (God of the rice fields) = Yame-no-Kami (God of the mountains). Underlying this is a consistent view of the inpersonalized ancestors rooted in unity in the region (community), which existed before the appearance of the principle of kin. These days, due to the rapid disappearance of the concept of family lineage, the foundation of conventional ancestral worship are being rocked. By reviewing the underlying concept of the weakness of the blood relationship, and by regenerating it as a sense of community over and above the blood relationship, there may be found a new way of ancestral worship free from the framework of the "Ie".