Chikusen-joirei (an ordinance to ordain a court rank to someone who saved a certain amount of money) (蓄銭叙位令)

"Chikusen-joirei" was an ordinance which took effect in October 711 in order to promote circulation of money and attempt to circulation to the government. Ikai (court rank) was given to a person who saved a certain amount of money. It was described that the conferment of a court rank was carried out as early as in November 711. Later, the ordinance was abolished in 800 because saving money caused dead storage in the country.

Chikusen-joirei was composed of total fix articles and there were restrictions in accordance with ranks. In addition, it was prohibited to borrow money from others with the aim of acquisition of court rank and lenders were also subject to criminal punishment. Moreover, 'zan' (heaviest punishment among gokei [five punishments]), which was more severe than 'zu-sannen' (imprisonment of three years) of the Taiho Code, was added to punishments for manufacture of shichusen (counterfeit money) to prevent it.

In this connection, converting 1000 mons (a unit of currency) to 1 kan, a person with the rank up to Daishoi (Great Initial Rank) was given ichii (first rank) for 5 kans. A person with the rank from Juhachiinoge (Junior Eighth Rank, Lower Grade) to Jurokui (Junior Sixth Rank) was given ichii (first rank) for 10 kans, nii (second rank) for 20 kans. A person with the rank of Shorokui (Senior Sixth Rank) and a person with the rank of Goi (Fifth Rank) or higher were supposed to temporarily hear an imperial edict.

[Original Japanese]