Unit 9. Engi Shiki and Classics 1:
What is the Engi Shiki?
OGURA Shigeji, National Museum of Japanese History

Summary
In this unit, you learn the value of the Engi Shiki as a historical source.
1. The Value of the Engi Shiki
2. Jurisprudence in Ancient Japan
3. Kōnin Shiki and Jōgan Shiki: Compilation History
4. Engi Shiki: Summary, Compilation History
5. Engi Shiki: Tips for Researchers

Sources

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Ogura Shigeji 小倉慈司. “‘Engi Shiki’” 『延喜式』. In “Tēma de manabu Nihon kodaishi” Shakai shiryōhen 『テーマで学ぶ日本古代史』社会・史料編, ed. Shinkodaishi no kai 新古代史の会. Yoshikawa
Kōbunkan, 2020.
Ogura Shigeji. “Engi Shiki” 延喜式. In “Kodai shiryō o yomu” Jō: Ritsuryō kokka hen 『古代史料を読む』上 律令国家篇, ed. Satō Makoto 佐藤信 and Oguchi Masashi 小口雅史. Douseisha, 2018.
Ogura Shigeji. “Engi Shiki: Heian jidai hen” 延喜式―平安時代編―. In “Kodai shiryō o yomu” Ge:Heian ōchō hen 『古代史料を読む』下 平安王朝篇, ed. Satō Makoto and Oguchi Masashi. Douseisha,2018.
Torao Toshiya 虎尾俊哉. “Engi Shiki” 延喜式. In “Kodai no Nihon” 9, ed. Okazaki Takashi 岡崎敬 and
Hirano Kunio 平野邦. Kadokawa, 1971.
Torao Toshiya. “Yakuchū Nihon Shiryō: Engi Shiki” Jō 『訳注日本史料 延喜式』上. Shueisha, 2000.
Torao Toshiya. “Engi Shiki” 『延喜式』. Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 1995 (Orig. Pub. 1964).
Ōtsu Tōru 大津透. “Kyakushiki no seiritsu to sekkanki no hō 格式の成立と摂関期の法. In Hō shakai shi
法社会史, ed. Mizubayashi Takeshi 水林彪 et al. Yamakawa Shuppansha, 2001.
Kamada Motokazu 鎌田元一. “Kōnin kyakushiki no senshin to shikkō ni tsuite 弘仁格式の撰進と施行について. In Ritsuryō kokka shi no kenkyū 律令国家史の研究. Hanawa Shobō, 2008 (Orig. Pub. 1976).
Kawajiri Akio 川尻秋生. Nihon kodai no kyaku to jizaichō 日本古代の格と資財帳. YoshikawaKōbunkan, 2003.
Torao Toshiya. Kodai tenseki bunsho ronkō 古代典籍文書論考. Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 1982.

1. The Value of the Engi Shiki
Engi Shiki 延喜式. KST. Yoshikawa Kōbunkan, 1937.
Torao Toshiya 虎尾俊哉. “Yakuchū Nihon Shiryō: Engi Shiki” Jō chū ge 『訳注日本史料 延喜式』上・中・下. Shueisha, 2000, 2007, 2017.

What is written in the Engi Shiki? The Engi Shiki contains a list of shrines across the country,
a list of tributes, and a kind of standard operational procedure for state officials of the time. It
provided guidelines concerning the undertakings of the four administrative ranks (shitōkan 四等官), which included budgeting, collecting goods, and supervising matters.

2. Jurisprudence in Ancient Japan
律令格式
律 Cn. Lǜ, Jp. Ritsu: Penal law
令 Cn. Lìng, Jp. Ryō: Administrative statutes
格 Cn. Gé, Jp. Kyaku: Regulations (for amending penal law)
式 Cn. Shì, Jp. Shiki: Ordinances (for enforcing penal law)

Examples of Ritsuryō 律令 (Cn. Lǜlìng) in Japan
Ōmi Ryō 近江令, Asuka Kiyomihara Ryō 浄御原令, Taihō Ritsuryō 大宝律令, Yōrō Ritsuryō
養老律令, Santei Ritsuryō 刪定律令Ritsuryō 律令. NST 3. Iwanami Shoten, 1976; Ritsu” 律, “Ryō no gige” 令義解, “Ryōno shūge” 令集解. KST. In Yakuchū Nihon ritsuryō 訳註日本律令, ed. Ritsuryō
Kenkyū Kai 律令研究会. Tōkyōdō Shuppan, 1975–99.
Vols 2 and 3: These contain the main text of Ritsu (Ritsu honbun hen 律本文編),
Tōritsu sogi 唐律疏議 (Cn. Tánglǜ shūyì), and the main text and lost writings ofNihon ritsu 日本律; these are provided for comparison.

Vols 5–8: These contain the annotated version of Tōritsu sogi (Tōritsu sogi yakuchūhen 唐律疏議訳註編)
Vols 9 and 10: These contain the annotated version of Ryō no gige (Ryō no gig
yakuchū hen 令義解議訳註編) up to, and including, Keryō shiki in ryō 家令職員令.
Niida Noboru 仁井田陞. Tōrei Shūi 唐令拾遺. Orig. pub. Tōhō Bunka Gakuin, 1933.
Repr. University of Tokyo Press

Niida Noboru, Ikeda On 池田温編. Tōrei Shūi ho 唐令拾遺補. University of Tokyo Press, 1997.

Ningbo Tianyi Pavilion Museum 天一閣博物館, CASS Academic Division of History (tiānshèng lìngzhěng lǐ kè tí zǔ) 中国社会科学院歴史研究所天聖令整理課題組. Tiānyī gécáng: MíngchāoběnTiānshèng lìng xiàozhèng fù Tánglìng fùyuán yánjiū 天一閣蔵 明鈔本天聖令校証 附 唐令復原研究.
Zhonghua Book Company, 2006.
The Tàishǐ Lǜlìng 泰始律令 of Wei and Jin (enacted in 268) distinguished between lǜ (ritsu) and lìng(ryō). This was followed by the Línzhǐ Gé 麟趾格 of East Wei (534–550) and the Dàtǒng Shì 大統式 ofWest Wei (544).

The following is written in the chapter on vice directors (員外郎) of the Ministry ofJustice (刑部) in Volume 6 of the Six Codes of the Tang Dynasty, Liù diǎn 六典(completed in 732 AD, this text provides insights into ancient bureaucracy):
Lü 律 establish punishment to ensure that crime is justly corrected. Lìng 令 are established toprovide proper governance. Gé 格 correct errors to prohibit evils. Shì 式 put down things toensure the smooth undertaking of all matters.
ただしはかる

凡律以正レ刑定レ罪、令以設レ範立レ制。格以禁レ違正レ邪、式以 レ 軌 物 レ 程 事。

The following is written in the New Book of Tang, Xīn Tángshū 新唐書 刑法, inVolume 56 (Punishment and Law 刑法):Lìng 令 stipulate the superior and inferior ranks and provide the institutions of state governance.
Gé 格 are the matters to which all public officials must always implement. Shì 式 are the rules
and formulae that such officials must always comply with.
令者尊卑貴賤之等数、国家之制度也。格者百官有司之所二常行一之事也。式者其所二常守一之法也

Examples of Shiki 式 in Japan
Eighth century: Several shiki were compiled, including the eighty-one rei 例 (precedents), Jingikan Rei 神祇官例, Keigo Shiki 警固式, Zōseki Shiki 造籍式, and Minbu-shō Shiki 民部省式.
Kōnin Kyaku 弘仁格, Kōnin Shiki 弘仁式
The kyaku and shiki were compiled in 820 AD (Kōnin 11) and enacted in 830 AD (Tenchō 7).

The following is written in the preface of the Kōnin Shiki (preserved in Ruijū Sandai
Kyaku 類聚三代格):
It is said: Ritsu 律 provide penal sanction. Ryō 令 provide admonition and guidance. Kyaku 格
are amendments made to reflect the changing times. Shiki 式 are made to remove any excess oraugment any inadequacy.
蓋聞、律以二懲肅一為レ宗、令以二勧誡一為レ本。格則量レ時立レ制、式則補レ闕拾レ遺。

The following is written in the Ryō Sōsetsu Aruhi to Iwaku:
Ryō 令 instruct in things that are not yet done, while Ritsu 律 punish wrongdoing that has alreadybeen committed. (…) Kyaku 格 are amendments made to reflect the changing times; they may
overturn an existing ritsuryō or augment. Shiki 式 are made to remove any excess or augment
any inadequacy in ritsuryō.
令者教二未然事一、律者責二違犯之然一。……格者蓋量レ時立レ制、或破二律令一而出矣。
……或助二律令一而出矣。……其式者、補二法令闕一拾二法令遺一。

The Kōnin Kyaku is preserved in Kōnin Kyaku Shō 弘仁格抄. The Kōnin Shiki ispreserved in Jōgan Kyaku 貞観格 and Jōgan Shiki 貞観式 in part…Jōgan Kyaku 貞観格was enacted in 869 AD, and Jōgan Shiki 貞観式 was enacted in 871 AD.
Torao Toshiya 虎尾俊哉. Kōnin Shiki Jōgan Shiki itsubun shūsei 弘仁式貞観式逸文集成. Kokusho Kankōkai, 1992.

Engi Kyaku 延喜格, Engi Shiki 延喜式
The Engi Kyaku was enacted in 908 AD (Engi 8). The Engi Shiki was compiled in 927 AD(Enchō 5) and enacted in 967 AD (Kōhō 4).

3. Kōnin Shiki and Jōgan Shiki: Compilation
History
The two shiki began to be compiled during the reign of Emperor Kanmu (781–806).

Kōnin Shiki
Extant parts are part 1 of the Shikibu Shiki 式部式 and fragments of part 2 of the Chikara Shiki).

Compiled by Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu on the orders of Emperor Saga (reign: 781–806), the Kōnin
Shiki covers all the ritsuryō from 701 to 819 AD.
820 AD (Kōnin 11), 21st of Month 4 Kōnin Shiki was presented to the emperor and later
amended.

830 AD (Tenchō 7), 7th of Month 10 Kōnin Shiki is presented to the emperor again, together
with Kōnin Kyaku.
…17th of Month 11

Kōnin Shiki was promulgated.
Kōnin Shiki was amended to incorporate institutional
reforms that occurred after 820 AD.

840 (Jōwa 7), 23rd of Month 4

Kōnin Shiki was promulgated for the final time alongwith Kōnin Kyaku.

Jōgan Shiki
The Jōgan Shiki compiles the changes in Kōnin Shiki, together with the stipulations that cameafter the Kōnin Shiki was promulgated (it was used together with the Kōnin Shiki). It contains atotal of 20 volumes.
871 AD (Jōgan 13), 25th of Month 8 Jōgan Shiki was presented to the emperor.

…22nd of Month 10

Jōgan Shiki was promulgated (Jōgan Kyaku had beenpromulgated around two years prior, on the 7th ofmonth 9, Jōgan 11)

The original manuscripts of the Jōgan Shiki and Jōgan Kyaku are mostly lost (Shinsen Nenjū
Gyōji 新撰年中行事, Ono-no-Miya Nenchū Gyōji 小野宮年中行事).

4. Engi Shiki: Summary and Compilation
History
The Engi Shiki contains 50 volumes stipulating guidelines for various offices of state, such as
those in the Department of Divinities (Jingi-kan 神祇官), the Great Council of State (Daijō-kan太政官), and the Ministry of the Centre (Nakatsukasa-shō 中務省), along with miscellaneousmatters.
The preface states the following:

Since the twelfth year of Jōgan, much has transpired: Many discrepancies have emergedin the text; we have a former shiki [Kōnin Shiki] and latter shiki [Jōgan Shiki], andalthough the chapters and articles remain the same, the scrolls vary, discrepanciesabound in the divisions, and much has been censored.
貞観十二年以来、炎凉已久、文案差積、加以前後之式、章条既同、卷軸斯異、諸司触レ事、検閲多岐
Thus, there was a need to make the content more readable.
905 AD (Engi 5), Month 8

Fujiwara no Tokihira ordered to consolidate the ministrysections in the Kōnin Shiki and Jōgan Shiki, following
the precedent of the Tang Dynasty’s Kāiyuán Shì 開元式 and Yǒnghuī Shì 永徽式.
Initially, greater priority was given to the Engi Kyaku,
which had likely started to be compiled around thistime. The Engi Kyaku was presented to the emperor in
Engi 7, Month 11.

912 AD (Engi 12), Month 2

Fujiwara no Tadahira ordered the compiling and editingof the shiki (Fujiwara no Tokihira having died in Engi 9,Month 4).

925 AD (Engi 3), Month 8

A new organisation was established for the compilation,
headed by Dainagon Fujiwara no Kiyotsura.

927 AD (Engi 5), 26th of Month 12

Engi Shiki was presented to the emperor (was the Engi
Shiki Fukusō Tanjaku Sō 延喜式覆奏短尺草 produced
immediately before this?).
Engi Shiki continued to be reviewed and amended;
progress might have stalled because of the death ofTomo no Hisanaga in Month 1 of 933 AD (Jōhei 3).

965 AD (Kōhō 2), 26th of Month 6

Shishō Okigō Akira 史生日置郷明 was posted to thecompilation office established for transcription.
Compilation recommences under the orders of Emperor
Murakami.

967 AD (Kōhō 4), 9th of Month 10

Orders were given for Engi Shiki to be disseminatedacross provinces (Betsushū funsen shō 別聚符宣抄), asrecorded in the Nihon Kiryaku 日本紀略 (in the entryfor 9th of Month 7).

968 AD (Kōhō 5), 17th of Month 1

A signing ceremony was held for Engi Shiki.

Engi Shiki Fukusō Tanjaku Sō 延喜式覆奏短尺草: This was part of a missive written in
response to Emperor Daigo’s comments about the third draft of the Engi Shiki

5. Engi Shiki: Tips for Researchers
How old are the shiki contained in the Engi Shiki? (possibilities of overlaps)
Should the contents be taken at face value? (they are regulations to the end)

The National Museum of Japanese History has a database of academic literature on the Engi
Shiki, most of which are stored as PDFs.