Eight Colored Clans

The Eight Colored Clans (彩八家 Saihake) is the collective name given to eight of the most noble Clans of Saiunkoku.
==Information==
The Eight Colored Clans are Shi Clan, the Ran Clan, Kou Clan (紅), Heki Clan, Kou Clan (黄), Haku Clan, Koku Clan and the Sa Clan. Officially, they are now known as the Seven Colored Clans (彩七家 Sainanake) as the Shi Clan has become the Imperial Family (the Sou Clan were, for obvious reasons, were not included in the Eight Colored Clans when they were the Imperial Family). 
Common people are prohibited from using the same family name as the Eight Colored Clans to help distinguish between those from these noble clans and those that are not. It is also proof of how much power and influence they have, especially over business and politics. In particular, the most prestigious clans, the Ran and Kou Clans, have enough power to freeze half of the Capital’s functions if they wish to.
==History==
The most powerful clans in Saiunkoku were made to change their family names by the Emperor approximately 600 years ago, so that the names of these clans would correspond with the Province they ruled. So, the Ran Clan was named after Ran Province and the Heki Clan was named after Heki Province and so on (It is unclear whether Kiyou was always the Imperial Capital or it only happened after the Shi Clan became the Imperial Family). During Ou Ki and Shi Ryuuki’s fight for the throne, the Imperial Court was suffering from great unrest since only the Kou Clan and the Sa Clan had sworn their loyalties to the Emperor.
Category:Terminology