Court protocol in Nara Japan: an Annotated translation of the Giseiryō and the Ebukuryō

This article furnishes the analysis and the philological translation for the first time into English of two laws contained in Book 7 of the Yōrōryō (Yōrō Administrative Code, 718), i.e. the Giseiryō 儀制令 (Law on Ceremonies and Regulations) and the Ebukuryō 衣服令 (Law on Robes and Garments). These two laws are pivotal in regulating the court etiquette, not only regarding the behavior but also the appearance of the political elites, as etiquette and attires define the hierarchy and the interpersonal relations between aristocracy, officialdom, and personnel down to the servants. On the one hand, the two laws highlight some basic differences between the Japanese rulers and their Chinese counterparts; on the other hand, the emphasis on ceremonies, regulations, and attires molded the subsequent Heian court society, as can be easily inferred from the significant production of texts emphasizing rituals and etiquette, such as manuals on protocol and precedents and journals written by court officials.