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Commoners in Feudal Japan

WillyT

後輩
5 Feb 2016
32
5
23
Hello,

This is my second topic here. My first was in regards to naming a pan-Asian combat organization (similar to the SCA or boffer sports). We are developing a system for non-combatant progression. I was curious if anyone could offer support -or- give me a good link to terms for commoners in Feudal Japan.

I'm aiming for a 3-5 levels of progression for civilian status.

Pretty much a Japanese version of this:

Serf - Freeman - Noble...

I appreciate your help!

Edit: I am avoiding post-European titles related to peerage.
 
Serf
小作人 kosakunin, 小作民 kosakumin, 小作農 kosakunou

Freeman
町人 chounin

Noble
公家 Kuge
 
Wouldn't it be correct to assume that commoners exclude nobility (kuge) and even the samurai class?

Perhaps
  • serf
  • merchant
  • peasant
  • freeman
 
Yeah, I, too, wondered why "noble" was listed there.
As for "kosakunin/kosakumin/kosakunou", they were farmers who didn't have their own land, so it's more likely "peasant". The correct translation of "serf" is 農奴 "noudo", but 農奴 didn't exist in Japanese history, therefore I used "kosakunin/kosakumin/kosakunou" instead.
 
Yes, I should have used a better example, I wasn't looking for noble - just showing a progression example.

I currently have:

Chomin
Nomin
Heimin
Eta

If my humble knowledge of Japanese history is correct -I'm a Mediterranean/Antiquity guy- then Nomin were actually higher than Chomin because the economy was based off koku. I listed Chomin above because it suits my needs (no reason to favor farming, it does nothing for my org - but the Chomin produce product).

Are the terms I'm using accurate?
 
Heimin vs. Hinin
I've seen both used somewhat interchangeably; then sometimes compared.

Eg: Heimin being used to describe a common citizen and Hinin being used to describe an outcast/subhuman/non-human, etc.

Is my example correct? Or are they interchangeable?
 
I merged your threads since those are the same topic.

"Heimin" means commoners, so both "Chomin" and "Nomin" belong to "Heimin".
"Eta" and "Hinin" are considered discriminatory terms. I don't recommend using it (and those two words are not interchangeable, of course).
 
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