The Ancient Japanese Good-Family Clans and Piracy (3-3) ——“Goko” or Belligerent Hire (3)——

“Goko” was prohibited with premier orders three times, in 835, 849, and 867. In October, 835, as extorting gangsters had belligerently hired transporters, carts and horses, and had tormented people, the belligerent hire was prohibited. If the belligerent hire should be practiced by someone related with Saga-in Temple or Junna-in Temple, their names would be reported to the temples’ deacons. If the belligerent hire should be practiced by government officers or noble families’ chamberlains, they would be punished on the spot. In September, 849, the prohibition of belligerent hire was announced again. Yet, even in 867, government officers and noble families’ chamberlains were still forcibly hiring people in Yamazaki and Otsu, so belligerent hire was totally prohibited. Saga-in Temple, today’s Daikaku-ji Temple, was originally built as villa for the retirement of Emperor Saga(785-842, reigned 809-823). Junna-in Temple used to be villa for the retirement of Emperor Junna(786-840, ringed 823-833). Those temples, or the two emperors after their retirement, were possessing incipient manors, and their rice and et al. must have been carried to the capital.