Rokugan Local Governance:
The Samurai Family
The Household Together
Each of the Seven Great Clans is made up of a number of Greater and Vassal Families that, united, form the members of the samurai clan. These families, descended along a family line from a single notable ancestor, carry with it the schools, training, and traditions of that family. They are granted their Family Name by the Clan Champion, and the Family Daimyo serves as the Lord for all the samurai who bear his or her name.
However, that Named Family is made up of many, many smaller households, traditionally made up of a husband and wife and their children. This household serves as the central unit of civic governance.
A Household consists of a Mother and Father, their children, and elderly parents who have chosen not to retire to join the brotherhood. It can also include unmarried brothers or sisters, sick or permanently injured family members, and the widows and orphans of the previous members of the family.
Succession
The head of each household is responsible for Katokusozoku, the continuation of the family line, as well as making certain the household meets its obligations to its family Daimyo and to the Emperor. The head of household in Rokugan has varied by Great Family and by period of Rokugan's history. Prior to the coming of the Kami, succession was passed from mother to oldest daughter. Later, with the coming of the Kami, many families opted for patriarchal succession, granting leadership of the family to the eldest son. The Matsu, Utaku, and Moshi remained strictly matriarchal. In modern Rokugan, most households pass the succession to the oldest child, male or female, though this is an area of conflict between tradition and the modern view of the family for some households when the oldest child is not a son.
Marriages are arranged with the needs of the Daimyo and the continuation and prosperity of the Household in mind. They are expected to be monogamous, however, if there has been no heir and the household can afford one, the husband may take a concubine. The child of a concubine may legally be the heir if no child was born in the marriage before them. Children may also be adopted and made successors to the Household line.
If the normal successor of the household line dies or is unable to assume those duties, the role falls to a younger brother or sister. The new successor of the family line is expected to care for the spouse and children of the previous heir as if they were their own children. Children in the household who do not become the head of household are expected to either marry into a different household or go out and establish their own new households, carrying on and spreading the family name. These new families, however, do not hold the same status as the primary family line.
The Duties of the Family
Beyond the duty of providing succession for the family line, households have additional obligations. During the summer and the season of war, most able-bodied bushi in the family are expected to fight in the armies of the Clan. Even if there are not active battles being waged, armies muster and train to be prepared for conflicts to come. During the winter, Artisans or Courtiers who might not be regular members of the court can be called away to attend to the political needs of the Clan. Shugenja, though rare, are often called out during the spring and autumn to bless the shrines in the area and pray for the planting and harvest. When members of the Household are called away on duty, the spouse or other household members are supposed to take up the abandoned household tasks.
Even in times of peace when all household members are present, everyone in an household has duties to perform. Child-raising and household chores are time-consuming tasks, and only families that have sufficient wealth to support both themselves and servants have servants to perform such duties. Diligence is a virtue for heimin and samurai alike. Of course, for individual families, their amount of diligence varies: this is the overall social expectation.
Among these duties are:
Servants
Servants play an essential role in the lives of most samurai households.
The Samurai Home
The residence of Samurai households vary greatly based on the family wealth and status, and whether the family is in the country or in a more urban environment. An individual bushi while on deployment might have only a futon in a barracks, but have a family back home in a traditional house, described in this section.
The Household Together
Each of the Seven Great Clans is made up of a number of Greater and Vassal Families that, united, form the members of the samurai clan. These families, descended along a family line from a single notable ancestor, carry with it the schools, training, and traditions of that family. They are granted their Family Name by the Clan Champion, and the Family Daimyo serves as the Lord for all the samurai who bear his or her name.
However, that Named Family is made up of many, many smaller households, traditionally made up of a husband and wife and their children. This household serves as the central unit of civic governance.
A Household consists of a Mother and Father, their children, and elderly parents who have chosen not to retire to join the brotherhood. It can also include unmarried brothers or sisters, sick or permanently injured family members, and the widows and orphans of the previous members of the family.
Succession
The head of each household is responsible for Katokusozoku, the continuation of the family line, as well as making certain the household meets its obligations to its family Daimyo and to the Emperor. The head of household in Rokugan has varied by Great Family and by period of Rokugan's history. Prior to the coming of the Kami, succession was passed from mother to oldest daughter. Later, with the coming of the Kami, many families opted for patriarchal succession, granting leadership of the family to the eldest son. The Matsu, Utaku, and Moshi remained strictly matriarchal. In modern Rokugan, most households pass the succession to the oldest child, male or female, though this is an area of conflict between tradition and the modern view of the family for some households when the oldest child is not a son.
Marriages are arranged with the needs of the Daimyo and the continuation and prosperity of the Household in mind. They are expected to be monogamous, however, if there has been no heir and the household can afford one, the husband may take a concubine. The child of a concubine may legally be the heir if no child was born in the marriage before them. Children may also be adopted and made successors to the Household line.
If the normal successor of the household line dies or is unable to assume those duties, the role falls to a younger brother or sister. The new successor of the family line is expected to care for the spouse and children of the previous heir as if they were their own children. Children in the household who do not become the head of household are expected to either marry into a different household or go out and establish their own new households, carrying on and spreading the family name. These new families, however, do not hold the same status as the primary family line.
The Duties of the Family
Beyond the duty of providing succession for the family line, households have additional obligations. During the summer and the season of war, most able-bodied bushi in the family are expected to fight in the armies of the Clan. Even if there are not active battles being waged, armies muster and train to be prepared for conflicts to come. During the winter, Artisans or Courtiers who might not be regular members of the court can be called away to attend to the political needs of the Clan. Shugenja, though rare, are often called out during the spring and autumn to bless the shrines in the area and pray for the planting and harvest. When members of the Household are called away on duty, the spouse or other household members are supposed to take up the abandoned household tasks.
Even in times of peace when all household members are present, everyone in an household has duties to perform. Child-raising and household chores are time-consuming tasks, and only families that have sufficient wealth to support both themselves and servants have servants to perform such duties. Diligence is a virtue for heimin and samurai alike. Of course, for individual families, their amount of diligence varies: this is the overall social expectation.
Among these duties are:
- Study and training
- Housekeeping chores such as cleaning, laundry, and the preparation of food. This takes at least 60 hours a week for traditional households.
- Child-rearing
- Acquiring the goods the household needs through trade or favors
- Generating additional income for the household either by creating goods that can be traded or sold (for example, by woodcrafting, painting, weaving, and so on). This can be artwork, commissions, or crafted goods, and is often the primary activity during the winter months for the many not attending any Winter Courts.
- Growing a vegetable garden and preserving food for the next season. Even in cities there is usually enough space for a small patch or communal garden.
- Fulfilling the spiritual obligations of the household to honor the ancestors and appease the kami
- Patrolling and maintaining the property one has been given
- Caring for the ill, injured, or disabled within the family
- Fulfilling the duties required of the household by one's Daimyo (of course)
Servants
Servants play an essential role in the lives of most samurai households.
The Samurai Home
The residence of Samurai households vary greatly based on the family wealth and status, and whether the family is in the country or in a more urban environment. An individual bushi while on deployment might have only a futon in a barracks, but have a family back home in a traditional house, described in this section.
