what was the constitutional of seventeen articles
The Seventeen Article Constitution is a set of guidelines established in 604 AD by Prince Shōtoku of Japan. It is one of the earliest known examples of a legal code in Japan and aimed to promote peace, harmony, and good governance. The constitution consists of seventeen articles that cover various aspects of governance, morality, and social behavior. Some of the key articles include:
1. Harmony is to be valued, and people should put the public interest above personal gain.
2. All officials should be selected based on virtue and qualifications, rather than birth.
3. Officials should handle their duties respectfully and with fairness, without discrimination based on social class.
4. The ruling sovereign must govern with benevolence and care for the welfare of the people.
5. Importance should be given to education and promoting moral values.
6. Punishments should be proportionate to offenses, and excessive cruelty should be avoided.
7. Respect should be shown for religious customs, and Buddhism is highly regarded.
8. People should devote themselves to the welfare of the nation and the people.
Overall, the Seventeen Article Constitution aimed to establish a just and prosperous society based on Confucian and Buddhist principles. While it did not have the legal force of a modern constitution, it exerted significant influence on subsequent legal and moral codes in Japan.