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Muraji (連) (fromOld Japanese:muraⁿzi < *mura-nusi "village master"[1]) was an ancientJapanese hereditary title denoting rank and political standing (akabane) that was reserved for the most powerful among theTomo noMiyatsuko clans, which were clans associated with particular occupations. Themuraji rivaled the rank ofomi in political power and standing during much of theKofun period and were frequently in conflict with them over political issues such as whetherBuddhism should be accepted and issues of imperial succession. By tradition, themuraji clans claimed descent from mythological gods (神別氏族,shinbetsu shizoku) and included such clans as the Ōtomo (大伴), theNakatomi (中臣), theMononobe (物部), and the Inbe (忌部).
Like theomi, the most powerfulmuraji added the prefixŌ (大) tomuraji and were referred to asŌmuraji (大連). Examples ofŌmuraji mentioned in theNihon Shoki included Mononobe no Ikofutsu (物部伊莒弗) during the reign ofEmperor Richū,Ōtomo no Muroya (大伴室屋),Ōtomo no Kanamura (大伴金村),Mononobe no Me (物部目),Mononobe no Arakabi (物部麁鹿火),Mononobe no Okoshi (物部尾輿) andMononobe no Moriya (物部守屋).
When thekabane system was reformed into the eightkabane system in 684, a few of the powerfulmuraji of the time were given thekabane ofason, which ranked second under the new system, but most were given thekabane ofsukune, which ranked third.Muraji itself was dropped to seventh in rank.
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