As "Raiki" (the Book of Rites), which is a Confucian scripture, described that "Rei" (ritual and etiquette) governed the conduct of the nobles while "Kei" (rules of punishment) governed the common people, government officials of the Fifth Rank or higher, as a rule, escaped a prison sentences except for the death penalty, for eight unpardonable crimes (the Ritsuryo codes). (In fact, the death penalty was substituted with exile or expulsion.)
儒教の経典である『礼記』には「礼は庶人に下らず、刑は大夫に上らず」とされ、律令法では八虐などによる死罪(律令法)（実際は流罪及び除名で代替される場合もあった）を例外として、五位以上の官人には実刑を加えないことが原則とされていた。