In May of 1869, the following plan was proposed by the Sanshoku (three-post) meeting: Kazoku should be divided into "Ko" "Kei" "Taifu" and "Shi"; "Ko" and "Kei" and Kei were each further divided into the upper grade and the lower grade; "Taifu" and "Shi" were each further divided into the upper grade, the middle grade and the lower grade.
明治2年（1869年）5月には華族を『公』・『卿』・『太夫』・『士』の四つに分け、公と卿は上下の2段階、太夫と士は上中下の3段階という計9等級に分ける案が三職会議から提出された。