Twelve Level Cap and Rank System

The Twelve Level Cap and Rank System (冠位十二階, Kan'i Jūnikai^?), established in 603, was the first of what would be several similar cap and rank systems established during the Asuka period of Japanese history. It was adapted from similar systems that were already in place in Sui dynasty China, Paekche and Koguryŏ. The officials wore silk caps that were decorated with gold and silver, and a feather that indicated the official's rank. The ranks in the twelve level cap and rank system consisted of the greater and the lesser of each of the six Confucian virtues: virtue (徳, toku^?), benevolence (仁, jin^?), propriety (礼, rei^?), sincerity (信, shin^?), justice (義, gi^?) and knowledge (智, chi^?).

...
Wikipedia