History and Political Developments
– Heian period began in 794 AD after the capital of Japan was moved to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto) by Emperor Kammu.
– The rise of the samurai class occurred during this period, leading to the feudal period of Japan.
– Power was wielded by the Fujiwara nobility, although the emperor nominally held sovereignty.
– The warrior class made political gains throughout the Heian period.
– Emperor Kammu moved the capital to Heian-kyō to strengthen imperial authority and improve the seat of government.
– Kyoto had good river access and could be reached by land routes from the eastern provinces.
– The Heian capital was patterned after the Chinese Tang capital at Changan.
– Emperor Kammu attempted to improve the Tang-style administrative system in Japan.
– The Ritsuryō Code was implemented to recreate the Tang legal system in Japan.
– Fujiwara family intermarried with the imperial family.
– Fujiwara members held positions in the Emperor’s Private Office, became regent, and appointed Kampaku.
– Fujiwara gained wealth and land through the acquisition of shōen.
– Central control of Japan declined during the early tenth century.
– Fujiwara clan became the de facto rulers of Japan.
– Age of supremacy of In-no-chō and rise of the military class.
– Fujiwara no Yorinaga’s support of retired emperor in the Hōgen Rebellion.
– Fujiwara’s destruction and bushi taking control of court affairs.
– Taira and Minamoto clash in the Heiji Rebellion.
– Taira ascendancy and Taira no Kiyomori’s power in Japan.
– Taira no Kiyomori’s control over Japan for 20 years.
– Kiyomori’s marriage alliance with the emperor and government appointments.
– Taira’s neglect of problems in the provinces and Minamoto clan’s resurgence.
– Minamoto brothers’ attack on Kyoto and the Taira’s defeat.
– Empress Dowager’s failed suicide attempt and Emperor Go-Toba’s succession.
Culture and Art
– The Heian period marked the peak of the Japanese imperial court and its art, especially poetry and literature.
– Two types of Japanese script, katakana and hiragana, emerged during this period.
– Court women played a significant role in the development of vernacular literature.
– Chinese influences declined, and the national culture matured.
– Many texts were written by court women who were not as educated in Chinese compared to their male counterparts.
– Interest in graceful poetry and vernacular literature.
– Development of phonetic Japanese scripts: katakana and hiragana.
– Court women wrote famous vernacular literature such as Kagerō Nikki, The Pillow Book, and The Tale of Genji.
– Indigenous art flourished, with vividly colored yamato-e paintings.
– Set patterns for Japanese art that continue to this day.
– Rise of Tendai and Shingon esoteric Buddhist sects.
– Tendai’s emphasis on enlightenment for all creatures and reverence for the emperor.
– Shingon’s use of symbols, rituals, incantations, and mandalas.
– Influence of Kūkai and Saichō in connecting state and religion.
– Aristocratic Buddhism and patronage of the imperial court.
– Introduction and widespread use of kana in Japanese literature.
– Importance of poetry in court life and social reputation.
– Calligraphy as a reflection of a person’s soul and social status.
– Notable literary works such as ‘The Tale of Genji’ and ‘The Pillow Book’.
– Flourishing of poetry by renowned poets during the Heian period.
– Cosmetic practices including face powder and blackened teeth.
– Male courtly ideal with faint mustache and thin goatee.
– Women’s small, red-painted mouths and plucked eyebrows.
– Courtly women’s formal dress with a complex twelve-layered robe.
– Seasonal and symbolic color combinations in women’s robes.
Economy and Society
– The economy mostly relied on barter and trade during the Heian period.
– The shōen system allowed the accumulation of wealth by the aristocratic elite.
– The government failed to effectively police the territory, leading to frequent robberies of travelers.
– The Fujiwara clan, a powerful aristocratic family, held the real power in the Heian period.
– The Fujiwara clan intermarried with the imperial family, and many emperors had mothers from the Fujiwara family.
– The Ryōmin (Good People) numbered about 5,000 in a land of perhaps five million.
– The ruling nobility proved incompetent at managing Japan and its provinces.
– The government no longer knew how to issue currency and money was gradually disappearing.
– Rice was the primary unit of exchange.
– Lack of a solid medium of economic exchange is implicitly illustrated in novels of the time.
– The shōen system enabled the accumulation of wealth by an aristocratic elite.
– The economic surplus can be linked to the cultural developments of the Heian period and the pursuit of arts.
– Major Buddhist temples in Heian-kyō and Nara also made use of the shōen.
– The establishment of branches rurally and integration of some Shinto shrines within these temple networks reflects greater organizational dynamism.
Rise of the Military Class
– Local power holders became the primary source of military strength.
– Professional warriors composed mainly of oryoshi and tsuibushi appointed to provinces and imperial circuits.
– Military service became part of shōen life.
– Civil and religious institutions formed private guard units.
– Provincial upper class transformed into a new military elite of samurai.
Transition to the Kamakura Shogunate
– The warrior class gained influence in court politics after the Hōgen Rebellion.
– Taira no Kiyomori placed his grandson on the throne, reviving the Fujiwara practices.
– The Taira clan was overthrown after the Genpei War, marking the start Source URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heian_period
