Heian period
As the Heian period (Jap.平安 时代, Heian jidai ) or Heian period is a period ( 794-1185, 794-1192 also ) called in Japanese history.
The foundation stone of the "golden " Heian period was laid in 794, in which the imperial court in the Heian Palace ( Greater Palace ) to Heian - kyō, present-day Kyoto, was moved. With the move, relations with the Chinese Empire declined, the greater concentration corresponded to the inside.
At the court of Heian Japanese culture, art and customs have been led to extraordinary refinement. The Heian period is considered as the classical period of Japanese literature, which was particularly cherished by ladies in waiting. For the so-called Hofdamenliteratur include, for example, the Murasaki Shikibu Genji Monogatari the maid of honor and the Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon maid of honor. In addition, the diary narratives ( nikki ) developed; imperial command poetry anthologies ( Chokusenwakashū ) were compiled. Two important examples of this are the Kokinwakashū and Manyoshu.
Since the Chinese writing still the time was the only way something to write down, and one to learn the same as held unseemly for women, led the Hofdamenliteratur the Heian period to the development of a new syllabary, the first onna -de (woman hand) was called and later than Hiragana was kanonifiziert.
While the court culture flourished, took the emperor's power more and more, and flowed from the Fujiwara family, make their mark through their influence political marriages. They married their daughters with the emperors and then ruled on behalf of their underage offspring. A particularly powerful member of the Fujiwara family was Fujiwara no Michinaga, the four of his daughters married the Emperor ( See also marriage and partnership in the Heian period ).
Characteristic of the Heian period, the multiple centers of political power, because the existence of different imperial courts each with its own retinue was not uncommon. There were many different offices and rank gradations that had been created on the Chinese model, but were rarely associated with real power. The most important of these were the regent for a minor emperor ( Sesshō ) and the Grand Chancellor ( Kampaku ). 1086 the Office of the ex-Emperor ( InseI, German government from the monastery ) was introduced.
Gradually had to give the Taiho method of land monitoring a kind of private landowners, Shoen. Through inheritance, donations and development of new farmland of private land ownership grew more and more. The imperial court lost control of the country and thus the control of the money (rice was then the cash ). To protect the local Shoen owners built on private armies. This led to the rapid rise of the warrior class.
Middle of the 12th century came to power struggles between the rival nobles to more and more and also by the Buddhist temples that made demands, the problems accumulated. Conflicts were now trying to solve a military manner. The greatest warrior clans were the Genji ( Minamoto ) and Heike ( Taira ) that could derive their origin from the imperial house. As the Heiji no Ran the Minamoto under the leadership of Minamoto no Yoshitomo the Tenno kidnapped to seize political power, they were defeated by the Taira under Taira no Kiyomori. Years later, when the Taira had established their power by marrying into the imperial family, the Genji raised again and broke the Genpei War. Under Minamoto no Yoritomo, who was spared because of his youth, Kiyomori, pitched his half-brother Minamoto no Yoshitsune numerous battles against the Taira. With the Battle of Dannoura ended the rule of the Taira: the child Emperor Antoku died, and the clan of Taira was extinguished. Yoritomo had to kill Yoshitsune and was in 1192 appointed to be -i -tai - shogun ( supreme commander of the army to expel the barbarians ). He set up a military administration, which had its center in Kamakura Bakufu and was called.