Kuni-kyÅ
Kuni - kyō (Japanese恭 仁 京, literally " Imperial residence Kuni "), even Kuni no Miyako, was between 741 [note 1] and 744 the capital of Japan.
The city was not completed because the capital was already after four years from Naniwa - kyō, in present-day Osaka, misplaced.
Later a part of the palace as a provincial temple of Yamashiro (山城 国 分 寺/山 背 国 分 寺, Yamashiro kokubunji ) was used.
History
On January 6, 741 (traditional date: Tempyo 12/12/15 ) prompted the Shōmu moved Tennō - bed of the river Izumikawa (now Kizugawa ) at Kuni in Soraku no Kori in the province of Yamashiro (now Kizugawa city in Kyoto Prefecture ) the construction of a new capital city with the palace Kuni (恭 仁 宫, Kuni Kuni no miya or kyū ). The New Year was celebrated in the apparently already completed temporary residence of the emperor (内 里, Dairi ). This lost Heijo - kyō after 30 years of its status as capital. In the 9th month of the left and right city district was established, a month later, with Gyōkis help the big bridge completes on the Izumikawa and in the 11th month, the official name Yamato Kuni no Ōmiya (大 养 徳 恭 仁 大 宫, dt "big shrine / palace of Yamato- Kuni " ) awarded.
One reason for the relocation could be the strong power loss of the noble family Fujiwara, starting with the death of the four Fujiwara brothers 737, and the subsequent rise of Tachibana no Moroe ( 737 and 738 for appointment as Dainagon Udaijin ). Thus, the revolt of Fujiwara no Hirotsugu 740 was knocked down in Dazaifu by the emperor, who then in Kuni - kyō in the southern part of the province of Yamashiro, a stronghold of Tachibana no Moroe settled.
From the palace Heijo key political buildings like the Audience Hall (大 极 殿, Daigokuden ) or Chodo - in degraded (长 堂 院) for formal ceremonies and rebuilt in Kuni palace. Were
742 ( Tempyo 14) the emperor gave the order for the construction of the Daibutsu of Shigaraki - shrine, and was September 30-October 6 ( 8/27-9/4 ), and even from 29 -31. January 743 that is, the New Year ( 12/29-Tempyō 15/1/2 ) away outside Kuni - Kyo in Shigaraki. Shōmus priorities seemed now to lie there and so ( Tempyo 15/12/26 ) was on 15 January 744 terminated with the completion of the Audience Hall, the construction of the other palace buildings in favor of the Shigaraki - shrine. Also Shigaraki was in the province Ōmi which was controlled by the Fujiwara and this 743 with the choice Fujiwara no Nakamaros to Guides ( sangi ) resurgent.
On February 18 ( Tempyo 16/Schaltmonat 1/1) Shōmu moved left his officials vote on whether Kuni - kyō remain capital or should be abandoned in favor of Naniwa. The result was virtually a tie. 10 days later an imperial visit to Naniwa took place, the member of the Crown Prince Asaka possible (安 积 亲王, Asaka - shinnō ) was. Heading ill this from beriberi and returned to Kuni - kyō back where he died two days later. Since he was the only surviving son of Shōmu moved, then Princess Abe became the undisputed heir to the throne, which he was to succeed as Koken Tenno - 749. Again, this is to be seen as a setback for Tachibana no Moroe as Prince Asaka was favored by this and Princess Abe's mother, the wife of Emperor Komyo, a Fujiwara was. On April 7 (2/ 20) of the following month, the throne was transported to Naniwa. Eventually, however, was just at New Year Tempyo 17/1/1, ie officially moved on 6 February 745, the capital to Shigaraki and Kuni - kyō cleared.
Temple of Yamashiro Province
The decree establishing the provincial temple was not yet adopted at the time of Kuni - kyō. It was unknown but when started the construction of the provincial temple for the province of Yamashiro. After Kuni - kyō was abandoned shortly after 746 ( Tempyo 18) was used the palace grounds as a provincial temple for Yamashiro and given a possibly previously used accordingly. Thus the former audience hall of the palace to the main hall ( Kondō ) of the new province temple. Shortly afterwards, the seven -story pagoda and the shrine for the tutelary deity of the temple grounds was (境内 鎭 守 社, keidai Chinju yashiro ), the Goryu Shrine (御 霊 神社, Goryu -jinja ) is hereby established.
The main hall had a size from west to east and from north to south of 275 × 330 meters, and the entire palace grounds of 560 × 750 meters.
Excavation and Historic Sites
On 1 July 1957, the appointment of the grounds for Historic Site ruins of the temple was made of Yamashiro Province (史迹 山城 国 分 寺 迹, Shiseki Yamashiro kokubunji ato ).
The investigation of the palace grounds was from 1973 instead, the excavations began in 1974, lasted until 1996 and were under the direction of the school board of Kyoto Prefecture performed. In 1976 under a Erderhebung behind the elementary school Kuni the main hall / hall of audience.
On 6 February 2007, the renaming of the facility took place in Historic site Kuni palace ruins ( ruins of the Temple of Yamashiro Province ) (史迹 恭 仁 宫 迹(山城 国 分 寺 迹) Shiseki Kuni kyūseki ( Yamashiro kokubunji ato ) ).
During the excavations the great foundation stones of the main hall / hall of audience, and the seven -story pagoda were uncovered, which today form the visible part of the historic site.
Effect
Although Kuni - kyō was only briefly capital, they had a great influence on Japanese cultural history. Shōmu moved here adopted on 15 March 741 ( Tempyo 13/02/24 ) the decree establishing the province Temple (国 分 寺·国文 尼 寺 建立 の 詔, Kokubunji Kokubunniji konryū no mikotonori ) and on November 5, 743 ( Tempyo 10/15/15 ) the decree establishing the Vairocana Buddha (盧舎 那仏 造顕 の 詔, RUSHANABUTSU zōken no mikotonori ) of Todai -ji, who was the main temple of all provincial temples.