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Japan During the Heian Period (794- 1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.)<http://www.kyotokyoto.jp/sightseeing/ts006/ >(May 7, 2015)

Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

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Page 1: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Japan During the Heian Period (794-

1185 C.E.)

By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina

Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.)<http://www.kyotokyoto.jp/sightseeing/ts006/>(May 7, 2015)

Page 2: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Themes

● Importance of Chinese Religion and Culture

● Extremely Structured Hierarchy

Page 3: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

World Regional Geography: East Asia, University of Texas Libraries <http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/middle_east_and_asia/asia_east_pol_2004.jpg> (May 7, 2015)

Page 4: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Historical Overview - Timeline of Japanese

History

Page 5: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)
Page 6: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

From the start of the previous period (Nara), the Japanese strictly followed a Chinese influenced Centralized government, but this was not meant to last. Fast forward to the Heian Period. The government has now become more lax towards the rich, who in turn became richer by taking from the public domain and becoming exempt from taxation. this went on until finally, an aristocratic family known as the Fujiwara clan rose to power by forcibly providing royal brides and reducing the emperor to a mere figure head. This power change didn’t last long either as non-Fujiwara emperors took to the throne after their peak.

Continuity: used a loosely Chinese based centralised government from the Tang Dynasty

Change:there was a power shift between the emperor and the aristocrats, which ended with the emperor regaining power and devising a way to continue ruling when he was publicly retired. The warrior classes also gained power at the end of the Heian period

Politics and Government/Law

Daphne Chu

Page 7: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Fujiwara Clan,Wikipedia (n.d.)<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujiwara_clan#/media/File:Japanese_crest_Sagari_Fuji.svg> (May 6,2015)

Clan crest of the aristocratic Fujiwara Family

Politics and Government/Law

Daphne Chu

Page 8: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Fujiwara no Michinaga,Wikipedia (n.d.)<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fujiwara_no_Michinaga#/media/File:Michinaga_diary.jpg> (May 6,2015)

A diary page of Emperor Fujiwara Michinaga detailing Heian era court life from 998-1021. From the Kyoto National Museum.

Politics and Government/Law

Daphne Chu

Page 9: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

One of the many buildings that make up the imperial palace that is styled from Heian era architecture.

Kyoto Imperial Palace,Japan Guide(n.d.)<http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3917.html>(May 7,2015)

Politics and Government/Law

Daphne Chu

Page 10: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Social structure in Heian period was very structured as in having large gaps between classes. There are four main classes, which are emperor/royal class, aristocratic class, commoner class and non-people class. Just like other eras of Japan, emperor and the royal family are on top of the social hierarchy. Aristocratic class include government officials and land-owning families. Commoner class include Samurai, farmers,merchants and artisans, and non-people class include slaves, criminals, workers in unclean trades and entertainers. Even though the emperor is located on top of the social hierarchy just like any other eras of Japan, in Heian period, the emperor was only symbolic and actual power to run the government was in the hands of the land-owning families, such as Fujiwara family. The roles and characteristics of all classes of social hierarchy remained constant throughout Heian period until late Heian period, when the warrior class gained more power and rose up in the social hierarchy. The warrior class, or Samurais, who were once a property of nobles, and was considered as commoners became part of the aristocratic class. This change enabled Samurais to influence the government greatly after Heian period. Clergy was classless, but had its own rank system. Retired noblemen and politicians who later became priest had a higher rank than just a normal priest.

Social StructureCourtney Lee

Page 11: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Social Structure Courtney Lee

Emperor

Aristocrats, Court Officials

Commoners, Merchants, Artisans, and Samurai

Slaves, Outcasts, people with unclean professions, and entertainers

Emperor

Aristocrats, Court Officials, Samurai

Commoners, Merchants and Artisans

Slaves, Outcasts, people with unclean professions, and entertainers

Social structure pyramid showing the change in social hierarchy from the early Heian period to late Heian period

Early Heian periodLate Heian period

Page 12: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Social StructureCourtney Lee

A portrait of Fujiwara no Michinaga, a head of the most powerful family of Heian period. Despite being in the aristocrat class, He had a great influence over the government and the emperor.

Fujiwara no Michinaga, Heian Period(n.d.)<http://www.jref.com/history/heian-period/>(May 7, 2015)

Page 13: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Primary records from the Heian Period demonstrated the importance of Chinese culture. Chinese is the official language during Heian Period, but only well-educated aristocratic male was given the chance of mastering the language. Even though most texts were written in Chinese, but the characters was accompanied by one or more kana. They are Japanese characters, a simplification of Chinese characters, marking a different pronunciation of original Chinese characters in Japanese language. It is important to know that spoken Japanese was evolved differently, comparing to written Japanese. This shows both continuity and change. Then there were also the “Senmyoreki”, a calendrical system, and the “Ishinpo”, a book on medicine and treatment of diseases. These two documents proved that the Japanese used the same numbering, astronomical medical system and symbols with Chinese. These showed nothing but continuity.

Together, these three documentations proved the importance of Chinese Culture in Japan; Chinese culture, such as language, mathematical and scientific achievements, deeply influenced Japanese society during Heian Period.

Form of Record Keeping

Page 14: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Section from the original text of “Nihon Koki”. It was completed in the year of 840 and primarily edited by the Fujiwara Family. The main text was written in Chinese characters; the small ones beside each Chinese character was the kana, marking them with a different pronunciation in Japanese. Nihon Koki Kanekata,Wikimedia(n.d.)<http://www.univie.ac.at/rel_jap/hachimanopedia/Datei:Nihonshoki_kanekata.jpg>(May 6, 2015)

Form of Record Keeping Paris Yang

Page 15: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Form of Record Keeping

Pages from the Senmyoreki; A calendrical system brought from China in 862, listed all dates of the “Twenty-four Fortnightly Periods”, and precise dates of solar eclipses.

Senmyoreki Section Number 1-7, Waseda University Library<http://archive.wul.waseda.ac.jp/kosho/ni05/ni05_02624/ni05_02624_p0006.jpg>(May 6, 2015)

Page 16: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

A page from the medical text “Ishinpo” (Essential medical prescriptions), completed in 984 CE. Composed by Tanba no Tasuyori, Ishinpo quoted more than two hundred Chinese sources from Sui and Tang Dynasty.

Ishinnho, Wikimedia<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Isinnhou.jpg> (May 7, 2015)

Form of Record Keeping

Page 17: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Heian period witnessed a flourish of art and literature. Unlike other contemporary civilizations such as Medieval Europe and China, the majority of Heian culture was created by women. The fact that Heian women were not left out of historical narratives but instead played an active role to enrich the Japanese culture signified that women changed from passive acceptors of culture in previous dynasties to active creators of the unique Japanese culture. For instance, Murasaki Shikibu wrote the Tale of Genji which was the first classic piece of literature of the day written by a female. And this indicated a change of females’ status and role in society because females’ written pieces could now circulate among both males and females freely, which was never the case in previous dynasties when females were forbidden to reveal their written pieces to strangers.

Although women’s social status improved as they were allowed to learn the Japanese language of Kana, which was a change from the limited access to language and literature in the past, this privilege was confined only to elite women, which comprised less 0.1% of the total population. This showed a strict hierarchical system in Heian Japan and was a continuation of social convention. In addition, women were prohibited from learning about disciplines such as law and history like their male subjects. This inequality also illustrated a continuation of the traditional patriarchal society. Furthermore, the female in Heian society lived a circumscribed life according to social convention. They had to wear cumbersome clothings that limited their movements and lived most of their lives in door.These customs were also a continuation.

GenderJasmine Wang

Page 18: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

GenderJasmine Wang

Transcribers made numerous copies of the Genji monogatari. It was always written on fine paper, highlighted in Silver and gold to stress its prestige and influence in Heian culture. The Tale of Genji, written by an aristocratic female, received widespread respect from educated Japanese males, which showed females’ rising status in Heian society. However, commoners had no access to education and certainly could not afford to read the delicate copies of literature work, as shown above, which indicated the strict social hierarchy in Heian period and the huge schism between the rich and the poor.

Delay, Nelly. The Art and Culture of Japan. (Harry N.Abrams, Inc., 1999), 46.

Page 19: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

GenderJasmine Wang

The Juunihitoe - the twelve-layer robe - emerged in Heian period. Aristocratic females like cout-ladies were required to put on this cumbersome clothing which restricted movement. This was a sign of patriarchy because male clothing came in a much simpler and more convenient style. The color and arrangement of the layers are indications of ranking, which demonstrates the strict hierarchy in Hiean society.

Ch5_wakamurasaki2, Wikimedia<http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ch5_wakamurasaki2.jpg> (May 7, 2015)

Page 20: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

GenderJasmine Wang

Two aristocrats look at the illustration from one of the romantic novels popular with women of upper class while one lady-in-waiting reads from the text and another combs out her mistress’s freshly washed hair. Given that only aristocrats were educated, being able to read and write became a symbol of high status. Thus this painting sheds light on social hierarchy.

Delay, Nelly. The Art and Culture of Japan. (Harry N.Abrams, Inc., 1999), 42.

Page 21: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

Buddhism spread widely in Japan during the Heian period. Although the religion had been introduced earlier, which means that Buddhism continued into the Heian period from previous periods, it was in this period that the schools of Tendai and Shingon appeared and engaged with the native religion of Shintoism to create new religious beliefs, which is a continuity because Shintoism was the formal state religion of Japan that has been present in Japan since the 6th century CE and also a change because these schools of Buddhism were formed during this period and they integrated some aspects with Shintoism to create new religious beliefs. The Tendai doctrine was created when Emperor Saga laboured to center new Buddhist teachings in his new capital, which is obviously a change. The Tendai doctrine was primarily created by Saichō, who was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan. He based the school around the Chinese Tiantai tradition that he was exposed to during his trip to China beginning in 804 CE. Shingon Buddhism was introduced to Japan from China in the 9th century. In Japan, the Shingon religious doctrine was spread by a follower of Buddhism named Kukai, who many view as the founder of Shingon Buddhism. Although Shingon flourished through Heian period, in the long run, Tendai was more influential than Shingon.

Organized System of Beliefs Nina Lu

Page 22: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

This is a portrait, dating to the 11th century, of Saicho, Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school in Japan. Tendai Buddhism was based around the Chinese Tiantai tradition he was exposed to during

his trip to China beginning in 804, which proves the theme, “The Importance of Chinese Religion”.

Wikipedia. Tenai, 1974. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tendai> (May, 6, 2015)

Nina LuOrganized System of Beliefs

Page 23: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

The Lotus Sūtra, dating to 12th century, is the basis on which the Chinese Tiantai and Japanese Tendai schools of Buddhism were established. Following Chinese

precedent, the copies of this text were often painted in gold on paper. The method of painting and the fact that two forms of Chinese and Japanese

Buddhism were both based on the same text demonstrates how much overlap Chinese and Japanese culture and religion have and establish the theme, “The

Importance of Chinese Culture and Religion”.

Seymour Fund, Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1965. <http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/65.216.1> (May 6, 2015)

Organized System of Beliefs Nina Lu

Page 24: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

The main building of Shinsenen, a Shingon temple in Kyoto founded by Kūkai in 824. Shingon Buddhism had many supporters in Japan and was introduced from China to Japan in the 9th century CE, demonstrating the

theme of the “Importance of Chinese Religion” in Japan.

Organized System of Beliefs Nina Lu

Page 25: Japan During the Heian Period (794-1185 C.E.) By: Daphne, Jasmine, Paris, Courtney, Nina Temples and Shrines,kyotokyoto(n.d.) (May 7, 2015)

THANKS FOR LISTENING!