2.1 Early Heian Period: 794 – 857; Kanmu and Heian-kyō
Time Line
- 500 Eastern Roman Empire Justinian 527-65
- 600 Tang Dynasty China 600-900
- 700 Rise of Islam, Battle of Tours 732
- 800 Charlemagne Holy Roman Emperor
- 900 Viking Expansion
- 1000 Normans Conquer England 1066
Kyoto became the imperial capital of Japan under Emperor Kanmu in 794. Emperor Kanmu (737-806), reigned from 781 to 806. The previous capital had been Nara. Kyoto would remain as capital for almost 1000 years.
Kanmu had several good reasons for desiring a new capital. There was family in-fighting. His father, Emperor Kōnin, banished his wife and half-sister, Empress Inoe, and their child, Crown Prince Osabe, for cursing him. While in confinement, they mysteriously died on the same day. Kanmu, who was born from another mother, then became crown prince. The year after Kanmu ascended to the throne there was an attempted coup d’état by the great-grandson of Emperor Tenmu and his mother.
Another reason for leaving was to escape interference by the powerful Nara Buddhist temples that constantly interfered with governance. One monk, Dōkyō, in the 760s managed to ingratiate himself with Empress Shōtuku, and attempted to ascend to the throne in 770. The Fujiwara along with Wake no Kiyomaro (733-799) dislodged him after Empress Shōtuku’s death. (The Go’o Shrine is dedicated to Wake no Kiyomaro.)
Legend has it that on a hunting trip Kanmu discovered an area surrounded by mountains on three sides which made for easy defense, with a temple on Mt. Hiei that stood to the northeast, the entrance of evil, with abundant water, where local clans wished to be allies, and far from Nara. In 794 Kanmu moved his capital to Heian-kyō (“the capital of peace and tranquility”), now known as Kyoto and following the Chinese custom of naming periods to influence events – he chose period name of Enryaku (“prolonged success”) to ensure a long and prosperous reign. Kanmu’s designed Heian-kyō on the Tang Dynasty capital of Chang’an and each street was laid out according to ying and yang principles. Kanmu only allowed two new temples to be built: Tōji (Eastern Temple) and Sai-ji (Western Temple). He also wanted to start his own Buddhist sects.
Kanmu kept some traditions. He retained the Taika Reform, Taiho Code, and the ritsuryō system which were based on Confucianism and the Chinese legal system. There were two departments, Department of Worship in charge of rituals and clergy and the Department of State, which was divided into eight ministries. Rank remained very important. The different posts of the Departments of State and of Worship were divided into four ranks. Rankings were even done on posts that were not related to governing such as court musicians and pharmacists. Court ranks were set up numbered from first to eighth, first being the highest. Holding a rank was prestigious up to the 20th century. He continued the syncretism of Buddhism mixed with Shinto and supported Nara temples. And, the Fujiwara family continued providing wives and consorts.
Kanmu seized power by conquest of lands. He hired professional soldiers, awarding his commander Sakanoye Tamura Maro the title of sei-i tai-shōgun (“barbarian subduing generalissimo”) after conquering the Emishi. To pay for this tax revenue was needed but the court also needed to reward friends and benefactors. For rewards, the shōen or estate system developed, which were tax-exempt estates.