Heijō-kyō

Heijō-kyō (Japanese: 平城京, also known as Heizei-kyō) was twice the ancient Imperial capital of Japan from 710 to 784. It was where Nara is today.[1]

Grid plan of Heijō Kyō

History

In 710, Empress Gemmei moved the Imperial capital from Fujiwara-kyō which is about 18 km south.[1]

Timeline
  • 707 (Keiun 4): Emperor Mommu orders construction of a new capital city, but the work is not complete before his death.[2]
  • 710 (Wadō 3, 3rd month): Empress Gemmei moves from Fujiwara-kyō to Heijō-kyō. The palace of the empress was named Nara-no-miya.[3]
  • 784 (Enryaku 3): Capital is moved briefly to Nagaoka
  • 794 (Enryaku 13): Capital was moved to Heian-kyō and the palace was named Heian no Miya.[4]
  • November 17, 794 (Enryaku 13, 21st day of the 10th month): The emperor traveled by carriage from Nara to Heian-kyō in a grand procession.[5] This marks the end of the Nara period and the beginning of the Heian period in Japanese history.

Architecture

The Heijō Palace[6] and some of the Buddhist temples at Heijō-kyō are named together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,[7] including

  • Daian-ji (大安寺)
  • Yakushi-ji (薬師寺)[6]
  • Kōfuku-ji (興福寺)[6]
  • Gangō-ji (元興寺)[6]
  • Suzakumon (朱雀門, reconstruction)
  • Saidai-ji (西大寺)
  • Tōdai-ji (東大寺)[6]
  • Daikokuden (大極殿, reconstruction)

References
  1. Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2002). "Heijō-kyō" in Japan Encyclopedia, pp. 304-305.
  2. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du Japon, p. 64.
  3. Brown, Delmer. (1979). Gukanshō, p. 270.
  4. Brown, p. 277.
  5. Brown, p. 279.
  6. Naracity Tourist Association, World Heritage Archived 2012-01-12 at the Wayback Machine; retrieved 2011-12-8.
  7. UNESCO, "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara"; retrieved 2012-4-19.

Other websites
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