Full Answer
What is the Nara period in Japan?
The Nara period lasted from 710 to 784/94 AD. This period in Japanese history is named after the seat of imperial government in the ancient city of Nara. This was the country’s first permanent capital, and was modelled after Chang’an, the capital of the neighboring Chinese Tang dynasty.
What was the role of the emperor in the Nara period?
Nara period. With the adoption of the imperial title tennō, translated from the Chinese t’ien-huang, or “heavenly emperor,” the Chinese concept of the emperor as the supreme symbol of central government rule was incorporated into the native Japanese interpretation of the emperor as also the leading Shintō cult figure.
Why is Nara the capital of Japan?
Other Buddhist temples were moved to Nara when it became the imperial capital, such as the Kofuku Temple, rebuilt there in 710, and the Gango Temple, rebuilt in 718. Nara is also an important centre for Shintoists, and is home to the Kasuga Great Shrine, which was founded in 768 at the foot of two holy mountains, Kasugayama and Mikasayama.
What is Nara famous for Today?
These and the many other historic temples and monuments found in Nara today are among the finest examples of the cultural and religious exchanges that took place at the eastern edge of the Silk Roads.
What is the Nara culture?
Nara culture, borrowing from the Tang, whose capital, Chang’an, was a great international city, evinced a marked international flavour itself. The consecration ceremony of the Great Buddha of Tōdai Temple, for example, was conducted by a Brahman high priest born in India, while the music was played by musicians from throughout East Asia.
How tall is the Nara temple?
Shūkongōjin, painted clay, 733; in the Hekkedō (Sangatsudō), Tōdai Temple, Nara, Japan. Height 1.739 metres. The marriage of Buddhism and politics that was Shōmu’s ideal was to cause trouble after his death.
What was the main feature of the 710 Chinese emperor?
During this period, the centralized government provided for under the ritsuryō structure worked reasonably well; it was a time of atypical social mobility based on merit, where those with Chinese learning or Buddhist knowledge enjoyed access to power. Perhaps the most conspicuous feature is the brilliant flowering of culture, especially Buddhist culture. The leaders in its promotion were the emperor Shōmu and his consort, Kōmyō. Immediately on his accession, Shōmu—who from childhood had been given a thorough schooling as future emperor—showed an eager concern to promote the stable livelihood of the people. Convinced that the Buddhist faith was a means to ensure both the happiness of the individual and peace for the country as a whole, he introduced strong doses of Buddhism into his government.
What was the cultural flowering of Buddhism?
The cultural flowering centring on Buddhism was an outcome of lively exchanges with other nations. Four times within 70 years the government sent official missions to the Tang court, each mission accompanied by a large number of students who went to study in China. By this time Tang had formed a great empire that controlled not only the central plains of China but parts of Mongolia and Siberia to the north and of Central Asia to the west.
What was the name of the temples that Shakyamuni built?
One of the measures he took was the founding of the provincial temples known as kokubunji. Each province was to build a monastery ( kokubunji) and a nunnery ( kokubun niji ), each with a seven-story pagoda and each housing a statue of the Shakyamuni Buddha.
Where is the Buddha of Nara?
The great image that was produced as a result, though damaged in later ages, still stands in the Tōdai Temple and is famous the world over as the Great Buddha of Nara. The court also tried to attract Chinese monks to Nara.
Where was Kammu's base of power?
Kammu’s accession also represented a shift from the descendants of the emperor Temmu back to those of Tenji, whose base of power was located in Yamashiro province, the site of the new capital.
What is the Todai Ji Temple?
Todai-ji was completed in 752 AD, and is most notable for its main hall, the Daibutsuden (“Great Buddha Hall”), which houses a giant bronze statue of the Vairocana Buddha. For a long time, the Daibutsuden held the record as the world’s largest wooden building. It has been pointed out, however, that the current hall, which is a reconstruction from 1692, is only two-thirds the size of the one built by Shomu. As for the bronze statue, the Daibutsu, this seated Buddha rises to a height of 15 m (49.2 ft) and is one of the largest Buddha statues in Japan. Today, Todai-ji Temple is the most important landmark in Nara, and its most popular tourist attraction. During the Nara period, however, the temple was not only a religious site, but also a powerful institution, as it served as the head temple of all the provincial Buddhist temples in Japan.
How long did Nara serve as the capital of Japan?
Except for five years, i.e., from 740 to 745 AD, Nara served as the Japanese capital until 784 AD, when Emperor Kammu moved the capital temporarily to Nagaoka and then to the permanent location of Heian-kyo (Kyoto), which lasted for 1200 years. Nara was modelled after the Tang capital, Chang’an, and from its inception, ...
What is the name of the anthology of poetry written during the Nara period?
Ryukyu Kingdom: Castles, Customs, and China and Japan's Rivalry. The other major anthology of poetry compiled during the Nara period is the Kaifuso, meaning “Fond Recollections of Poetry.”. Unlike the Man’yoshu, the poems in the Kaifuso were written by Japanese poets in Chinese.
What was the first permanent capital of Japan?
The Nara Period: Japan’s First Permanent Capital. Read Later. Print. The Nara period lasted from 710 to 784/94 AD. This period in Japanese history is named after the seat of imperial government in the ancient city of Nara. This was the country’s first permanent capital, and was modelled after Chang’an, the capital of the neighboring Chinese Tang ...
Why did the imperial court move to a new location?
This was due to the prevailing belief that an emperor’s death polluted the capital, and therefore the new ruler had to relocate. It was only during the Nara period that Japan’s first permanent capital, Nara, was established.
What was the impact of Buddhism on the Japanese court?
This is stems from the fact that most commoners still practiced Shinto, Japan original animistic religion. In any event, the influence of Buddhism at the Japanese court continued, and even increased, during the reign of Empress Koken (known also as Empress Shotoku during her second reign), Shomu’s daughter and immediate successor.
What was the capital of Japan after Nara?
The government was only able to quell the rebellion after many years. Nagaoka-kyo was briefly the Japanese capital after Nara but it was soon replaced by the construction of Heian-kyo (Kyoto today), with the capital’s original imperial palace at the top and key guardian Buddhist temples at the bottom.
How many objects are in the Shoso Repository?
Other wares have been added to the repository since the mid-8 th century, and it now contains over 9,000 objects and works of art, representing the cultural diversity and vibrancy of early medieval Nara.
What is the name of the temple in Nara?
The city's main temple complex, the Todai (or Great Eastern) Temple, built between 745 and 752, was the largest and most powerful monastery in the Nara period and the centre of the Kegon Buddhist sect.
What was the main religion of Nara?
The city also developed as a religious centre from which Buddhism was promoted as the imperial religion of Japan, and the Emperor Shomu (who reigned between 724 and 749) ordered temples and other religious buildings to be constructed on a wide scale. Many of the remarkable Buddhist temples that distinguish Nara today date from this period, and are crucial not only in our understanding of Japanese temple architecture, but also in illustrating the growth of Buddhism throughout Japan, as well as the external influences that played a part in Nara's development. The city's main temple complex, the Todai (or Great Eastern) Temple, built between 745 and 752, was the largest and most powerful monastery in the Nara period and the centre of the Kegon Buddhist sect. It contains a monumental bronze statue of the seated Great Buddha (the Daibutsu) that reaches some 15 metres high within the Great Buddha Hall, one of the largest wooden buildings in the world.
What is the oldest building in Nara?
It is the centre of the Shotoku Buddhist sect, and the original buildings in the compound are some of the oldest wooden structures in the world, including the five-storey pagoda and the main hall (or kondo ). In 710 AD, Nara became the imperial capital of Japan, and would remain at the heart of the Japanese empire until the end ...
When were the Todai and Kofuku temples destroyed?
The Todai and Kofuku Temples were destroyed and rebuilt in the 12 th century , with the Kofuku Temple being reconstructed in the traditional Japanese Wayo style, and the Todai Temple designed in the Great Buddha (or Daibutsuyo) style introduced from Sung Dynasty China.
What was the connection between Nara and the Silk Roads?
In addition to the circulation of religious cultures, Nara's connection with the Silk Roads also shaped the goods produced in and around the city.
What was Nara's role in the Silk Roads?
Nara had a role as a Buddhist centre before it rose to political and social prominence in the 8 th century. Buddhism was one of the many religions that spread along the lengths of the Silk Roads, and was often transmitted by pilgrims, monks and indeed merchants themselves.
What was the new form of government in Japan?
This new form of government was called Insei government. Insei emperors exerted political power from 1086 until 1156 when Taira Kiyomori became the new leader of Japan. In the 12th century, two military families with aristocratic backgrounds gained much power: the Minamoto (or Genji) and Taira (or Heike) families.
What war did the Minamoto clan fight in?
After Kiyomori's death, the Taira and Minamoto clans fought a deciding war for supremacy, the Gempei War, which lasted from 1180 to 1185. By the end of the war, the Minamoto were able to put an end to Taira supremacy, and Minamoto Yoritomo succeeded as the leader of Japan.
How did the Fujiwara family control the Heian period?
The Fujiwara family controlled the political scene of the Heian period over several centuries through strategic intermarriages with the imperial family and by occupying all the important political offices in Kyoto and the major provinces. The power of the clan reached its peak with Fujiwara Michinaga in the year 1016. After Michinaga, however, the ability of the Fujiwara leaders began to decline, and public order could not be maintained. Many land owners hired samurai for the protection of their properties. That is how the military class became more and more influential, especially in Eastern Japan.
What were the characteristics of the Nara and Heian periods?
One characteristic of the Nara and Heian periods is a gradual decline of Chinese influence which, nevertheless, remained strong. Many of the imported ideas were gradually "Japanized". In order to meet particular Japanese needs, several governmental offices were established in addition to the government system which was copied after ...
What was the first permanent Japanese capital?
Nara and Heian Periods (710 - 1185) In the year 710, the first permanent Japanese capital was established in Nara, a city modelled after the Chinese capital. Large Buddhist monasteries were built in the new capital. The monasteries quickly gained such strong political influence that, in order to protect the position of the emperor ...
What were the failures of the Taika reforms?
Among the worst failures of the Taika reforms were the land and taxation reform s: High taxes resulted in the impoverishment of many farmers who then had to sell their properties and became tenants of larger land owners. Furthermore, many aristocrats and the Buddhist monasteries succeeded in achieving tax immunity.
When did Fujiwara rule?
The Fujiwara supremacy came to an end in 1068 when the new emperor Go-Sanjo was determined to rule the country by himself, and the Fujiwara failed to control him. In the year 1086 Go-Sanjo abdicated but continued to rule from behind the political stage. This new form of government was called Insei government.
Economic and administrative developments during the Nara Period
In Early Japan, the capital was generally moved after the death of an emperor because of the old belief that a place of death was contaminated. Bureaucratization and government changes led to the institution of a firm imperial capital at Heijō-kyō, or Nara, in 710 CE. Nara was Japan’s prime urban center.
Literature in the Nara period
Combined efforts by the imperial court to preserve its history produced the first Japanese literature works in the Nara period. Works such as the Nihon Shoki and the Kojiki were political, used to list, and, therefore, justify and secure the sovereignty of the emperors’ rule within Japan.
Buddhism in the Nara
A significant cultural evolution of the era was the stable institution of Buddhism. Buddhism was presented by Baekje in the 6th century but had a mediocre reception until the Nara period when Emperor Shōmu enthusiastically adopted it.
International relations during the Nara Period
The Nara court imported Chinese culture, education, and knowledge by assigning diplomatic representatives known as kentōshi to the Tang court. Many Japanese students, both Buddhist and lay priests, studied in Chang’an and Luoyang. One student named Abe no Nakamaro cleared the Chinese civil examination to be designated to China’s governmental posts.
How did Nara Buddhism work?
The code prohibited clergy from practicing and propagating Buddhism in the countryside and restricted them to their home monasteries. The government also limited the annual number of monks receiving ordination, which could only be carried out at an officially sanctioned ordination platform. The court conferred ranks on leading monks, thus creating a sense of gratitude and obligation as well as a chain of command used to regulate the clerical community. The official system gave rise to illegal monks, who were often self-ordained and worked freely among the people.
Why did the Nara scandal happen?
The scandal highlighted the significant power and influence that the Nara Buddhist establishment had gained, and the court, for many reasons including its concern about Buddhist interference, decided to move the capital out of Nara. The new permanent capital was located in Heian-kyō (now known as Kyoto), and while Nara continued to be an important ...
What are the six doctrinal traditions?
The six doctrinal traditions were: (1) the Jōjitsu, which denied the permanent reality of the self and the world; (2) the Kusha, which denied the permanent reality of the self but not the world; (3) the Sanron, which asserted that the self and the world are empty; (4) the Hossō, which asserted the nature of reality as a function of the mind; (5) the Kegon, which linked all existences into a web of connections; and (6) the Ritsu, which taught the precepts governing the lifestyle of monks and nuns. Large monasteries such as Tōdaiji, Kōfukuji, and Tōshōdaiji served as home bases for these schools.
What is Nara's art style?
Nara is a central figure within contemporary Japanese art. He is associated specifically with the rise of Superflat art ; a term coined by Nara's compatriot Takashi Murakami to describe a movement that blends a two-dimensional (flat) graphic design with the more contemplative interests of fine art. Nara's deceptively simple art uses cartoon-like imagery to express conflicting childhood emotions and anxieties within a single figure. His children are typically shown in a mood of resistance and rebellion or, sometimes, in a more tranquil or contemplative state. Given his nationality, and the illustrative quality of his art, Nara has often been associated with the traditions of Japanese manga and anime but Nara's work draws on a much wider range of influences ranging through Western Punk Rock and fairy tales to Eastern religion and philosophy. In the later, more introspective, phase of his career, Nara has turned his attentions to sculpture and installation art, but it is through his enduring "Romana" portraits that he remains most readily associated.
What is the name of the girl in Knife Behind Back?
Knife Behind Back (2000) In this monumentally large painting we see a recurrent Nara character named Ramona - after the American punk band Ramones - a young girl with a bob haircut, wearing a red dress with a white collar. Here, she frowns and glares defiantly at the viewer.
What is Nara's reductive approach to art?
In a postmodern context where artists usually prefer meaning to remain ambiguous, Nara offered a more reductive way of looking at his art. As a direct result of the fallout from the Fukushima earthquake and the death of his father, Nara's mature works took on a more existential focus.
What is superflat art?
Superflat art is now considered a staple of postmodern art. It is based on Japan's post World War II obsession with anime and manga comic books but Nara's more outward looking worldview has done much to promote the reputation of the so-called Japanese "Pop art" in mainstream Western culture.
What is Nara's influence?
Given his nationality, and the illustrative quality of his art, Nara has often been associated with the traditions of Japanese manga and anime but Nara's work draws on a much wider range of influences ranging through Western Punk Rock and fairy tales to Eastern religion and philosophy.
Where did Yoshitomo Nara grow up?
The youngest of three boys, Yoshitomo Nara grew up in a rural community near the city of Hirosaki, in the northern Japanese prefecture of Aomori.
What is the difference between painting and drawing?
8 of 9. "Painting is something more objective and controlled, while drawing is more intimate, uncontrolled and raw. Some drawings may be a little naive. Drawings show what's inside, and then on the surface, there are paintings, sculptures and other works.". 9 of 9.
How tall is the Buddha statue in Japan?
This legend is incorrect, for the extant statue installed at Asuka Dera ( see photo here) was cast in +609. It is 2.75 meters in height, much too large to be the legendary “first” Buddha statue to arrive in Japan. According to most, the first Buddha statues to arrive in Japan are today found at Zenkoji (Zenkōji) Temple 善光寺 in Nagano Prefecture, which houses three statues known as the Amida Triad 善光寺の阿弥陀三尊.
Where is the Shingon temple located?
Mt. Kōya 高野. Japan’s Shingon holy land is located on and around Mt. Koya. The main temple is called Kongōbuji 金剛峰寺. In 822, Kukai was awarded exclusive control over Tōji Temple 東寺 in Kyoto, making it another center of Shingon practice and worship.
What period did Buddhist art come from?
This, in my mind, is not correct. The great apogee of Japanese Buddhist art occurs later, during the late Heian and early Kamakura periods. Artwork from the Nara period is mostly a reflection of Chinese influences, aristocratic tastes, and the reproduction of imported sculptural models from China and less so from Korea.
What is the Nara period?
NARA PERIOD (+710 - 794) The Nara period begins with the relocation of the capital to Heijoukyou 平城京 (present-day Nara). The new Japanese capital was modeled after the Chinese capital of Chang'an 長安 (Jp. = Chouan), underscoring Japan’s fascination with Tang culture, sculpture, painting, and architecture.
How many periods were there in the Heian era?
NOTE: Art historians typically divide the Heian Era into two periods, the Early Heian (+794-897) and the Late Heian (+897-1185). The latter period is typically portrayed as a period of decline in China’s artistic influence and a period of decay in the power of the Japanese imperial court.
What are the three scriptures that protect the state?
Three texts were of great influence in old Japan -- the Lotus Sutra 法華經 (Hokke kyō), the Sutra of Golden Light 金光明經 (Konkōmyō kyō), and the Benevolent Kings Sutra 仁王經 (Nin ō gyō). These were called the "Three Scriptures Protecting the State." Indeed, the Japanese court's early support for Buddhism was based largely on the court's desire to use Buddhism as an instrument of state power and consolidation rather than an instrument of salvation for the masses. Buddhist ceremonies at the time were organized predominantly for the court to ensure the welfare of the country, to expel demons of disease, and to ensure rain and thus abundant harvests.
What was the state creed of the Nara period?
By the Nara period (see below), Buddhism becomes the state creed. The early missionaries and artisans also brought their arts and techniques for reproducing Buddhist icons and sutras. Gilt bronze statues (see Asuka Art) of the Buddhist deities appeared in great number.
What is the rivalry between Nara and Kyoto?
The second surprise Masami mentioned was a sort of rivalry between Nara and Kyoto. To be more accurate, she got the feeling that folks from Nara seem to think their prefecture is better than its northern neighbor! Curiously, Masami—who’s also lived in Kyoto—says that people from Japan’s classical capital never even think to compare their prefecture to Nara.#N#Even so, the people of Nara, which was the location of the capital even before Kyoto, feel their older history is even richer than Kyoto’s. She mentions that they’re always trying to find ways to trumpet the area’s charms to people in their own “Nara” way.
What is the second surprise Masami mentioned?
The second surprise Masami mentioned was a sort of rivalry between Nara and Kyoto. To be more accurate, she got the feeling that folks from Nara seem to think their prefecture is better than its northern neighbor!
Where do the young people in Nara go for fun?
So where do the young folks who are still in Nara go for fun or dates? Well, that was the next surprise for Masami—it turns out they go to Aeon Malls! Of course, Nara’s older residents happily head out to see the prefecture’s lovely historic temples, museums and landmarks, but for the younger people seeking more modern forms of entertainment, you can find them at Aeon Malls. There are plenty of these malls sprinkled around Nara Prefecture, and they offer plenty of fun, we suppose, but it seems like kind of a waste when there’s so much more to see!
