14 Facts About Heian period

The Heian period is considered the peak of the Japanese imperial court and noted for its art, especially poetry and literature.

Therefore, the Heian Period is considered a high point in Japanese culture that later generations have always admired.

The Heian period is noted for the rise of the samurai class, which would eventually take power and start the feudal Heian period of Japan.

The Kamakura Heian period began in 1185 when Minamoto no Yoritomo seized power from the emperors and established the shogunate in Kamakura.

The early Heian period continued Nara culture; the Heian capital was patterned on the Chinese Tang capital at Chang'an, as was Nara, but on a larger scale than Nara.

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Whereas the first phase of shoen development in the early Heian period had seen the opening of new lands and the granting of the use of lands to aristocrats and religious institutions, the second phase saw the growth of patrimonial "house governments", as in the old clan system.

Heian period established an office to compile and validate estate records with the aim of reasserting central control.

Heian period gave his daughter Tokuko in marriage to the young emperor Takakura, who died at only 19, leaving their infant son Antoku to succeed to the throne.

Heian period took aggressive actions to safeguard his power when necessary, including the removal and exile of 45 court officials and the razing of two troublesome temples, Todai-ji and Kofuku-ji.

Heian period appointed military governors, or shugo, to rule over the provinces, and stewards, or jito to supervise public and private estates.

The Japanese of this Heian period believed handwriting could reflect the condition of a person's soul: therefore, poor or hasty writing could be considered a sign of poor breeding.

Lyrics of the modern Japanese national anthem, Kimigayo, were written in the Heian period, as was The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu, which was extremely important to the Heian court, and one of the first novels ever written.

The Heian period produced a flowering of poetry including works of Ariwara no Narihira, Ono no Komachi, Izumi Shikibu, Murasaki Shikibu, Saigyo and Fujiwara no Teika.

Iconography of the Heian period is widely known in Japan, and depicted in various media, from traditional festivals to anime.