9781422283547

In the Shadow of China

Capital of Peace and Tranquillity T his map shows the spread of Buddhist monasteries during

B uddhism grew stronger throughout the Nara period thanks to the support of the emperor and his courtiers. Buddhist monasteries were built in each province and given lands

the seventh and eighth centuries. The names on the map represent provinces that were formed during the Nara period.

to support them. Buddhist leaders became so powerful that they began to interfere in politics. In 784 Emperor Kammu (737–806) decided that the best way to escape from their influence was to move the capital again. In 794 the capital settled at Heian-kyo, which means “capital of peace and tranquillity.” Later this city came to be known as Kyoto. In theory it remained the capital of Japan until 1868 because emperors continued to live there. The years from 794 to 1185 are known as the Heian period. Court and Countryside The emperor and his courtiers lived a life of luxury, cut off from ordinary people. They dressed exquisitely. Courtiers passed the time composing poems and writing them in beautiful calligraphy. A great deal of detail is known about life at the Heian court thanks to books written by courtiers, such as The Tale of Genji, a novel written by Lady Murasaki

The Tale of Genji This book tells the life of Prince Genji, who is called the shining prince because he is brilliant at everything he does—poetry, painting, dancing, music and sport. Naturally he is also handsome and has beautiful manners. Although he has a successful career at court and is given many honors and gifts, he never really finds true happiness. Indirectly the story of Genji expresses the Buddhist idea that in the end human life is always sad. The Tale of Genji is a very long book, running to more than a thousand pages, with hundreds of different characters. It was written around 1000 ce and has been popular ever since.