• 4. Heian-eho Epoch.— In the reign of the 50th emperor, Kenvitintn, the Capital was trans ferred to Helen-km, 794 AD., perhaps for ad ministrative autposes. It was the modern Moto, which is, however, only half the size of the original. There more than 70 emperors rebored for above 1,070 years, until the great Meiji Restoration, The interval which wee Pates .794 it.s. and the year of the establishment Cif the •amakura Shogunam, is known in his tory as aHeinnochcerEpocho Another salient event in this reign was the complete milaPagaition of insergents hi the eastern Yew by sending there Salca-no-uye-no-Tamonunaro.
Several reigns from ICIV1/17M11 to the Ete peror Nimnyo, his grandson, comPriee lie most prosperous part of the epoch. Learning made a marked advance, and the Emperor Saga is said to have been unique in his penmanship. Besides, many private schools were started by the court nobles.
Buddhism found two more able champions in Saicho (Dengyo Daishi) and Kukai (Kobo l)aishi), the former of whom founded Yenry aku-ji on Mount Hiei, and the latter Kongobu ji on Mount Koya. They are said to have taught the identity of the deities of Shintoism, the native religion, with those of Buddhism, which subsequently won the strong devotion of the people of all classes. Buddhism accordingly became the predominating factor in settling all matters relating to political, military and social occurrences. But Shinto shrines, such as Ise or Kamo, always held the people's hearts even in this ascendant age of Buddhism.
5. The Zenith of the Fujiwara The Fujiwara family which sustained a loss of prestige for a time again rose to an eminence when Fuyutsugu was appointed to a vital posi tion called Kurodo-no-Kami. His daughter was elevated to be an imperial consort, and bore a son, who came to the throne as the 55th em peror, Montoku. With Yoshifusa, son of Fuyutsugu, the Fujiwara family increased its power, for he was the first subject appointed Chief Minister of State, for which office till. then none but imperial princes had been deemed available. Moreover, he was charged with regency over the 56th emperor, Seiwa, his grandson, who was only nine years old when enthroned. Mototsune, his son, was appointed eKwanbaku,a and after a time the custom of appointing the ex-regent to that position of im portance became fixed. It seemed indeed as though all the highest offices of state had be come the exclusive monopoly of this family.
The Emperor Uda, being of a sagacious turn of mind, contrived to put a check on the arbi trary power exercised by the Fujiwara family by bestowing an eminent position on Sugawara no-Michizane. Michizane's banishment, how
ever, was soon accomplished by Tokihira, a minister of the Fujiwara, and his colleagues in 901 A.D. Thus the invulnerability of this family was once more 'demonstrated.
Although the next emperor, Daigo, was cele brated for his illustrious virtues, and scholars and artists like Ki-no-Tsurayuki, Ki-no-Haseo, Miyoshi Kiyoyuki, Kose-no-Kanaoka, etc., were fostered under that reign, under an appearance of tranquillity and grandeur there lurked ele ments of effeminacy and corruption. The laws of Taihoryo were gradually being relaxed, and the arbitrary power of the Fujiwara family be came uncontrollable.
While enjoying such an arbitrary exercise of power, the Fujiwara family was naturally sub ject to internal disturbances arising from the selfish ambitions among them. Every prominent member of the family sought to increase his own authority by becoming closely related to the imperial family. At last, Michinaga (about 1,000 A.D.) became supreme and represented in himself the zenith of that splendid family. His three daughters became the consorts of three successive emperors and he was grandfather of three emperors. A writer depicted the events of these times in a work to which he gave the title Annals of Grandeur.) This epoch was distinguished by great gaiety and splendor. Nobles lived in spacious and grand houses, dressed lavishly and spent most of their time in reunions of poetry and music and dilettanteish observation of nature. Jap anese poetry, however, made a marked advance. Ki-no-Tsnrayuki, .by order of Emperor Daigo, compiled the CKokinshu.D a collection of the best poetry, and this was followed by 20 similar collections. Another noteworthy fact is that national literature began to develop perceptible activity, while the Chinese literature lost much of its sway, owing to the custom of sending ambassadors to China being abandoned. Thus Chinese poetry was supplanted by national verses; and romance, sketches, etc., were writ ten in the national syllabary. Tosa-Nikki, Genji-Monogatari, Makura-no-Soshi were the productions of most renown, and• many lady courtiers in the reign of the Emperor Ichijo, and at the time when Michinaga was in power, occupied positions of literary pre-eminence. In short, while the period of the imitation of Chinese culture was passing, the national litera ture was steadily growing.