Heian period art

Japanese: 平安時代美術 - へいあんじだいびじゅつ

Around 794 (Enryaku 13), when the capital moved from Nara to Kyoto, various changes were observed beyond the mere transfer of the capital. It was a major turning point in cultural history, including changes in Buddhist art due to the import of Esoteric Shingon Buddhism. The 400 years from this time, during which the political and cultural center was in Kyoto, are known as the Heian period, and it is also considered a period in art history. However, depending on how you look at it, the period up to the end of the Kōnin-Jōgan or Jōgan period up to the temporary break with continental culture, symbolized by the abolition of Japanese envoys to Tang China in 894 (Kanpei 6), is called the Kōnin-Jōgan or Jōgan period, and is distinguished from the Fujiwara period that followed. There are also various theories on the period, such as the early Heian period up to the mid-10th century, when the shift to a Japanese style finally became evident, and the period after that as the late Heian period, which is seen as the period of completion and development of the Japanese style.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

都が奈良から京都に移った794年(延暦13)前後は，単に遷都だけではないさまざまな変化が認められる時期で，真言密教の輸入による仏教美術の変化をはじめ，文化史の上でも大きな転換期であった。これから政治･文化の中心が京都に存在した約400年間がいわゆる平安時代であり，美術の歴史の上でもこれを一つの時代とみている。ただし見方によって，894年(寛平6)の遣唐使廃止によって象徴される大陸文化との一応の絶縁までを弘仁･貞観あるいは貞観時代といって，それ以後の藤原時代と区別したり，10世紀中ごろのようやく和様化の顕著となってくる時期までを平安前期，以後を和様の完成からその展開の時期とみて平安後期のように二分するなど，諸説がある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Heian Shrine

>>: Heian period