Editing Module:Tenpyō

{{short description|Period of Japanese history (729–749)}}
{{History of Japan|Shoso-in.jpg| Image explanation = [[Shōsōin]]}}

{{nihongo|'''Tenpyō'''|天平|}} was a {{nihongo|[[Japanese era name]]|年号|''nengō''|"year name"}} after ''[[Jinki (era)|Jinki]]'' and before ''[[Tenpyō-kanpō]].''  This period spanned the years from August 729 through April 749.<ref>Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Tempyō''" in {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 957|page=957}}; n.b., Louis-Frédéric is pseudonym of Louis-Frédéric Nussbaum, ''see'' [http://dispatch.opac.ddb.de/DB=4.1/PPN?PPN=128842709 Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Authority File] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120524174828/http://dispatch.opac.ddb.de/DB=4.1/PPN?PPN=128842709 |date=2012-05-24 }}.</ref>  The reigning emperor was {{nihongo|[[Emperor Shōmu|Shōmu]]''-tennō''|聖武天皇}}.<ref>Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). {{Google books|18oNAAAAIAAJ|''Annales des empereurs du japon,'' pp. 67–73|page=67}}; Brown, Delmer ''et al.'' (1979). ''Gukanshō'', pp. 272–273; Varley, H. Paul. ''Jinnō Shōtōki'', pp. 141–143.</ref>

==Change of era==
* '''729''' {{nihongo|''Tenpyō gannen''|天平元年}}: The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events.  The previous era ended and the new one commenced in ''Jinki'' 6, on the 5th day of the 8th month of 729.<ref>Brown, p. 273.</ref>

==Events of the ''Tenpyō'' era==
[[Image:Heijokyo.jpg|thumb|Ground-plan of Heijō-kyō (Nara)]]
* '''740''' (''Tenpyō 12, 8th month''): In the court of [[Emperor Shōmu]] in [[Nara, Nara|Nara]], [[Kibi no Makibi]] and [[Genbō]] conspire to discredit [[Fujiwara no Hirotsugu]], who is ''[[Dazai shoni]]'' in [[Kyushu]].<ref name="titsingh71">Titsingh, {{Google books|18oNAAAAIAAJ|p. 71|page=71}}.</ref>   
* '''740''' (''Tenpyō 12, 9th month''): [[Fujiwara no Hirotsugu Rebellion|Hirotsugu revolts]] in reaction to the growing influence of Genbō and others.<ref name="titsingh71"/>
* '''740''' (''Tenpyō 12, 9th month''): Under the command of [[Ōno no Azumabito]], an army of 17,000 is sent to Kyushu to stop the potential disturbance.<ref name="titsingh71"/>
* '''740''' (''Tenpyō 12, 10th month''): Hirotsugu is decisively beaten in battle; and he is beheaded in [[Hizen Province]].<ref name="titsingh71"/>
* '''740''' (''Tenpyō 12''): ''The capital is moved to [[Kuni-kyō]]''.<ref>Titsingh, {{Google books|18oNAAAAIAAJ|p. 71|page=71}}; [http://www.kyoto-be.ne.jp/bunkazai/kunikyu.html  恭仁宮跡の発掘調査 (Excavations on the Kuni Palace site, Kyoto Prefectural Board of Education)]; retrieved 2011-07-14</ref>
* '''741''' (''Tenpyō 13''): The Emperor calls for nationwide establishment of [[provincial temple]]s.  Provincial temples (''"kokubunji"'') and provincial nunneries (''"kokubunniji"'') were established throughout the country.<ref name="v141-142">Varley, pp. 141–142.</ref>  The more formal name for these ''"kokubunji"'' was ''"konkomyo-shitenno-gokoku no tera"'' (meaning "temples for the protection of the country by the four guardian deities of the golden light").  The more formal name for these ''"bokubunniji"'' was ''"hokke-metuzai no tera"'' (meaning "nunneries for eliminating sin by means of the Lotus Sutra").<ref name="v141-142"/>
* '''743''' (''Tenpyō 15''): The Emperor issues a rescript to build the ''[[Daibutsu]]'' (Great Buddha), later to be completed and placed in [[Tōdai-ji]], [[Nara, Nara|Nara]].<ref>Varley, p. 141; Brown, p. 273.</ref>
* '''743''' (''Tenpyō 15''): The law of Perpetual Ownership of Cultivated Lands (墾田永代私財法) issued
* '''744''' (''Tenpyō 16''): [[Osaka|Naniwa-kyō]] announced as capital.<ref name="titsingh71"/>
* '''745''' (''Tenpyō 17''): The capital returns to [[Heijō Kyō|Heijō-kyō]] ([[Nara, Nara|Nara]]), construction of the Great Buddha resumes.<ref>Titsingh, {{Google books|18oNAAAAIAAJ|p. 72|page=72}}.</ref>
* '''749''' (''Tenpyō 20''): After a 25-year reign, Emperor Shōmu abdicates in favor of his daughter, Takano''-hime'', who will become Empress Kōken.  After his abdication, Shomu took the tonsure, thus becoming the first retired emperor to become a Buddhist priest. Empress Kōmyō, following her husband's example, also took holy vows in becoming a Buddhist nun.<ref>Varley, p. 143.</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==References==
* Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979). [https://books.google.com/books?id=w4f5FrmIJKIC&q=Gukansho  ''Gukanshō: The Future and the Past''.] Berkeley: University of California Press. {{ISBN|978-0-520-03460-0}}; [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/251325323  OCLC 251325323]
* Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC  ''Japan encyclopedia''.] Cambridge: [[Harvard University Press]]. {{ISBN|978-0-674-01753-5}}; [http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/58053128?referer=di&ht=edition  OCLC 58053128]
* [[Isaac Titsingh|Titsingh, Isaac.]] (1834). ''[[Nihon Ōdai Ichiran]]''; ou, [https://books.google.com/books?id=18oNAAAAIAAJ&q=nipon+o+dai+itsi+ran  ''Annales des empereurs du Japon''.]  Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/5850691 OCLC 5850691]
* [[H. Paul Varley|Varley, H. Paul]]. (1980). ''A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa''. New York: [[Columbia University Press]].  {{ISBN|9780231049405}}; [https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/6042764  OCLC 6042764]

==External links==
* [[National Diet Library]], "The Japanese Calendar" [http://www.ndl.go.jp/koyomi/e/ -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| before =[[Jinki (era)|Jinki]]
| title = [[Japanese era name|Era or ''nengō'']]<br>Tenpyō
| years = 729–749
| after =[[Tenpyō-kanpō]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Japanese era name}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tenpyo}}
[[Category:Japanese eras]]
[[Category:720s in Japan]]
[[Category:730s in Japan]]
[[Category:740s in Japan]]
[[Category:720s beginnings]]
[[Category:729]]
[[Category:749 endings]]
[[Category:8th-century neologisms]]