Tenpyō-shōhō

History of Japan
Periods Paleolithic before 14,000 BC Jōmon 14,000 – 300 BCE Yayoi 300 BCE – 250 CE Kofun 250–538 Asuka 538–710 Nara 710–794 Heian 794–1185 Kamakura 1185–1333 Kenmu Restoration 1333–1336 Muromachi (Ashikaga) Nanboku-chō Sengoku 1336–1573 Azuchi–Momoyama Nanban trade 1568–1603 Edo (Tokugawa) Sakoku Bakumatsu 1603–1868 Meiji Restoration 1868–1912 Taishō World War I 1912–1926 Shōwa Financial crisis Militarism Pacific War Occupation Post-occupation 1926–1989 Heisei Lost Decade 1989–present
Topics Currency Earthquakes Economy Education Empire Historiography Military Naval Post-war
Glossary Timeline

Tenpyō-shōhō (天平勝宝) was a Japanese era name (年号,, nengō,, lit. "year name") after Tenpyō-kanpō and before Tenpyō-hōji. This period spanned the years from July 749 through August 757.^[1] The reigning emperor was Kōken-tennō (孝謙天皇).^[2]

Change of era

• 749 Tenpyō-shōhō gannen (天平勝宝元年): The new era name of Tenpyō-shōhō (meaning "Heavenly Peace and Victorious Treasure")^[3] was created to mark the accession of Empress Kōken. Shortly after Tenpyō-kanpō was initially proclaimed, Shōmu renounced the throne, thus becoming the first emperor to take the tonsure as a Buddhist monk.^[4] Shōmu's reign and the Tenpyō-kanpō era ended simultaneously as he began a new phase of his life. The previous era ended after a mere four months, and the new one commenced in Tenpyō-kanpō 1, on the 2nd day of the 7th month of 749.^[5]

Events of the Tenpyō-shōhō era

• 749 (Tenpyō-shōhō 1): Emperor Shōmu abdicates, and his daughter receives the succession (senso). Shortly thereafter, Empress Kōken formally accedes to the throne (sokui).^[6]
• 749 (Tenpyō-shōhō 1)
• 752 (Tenpyō-shōhō 4, 4th month): The Eye-opening Ceremony celebrating the completion of the Great Buddha is held at Tōdai-ji in Nara.^[7]
• September 5, 750 (Tenpyō-shōhō 2, 1st day of the 8th month): In the 10th year of Kōken-tennō 's reign (称徳天皇10年), the empress abdicated; and succession (senso) was received by her adopted son. Shortly thereafter, Emperor Junnin is said to have acceded to the throne (sokui).^[8]

Notes

References

• Bowman, John Stewart. (2000). Columbia Chronologies of Asian History and Culture. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231110051; ISBN 9780231110044; OCLC 42429361
• Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979). Gukanshō: The Future and the Past. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-03460-0; OCLC 251325323
• Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
• Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691
• Varley, H. Paul. (1980). A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa. New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 9780231049405; OCLC 6042764

External links

• National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection