The Heian period was a very important period in Japanese history, lasting more than three hundred years, from 794 to 1185 AD.
In the early Heian period, Japan's political and social landscape underwent a series of changes, and the rise of the Fujiwara family was a highlight of this period.
In this battle for power, the Fujiwara family gradually monopolized all power in Japan through ingenious tactics and the power network behind it.
The rise of the Fujiwara family began in the early years of the Heian period, and it was not a unified action for the family at the beginning.
However, as the era entered the Baoli period (477-499), cultured people, fighters and leaders appeared in the family, and a large number of children entered the aristocratic culture of the time.
The second son, Fujiwara Michichi, and later the husband of Kyoko Fujiwara, was a central figure in the tenth century. As he led the Fujiwara family, which established itself as a force in Japanese politics and culture, it became an unshakable force.
During the reign of Fujiwara Michichi, the Fujiwara family gradually expanded their rule and took control of the central power, and then grasped the key to political deployment.
Under the leadership of his grandson, Fujiwara Yoshibo, the Fujiwara family finally had the supreme dominance. Fujiwara became regent during this period and held political power in Japan for a long time thereafter.
During the monopoly period of the Fujiwara family, they used the system of official positions and princes, as well as the strong control power of the family, to achieve their goals.
The Fujiwara family further secured its political position by appointing members of its own family to important official and political positions.
They expanded their sphere of influence by marrying off their own family members to other noble families, building a vast network of kinship.
The Fujiwara family also used this containment to the supreme dominance.
At that time, there was no emperor, but there were still two supreme rulers, the emperor and the regent. The Fujiwara family, on the other hand, became the descendants of the emperor or the consul of the regent through their own family members, and monopolized the real power of policy decisions.
In addition, the Fujiwara family further expanded its influence by taking advantage of the merit system, allowing its family members to own a large amount of land and population.
During this period, the Fujiwara family became almost the ruler of the political and cultural spheres of Japan, while the rest of the nobility and class became increasingly marginalized.
The Fujiwara family had a monopoly for hundreds of years and maintained it until the late Heian period.
However, their rule was also gradually shaken by internal divisions and rebellions.
In the late Heian period, there were serious family strife and power struggles within the Fujiwara family.
Rivalries between family members led to weakening and division within the family, which in turn led to political chaos and turmoil. This gave other noble families and forces a chance to regain power.
At the same time, wealthy clans from the local area gradually rose to prominence and formed an opposition to the Fujiwara family.
They threatened the dominance of the Fujiwara clan with force and local power, further weakening the Fujiwara clan's influence throughout the country.
Eventually, these wealthy forces succeeded in launching a campaign to destroy the Fujiwara family in 1185, ending their rule.
Although the Fujiwara family monopolized power in Japan during the Heian period, their rule also brought with it a series of problems.
Their monopoly of power led to corruption and hedonism among the upper nobility, ignoring the suffering of the common people. This has led to a great deal of discontent and revolt in society.
In addition, the monopoly of the Fujiwara family also led to political and cultural rigidity.
Their hereditary system limited the rise of other talented talents, leading to the stagnation of political administration and social progress.
To a certain extent, this monopoly also created the conditions for the rise of the later samurai class, who sought to break the rule of the Fujiwara family and achieve a redistribution of power.
In conclusion, the rise and monopoly of power of the Fujiwara family in the Heian period can be said to be a dark period in Japanese history. Through the containment and exploitation of the family, they continued to rule for hundreds of years.
However, their rule also eventually declined due to internal strife, the rise of local powers, and social revolts.
The monopoly rule of the Fujiwara family, to a certain extent, inhibited political and cultural progress, and opened the prelude to later changes.
This period of history has taught us that the concentration and monopoly of power will inevitably lead to social imbalance and instability, and that a political system that values balance and justice is the key to the long-term prosperity of a country.