Japan

1.  Named after the city Hiean-kyo present day Kyoto.
 Established in 794 under emperor Kammu.
 Considered one of the high points in Japanese history.
 This period was known for being atime of peace and security in Japan, as well as the rise of the samurai class.
 During this time period the Japanese began to create their own phonetic alphabets.
 Hiragana and katakana replaced Chinese characters.
 Soon aristocratic families began teaching the new writing system.
 As a result literature written in Chinese had been forgotten.
 Also many fashion trends had arisen during the Hiean Period.
 White teeth were considered ugly so women dyed their teeth black.
 This custom was know as o-haguro.
 Plucking of the eyebrows also became very popular.
 Both men and women practiced this and would often re-paint their eyebrows 2 to 3 cm above their original spot.
 Typical attractive features included small eyes, pale skin, puffy face and plump figure.
 Skinny and dark skinned marked traits of a laborer.
 People of high stature would wear multiple layers of clothing.
 There were four main groups that held power during this time.
 These groups were: The emperor and imperial family, nobility or aristocracy, organized Buddhists and provincial
workers.