Editing Emperor Shōmu (section)

===Timeline===
[[File:Tōdai-ji Kon-dō.jpg|thumb|[[Tōdai-ji]]]]

* '''724''' (''[[Jinki (era)|Jinki]] 1''): Emperor Shōmu rises to throne.<ref name="v141"/>
* '''740''' (''Tenpyō 12, 8th month''): In the Imperial court 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 rebels]] 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 Imperial 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]]
* '''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. 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>Varley, pp. 141–142.</ref>
* '''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''): In the spring, the court was moved to [[Naniwa-kyō]] which then became the new capital.<ref name="titsingh71"/>
* '''745''' (''Tenpyō 17''): The Emperor declares by himself [[Shigaraki Palace|Shigaraki-kyō]] the capital
* '''745''' (''Tenpyō 17''): The capital returns to [[Heijō Kyō|Heijō-kyō]], construction of the Great Buddha resumes.
* '''749''' (''Tenpyō 21, 4th month''): Shōmu, accompanied by the empress, their children, and all the great men and women of the court, went in procession to Todai-ji.  The emperor stood before the statue of the Buddha and proclaimed himself to be a disciple of the [[Triratna|three jewels]],<ref>Titsingh, {{Google books|18oNAAAAIAAJ|p. 73|page=73}}.</ref> which are the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha.<ref name="titsingh42">Titsingh, {{Google books|18oNAAAAIAAJ|p. 41 n2|page=41}}.</ref>
* '''749''' (''Tenpyō 21, 7th month''): After a 25-year reign, Emperor Shōmu abdicates in favor of his daughter, Princess Takano, who would become Empress Kōken.<ref name="v143">Varley, p. 143.</ref>  After abdication, Shōmu took the tonsure, thus becoming the first retired emperor to become a Buddhist priest.<ref name="v143"/>  Empress Komyo, following her husband's example, also took holy vows in becoming a Buddhist nun.<ref name="v143"/>
* '''752''' (''[[Tenpyō-shōhō]] 4, 4th month''): The [[Buddhābhiseka|Eye-Opening Ceremony]], presided over by [[Rōben]] and celebrating the completion of the Great Buddha, is held at [[Tōdai-ji]].<ref>Titsingh, {{Google books|18oNAAAAIAAJ|p. 74|page=74}}; Varley, p. 143.</ref>