page_title: Heian Palace
section_title: Chōdō-in
hierarchical_section_title: Heian Palace / Greater Palace (Daidairi) / Chōdō-in
caption_attribution_description: English: Plan of the en:Heian Palace or Daidairi based on maps in published works en:Category:Maps of the history of Japan
context_page_description: The Heian Palace was the original imperial palace of Heian-kyō, the capital of Japan, from 794 to 1227. The palace, which served as the imperial residence and the administrative centre of for most of the Heian period, was located at the north-central location of the city in accordance with the Chinese models used for the design of the capital.
  The palace consisted of a large rectangular walled enclosure, which contained several ceremonial and administrative buildings including the government ministries. Inside this enclosure was the separately walled residential compound of the emperor or the Inner Palace. In addition to the emperor's living quarters, the Inner Palace contained the residences of the imperial consorts, as well as certain official and ceremonial buildings more closely linked to the person of the emperor.
  The original role of the palace was to manifest the centralised government model adopted by Japan from China in the 7th century — the Daijō-kan and its subsidiary Eight Ministries. The palace was designed to provide an appropriate setting for the emperor's residence, the conduct of great affairs of state, and the accompanying ceremonies.
context_section_description: Chōdō-in was a rectangular walled enclosure situated directly to the north of the Suzakumon gate in the centre of the southern wall of the Greater Palace. It was based on Chinese models and followed Chinese architectural styles, and archaeological evidence from earlier capitals shows that this building complex was present in earlier palaces and had a remarkably stable design from the 7th century onwards.
caption: Schematic plan of the Greater Palace
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