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FeudalJapan
Four Main Islands
● 120 miles away at closest point
● Tempestuous seas
● Spoken language- distantly related to Korean; unrelated to Chinese
Relative Isolation
Distinctive Culture● Interacted & traded sometimes● Isolation by choice sometimes – only in
recent times open
7th Century- Heavy Chinese Influence
● Modeled New Capital on Chinese Chang’an
● Aristocratic sons studied in China, returned to important positions in Japan
● Confucianism● Buddhism ● Daoism● Chinese tastes, artistic
styles
Distinctive Culture Always!● Chinese influence
NEVER REPLACED Japanese culture.
● OK: Shintoism & Buddhism simultaneously
● OK: Idea of Emperor & Ruling Family
● Traditions, perceptions, Japanese
Political & Social SystemNO central government with
professional bureaucrats!● NO Civil Service Exam● NO Confucianism
WHY? Education not as important as birth; noble classes were hereditary, not earned. - Feudal Lords- Hereditary, Aristocracy,
Royalty.
Japan Charts its Own Path:794 CE
Moved capital from Nara (Heian Japan)
● Modeled after Tang capital of Chang’an
● Heian-Kyo (now Kyoto)
● Purpose: end imitation of Chinese culture, seen as foreign influence (China in turmoil)
Heian Period: 794 ● Chinese influence
disappeared● Fujiwara Family ran
country● Intermarried w/
Royalty… ran country
● Emperor as Figurehead
Heian Period: 794-1156
Characteristics:● Growth of large landed estates, nobles, and samurais (loyal to master)- Japanese Feudalism● All culture centered around the Court Life
●Literature●Fashion●Learning●Etiquette
The Pillow Bookby Sei Shonagon (diary)
Tale of Genji (first novel) about aristocratic culture
Lady Murasaki Shikibu
She contributed much to the Japanese script known as kana, while men wrote with Chinese characters, kanji.
Heian Court Dress
Twelve Lined Robes
Feudal System Begins● 1192- Yoritomo
Minamoto → SHOGUN● Title given by
emperor● Real power;
Emperor as figurehead
FeudalismA political, economic, and social system based on loyalty, the holding of land, and military service. Japan:
Shogun
Daimyo Daimyo
Samurai Samurai Samurai
Peasant PeasantPeasantPeasant
Land - Shoen
Land - Shoen
Protection
Loyalty
Loyalty
Food
Daimyo● “Counts” –
warriors & noblemen
● Huge landowners
● Samurai swear oath of loyalty
Samurai● Vassals to Daimyo
● Land (& Protection) for Loyalty Exchange● Peasant farmers● Artisans
Feudal Society
The emperor reigned, but did not always rule!
Early Mounted Samurai Warriors
Modern-Day “Samurai Warriors”
Bushido● “The Way of the
Warrior”● Strict code of
Conduct● Loyalty● Courage● Honor● Simplicity
Seppuku (Hari Kari)Shameful to be captured or tortured. In order to avoid same, considered the duty of samurai to kill themselves through ritual disembowelment.
Zen Buddhism● A Japanese variation of the Mahayana form of Buddhism, which came from India through China.● It reinforced the Bushido values of mental and self-discipline.
Mongol“Invasionsof Japan"
4,400 ships and 140,000 men, but kamikaze winds stopped them.