Background of Japan Japans isolation as an island

Background of Japan • Japan's isolation as an island nation • Instrumental in its development as a culture • By 500 BCE it was still an undeveloped agrarian (farm based) culture without cities • Outside influences which led to cultural

Background • Japan comes from “ri-ben” – land of the rising sun • Borrowed ideas, institutions, & culture from China • 4, 000 islands make up the archipelago – 4 large islands • 1 B. C. = hundred of clans – Worshiped local gods – Shinto “way of the gods” – Respect nature (kami) & worship ancestors

Draw a Castle… Compare it to the ones in Feudal Japan

Warwick Castle, England

Feudal Japan

Japanese Traditional Castle

Japanese Culture • Buddhism: – Brought by Korean travelers – Mixed with Shinto • Some Buddhist rituals became Shinto rituals • Chinese culture: – 607, Prince Shotoku sent 1/3 missions to China – Adopted Chinese system of writing – Painting styles – Simple arts: cooking, gardening, tea, hairdressing – Strong central government

Prince Shotoku: 573 -621 • Adopted Chinese culture and Confucianism • Buddhist sects allowed to develop • Created a new government structure: • 17 Article

Heian Period: 794 -1156 Characteristics: • • • Growth of large landed estates Arts & literature of China flourished Elaborate court life • Etiquette • Personal diaries • The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon • Great novel • The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki Shikibu • Moving away from Chinese models in

Heian Court Dress

The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon (diary)

Tale of Genji (first novel) • Account of the life of a prince in the imperial court – considered the world’s first novel

Feudalism Erodes Imperial Authority • Rich Fujiwara family in power • Strong central gov’t challenged by great landowners & clan chiefs – Private armies; countryside became lawless – Farmers & small

Samurai Warriors!!! • Wars between rival lords bodyguard warriors of each lord • Samurai = one who serves • Code of behavior: Bushido – The way of the warrior * Reckless courage * Reverence for the gods * Fairness * Generosity towards the weaker * Honorable death > long life

Samurai Warrior Attire

Samurai Sword

Early Mounted Samurai Warriors

Samurai Charging

• Seppuku ("stomach-cutting") is a form of Japanese ritual suicide by disembowelment. • Seppuku was originally reserved only for samurai – Part of the samurai honor code • Used: – Voluntarily to die with honor rather than fall into the hands of their enemies – Form of capital punishment after serious offenses – For reasons that shamed them • Seppuku is performed by plunging a sword into the abdomen and moving the sword left to right in a slicing motion

Minamoto Yoritomo • 2 most powerful clans fight for power • 30 years of war • Minamoto family wins • Leader: Yoritomo • Deemed “Shogun” • Supreme general of the emperor’s Founded the Kamakura Shogunate: army 1185 -1333

Kamakura Shogunate • Emperor still ruled in Kyoto • Real power = Shogun’s military headquarters at Kamakura • Shoguns ruled through puppet emperors until 1868! • Kamakura Shoguns defeated 2 invasions by the great Mongol ruler Kublai Khan – Drained shogun’s funds – Samurais did not get paid • Aligned more closely with lords – Shoguns lost power

Japanese Feudal System a. Emperor a. Shogun a. Samauri a. Merchants a. Peasan ts

Feudal Hierarchy • Emperor – Japanese political ruler • Shogun – Had the powers of a military dictator; Ruled Japan through puppet emperors • Samurai – loyal warriors of local lords • Merchant - Facilitated trade, earliest beginnings of the Japanese economic system • Peasant – Worked the land which

Seppuku: Ritual Suicide It is honorable to die in this way. Kaishaku – his “seconds”