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.