Japan:Japan:Kamakura &Kamakura &

Warring StatesWarring States

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1185 -1600 CE1185 -1600 CE

Kamakura: Kamakura: A New, Less Gentle JapanA New, Less Gentle Japan

GempeiGempei Wars: Taira vs Minamoto clans Wars: Taira vs Minamoto clans 1158-1185 AD1158-1185 AD

Kamakura: Kamakura: A New, Less Gentle Japan A New, Less Gentle Japan

Shogun:Shogun: (pronounced (pronounced show goonshow goon))

Officially the Emperor’s Military LeaderOfficially the Emperor’s Military Leader

In Reality the Emperor’s Military OverlordIn Reality the Emperor’s Military Overlord

New leadership rejects the effete culture of New leadership rejects the effete culture of HeianHeian

Kamakura Kamakura BakufuBakufu(tent government)(tent government)

Military might and military Military might and military virtues win the day for virtues win the day for KamakuraKamakura

Focus on Military Virtue Focus on Military Virtue

New government center New government center at Kamakuraat Kamakura

Away from emperor’s Away from emperor’s court at Heiancourt at Heian

Kamakura Period Samurai Warrior

Kamakura Kamakura BakufuBakufu Government: Government:Lord-Retainer SystemLord-Retainer System

Japan’s system fits the Japan’s system fits the patron-clientpatron-client pattern:pattern:

Patron provides leadership, resources, Patron provides leadership, resources, and membership in a protective groupand membership in a protective group

Client reciprocates with loyalty, obedience Client reciprocates with loyalty, obedience and serviceand service– Example: Godfather (the movie)Example: Godfather (the movie)

Kamakura Kamakura BakufuBakufu Government: Government:Lord-Retainer SystemLord-Retainer System

Shogun’s government structure:Shogun’s government structure:Classic Patron-client, or Lord-retainer systemClassic Patron-client, or Lord-retainer system– Shogun accepts allegiance (oaths of loyalty) Shogun accepts allegiance (oaths of loyalty)

from lesser lordsfrom lesser lords– Each lord supported by corps of samurai Each lord supported by corps of samurai

retainers who swear allegiance to him.retainers who swear allegiance to him.– Lords provide leadership and resourcesLords provide leadership and resources– Retainers provide military service, loyalty, and Retainers provide military service, loyalty, and

obedience to their lordobedience to their lord

Samurai Culture:Samurai Culture:Emergence of Emergence of BushidoBushido

Bushido: the way of the Bushido: the way of the warriorwarrior

Japan’s “chivalry” codeJapan’s “chivalry” code– DisciplineDiscipline– LoyaltyLoyalty– Self-cultivationSelf-cultivation

Martial arts, philosophy, Martial arts, philosophy, andand literary arts literary arts

Painting representing the Gempei Wars

Samurai Culture:Samurai Culture:Emergence of Emergence of BushidoBushidoLoyalty is the core virtue of Loyalty is the core virtue of BushidoBushido

During Kamakura period loyalty may During Kamakura period loyalty may not have been as absolutenot have been as absolute

Lords paid retainers with grants of land Lords paid retainers with grants of land

from their from their hanhan (domain or fief)(domain or fief)

Samurai became independent landowners with financial Samurai became independent landowners with financial incentives separate from the interests of their lordincentives separate from the interests of their lord

During times of severe stress the clash between During times of severe stress the clash between ideological loyalty and financial interest becomes ideological loyalty and financial interest becomes obviousobvious

Samurai Culture:Samurai Culture:Emergence of Emergence of BushidoBushidoBushido: Japan's code of chivalryBushido: Japan's code of chivalry

Emphasis on loyalty and self cultivationEmphasis on loyalty and self cultivation

Different values system from European Different values system from European chivalrychivalry

Unlike European chivalryUnlike European chivalry– No concept of special place for womenNo concept of special place for women– No “gentlemanly” respect for, protection of, or No “gentlemanly” respect for, protection of, or

deference to the “weaker” sexdeference to the “weaker” sex

Kamakura Samurai Armor

BushidoBushido Culture Culture

Strong sense of Strong sense of responsibilityresponsibility

Ritualistic and formalRitualistic and formal

Seppuku:Seppuku:– Ritual suicide to accept Ritual suicide to accept

responsibility for grievous responsibility for grievous errorerror

SamuraiSamuraiWeaponry:Weaponry:

SwordsSwords

Bow and Bow and ArrowArrow– Also SpearsAlso Spears

For mounted For mounted samuraisamurai

Kamakura:Kamakura:Japan under Japan under attackattack

Mongol invasions:Mongol invasions:– 1274 & 12811274 & 1281

Divine Winds: or Divine Winds: or KamikazeKamikaze save Japan at the save Japan at the last momentlast moment

Kamakura PeriodKamakura PeriodContinues: 1281-1467Continues: 1281-1467

Remaining 200 years of Kamakura Japan Remaining 200 years of Kamakura Japan relatively stablerelatively stable

1467 Kamakura system collapses into 1467 Kamakura system collapses into Civil WarCivil War

Major lords battle for dominance and Major lords battle for dominance and powerpower

Warring States Period:Warring States Period:1467-1568 CE1467-1568 CE

100 years of civil war100 years of civil war

Changes in Bushido and lord-retainer Changes in Bushido and lord-retainer systemsystemDramatic changes in social structureDramatic changes in social structureChange in economic structureChange in economic structure

Changes in Lord-retainer System Changes in Lord-retainer System & Bushido& BushidoEarly on Samurai retainers rewarded with Early on Samurai retainers rewarded with

landland– Creates incentive to protect personal propertyCreates incentive to protect personal property– To preserve property for heirsTo preserve property for heirs– Ideological commitment to LOYALTY conflicts Ideological commitment to LOYALTY conflicts

with self interestwith self interest– Self-interest often winsSelf-interest often wins

– Samurai not always loyalSamurai not always loyal

Changes in Changes in Lord-retainer System Lord-retainer System

& Bushido& BushidoBy the end of Warring States:By the end of Warring States:

– Samurai paid with stipends – not Samurai paid with stipends – not landland

– Stipends only paid so long as lord Stipends only paid so long as lord and lord’s estate remain intactand lord’s estate remain intact

– Samurai’s ideological loyalty Samurai’s ideological loyalty reinforced by financial self interestreinforced by financial self interest

– Loyalty becomes far more Loyalty becomes far more absoluteabsolute

Changes in Changes in Lord-retainer System Lord-retainer System

& Bushido& Bushido

0nly 200 0nly 200 DaimyoDaimyo (great names) (great names) remainremain

All surviving Daimyo swear All surviving Daimyo swear allegiance to new allegiance to new ShogunShogun

Daimyo:Daimyo: Japan’s feudal Lords from 1600s Japan’s feudal Lords from 1600s forwardforward

Han:Han: The autonomously governed fief or domain The autonomously governed fief or domain of a Daimyoof a Daimyo

Social and Economic ChangeSocial and Economic Change

War with Swords, Bows, and SpearsWar with Swords, Bows, and Spears

Siege tacticsSiege tactics

Castles emergeCastles emerge

Castle townsCastle townsJapan UrbanizesJapan Urbanizes

Castle Towns and UrbanizationCastle Towns and Urbanization

New Castle townsNew Castle towns

Produce marketsProduce markets– MerchantsMerchants– Cash-crop agricultureCash-crop agriculture

Castle Towns and UrbanizationCastle Towns and Urbanization

Service sector developsService sector developsCraftsmenCraftsmen– Sword smithsSword smiths– BlacksmithsBlacksmiths

ArtisansArtisansArtistsArtistsEducationEducationEntertainersEntertainers– GeishaGeisha– Kabuki TheaterKabuki Theater– No Puppet TheaterNo Puppet Theater

ArtsArts

Kabuki TheaterKabuki TheaterWood block Wood block

printingprinting

No Puppet theater

Warring States ResultsWarring States Results

Japan as a nation of citiesJapan as a nation of cities– CastleCastle– Market Towns built around castlesMarket Towns built around castles

Japan developing formal artsJapan developing formal arts

Japan’s Bushido culture aligning ideas of Japan’s Bushido culture aligning ideas of loyalty with reality of financial self-interestloyalty with reality of financial self-interest

Strong military ethic dominates cultureStrong military ethic dominates culture