JAPANESE HISTORY

Korean Missionaries

Bring Mahayana Buddhism (500’s) Introduce Chinese culture Chinese characters become Japan’s first

written language

Prince Shotoku

In 607, sends a group of Japanese nobles to China to learn about Chinese culture.

Chinese Cultural Diffusion

Increase authority of the government. Set up elaborate court ranks. Adapted Confucian ideas about family. Adapted Confucian reverence for

ancestors.

Chinese Cultural Diffusion

Peasants learn to use Chinese tools and farming methods.

Peasants learn to raise Chinese crops. Japanese imitated many Chinese ideas

in the arts. The capital at Nara was modeled on the

Tang capital.

Selective Borrowing

Discarded the Chinese civil service system. Japanese thought people should inherit position – not earn it.

Did not accept Mandate of Heaven. The emperor was divine, therefore could not lose his position.

Selective Borrowing

The Japanese accepted Buddhism but retained their traditional Shinto beliefs.

Shinto was a traditional Japanese religion that believed in the spirits of nature.

Feudalism

Warrior families challenged power of the Heian court.

Samurais fought for control of the land.

Results in feudalism (See class handout)

Still Unrest

Samurai lords fight with one another and the Shogun.

The position of Shogun often was passed from family to family.

1400’s constant warfare

Centralized Feudalism

Introduced the Diamyo

Spent every other year in Edo (Tokyo)

Daimyos had to leave their families in Edo as permanent hostages to ensure good behavior and loyalty.

Centralized Feudalism

Roads are built to travel to Edo Peaceful Money economy developed Established banks Education grew

Japanese Isolation from China

In 1281, Kublai Khan, the Mongol emperor of the Yuan Dynasty sent the Chinese navy to conquer Japan.

The “kamikazi” winds destroyed the Chinese navy and preserved the independence of Japan.

Isolation

Westerners begin to arrive in Japan in order to trade and spread Christianity.

Converting people angered the shogun and he did not want them to pledge loyalty to a foreign ruler. (the Pope)

Isolation

He heard about the Spanish conquest of the Philippines and wanted to protect Japan.

Began to persecute missionaries and Japanese Christians.

Isolation 1639 Japan is closed to the world.

No foreigners allowed.

If you left Japan you could not return.

Were not even allowed to build boats.

Stayed close for 200 years.

Shinto

No sacred writings

no set beliefs

Spirits lived in everything and controlled natural forces (earthquakes typhoons)

link between people and nature.

Problem with Shinto

It did not answer important questions like life after death and proper behavior.

Buddhism Taught them the cycle of life and the goal

of enlightenment.

Commoners followed the sect that believed anyone could reach salvation.

Samurais focused on Zen Buddhism which focused on meditation and self-control.

Confucianism

5 relationships used to show that they need to be loyal to govt.

Took the idea of hard work and education.

Family Life Patriarchal society

Men would chose an heir (oldest son)

If they did not have a son they could adopt a male into their family to become the heir.

Loyalty to feudal lord overshadowed family ties.

Marriage

Arranged by head of the household.

Marriage to benefit family not for love.

Wife went and lived with new family.

Lives of Women Some clans were led by women.

There were even women empresses.

This faded as Confucianism grew in Japan.

Women were ignored because of the feudal system (based upon fighting)

Bushido The Samurai code of conduct.

“the way of the warrior”

Emphasized loyalty to the lord, bravery, self-discipline, and honor.

If dishonorable they had to perform seppuku which was a ritual suicide.

The end of Isolation

1853 America demands that Japan open its ports.

Japan chooses to modernize

Unequal treaties

The Shogun signs the Treaty of Kanagawa which allowed the U.S. to stop at ports for supplies and the right to send diplomatic representatives to Japan.

Sign other unequal treaties with westerners.

Growing unrest

People become upset with the treaties

Dislike the laws that were enacted to hold the feudal system together.

Samurais began to raise taxes to get more money.

Meiji

1868 rebels force the shogun to step down and the emperor becomes the real head of the govt.

Meiji = “enlightened rule”

Welcome to America

Thought Americans were funny.

America lacked etiquette, but was very friendly.

Loved the industry in America and saw that they needed these machines in Japan.

Changes in the Government

Ended the feudal system in order to centralize the power of the govt.

1889 wrote a constitution that took western ideas and adopted them for Japan.

Changes in the Government

Gave the emperor supreme power, but set up a two house parliament.

Established a court and legal system basted on western ideas.

Changes in the Government

The goal was not to bring democracy to Japan but to unite Japan and make it equal with the western world.

Industrialization

West helps them build transportation systems, steam engines, factories, and set up communication systems.

Govt. would build factories and then often sold them to private owners.

Industrialization

Govt. wanted cooperation between companies in order to compete with the west.

Social changes Everyone was equal in the eyes of the law.

People moved from farms to cities to work in factories.

Women began to work in factories.

All children were required to attend elementary school