SOCI 123 Presentation 2018 Fall - Jeff...

The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity

  Shinto – kami-no-michi

  Confucianism

  Buddhism


  Shinto – developed during the Kofun period ~250-538 CE

  An animist religion based on fertility, purification, and an annual agricultural ceremonial cycle

  Shrines dedicated to deities supporting a central myth cycle   Shrines served by attendant priests, but religion lacked central organization

(e.g. the Catholic Church’s ecclesiastical hierarchy)   Connection of myth to the imperial family via a divine ancestress—

Amaterasu, the Sun-Goddess   Adaption of certain elements of other religions—Buddhism and

Confucianism—shortly after their adoption by both elites and peasants   National Shinto, as buttressed by the connection of the imperial family to

Amaterasu, tied a relatively homogeneous people to the land—as a national homeland, as well as to the Emperor—as a deity   National Shinto was a central rallying point of the Meiji Restoration


  Confucianism   an ethical system that serves as the foundation of Bushido as an

ethical system   fostered a system of hierarchical loyalty—especially important during

Japan’s long period of feudalism

  metaphysical system lacking an ecclesiastical structure

  provides order and a philosophical structure lacking in Taoism


  Buddhism – first introduced during the Azuka (late Yamato Period) – and reintroduced during the Kamakura Period (why did it take so long to take?)   Zen - Rinzai - Eisai (1141-1215) – taught that the Buddha-mind

could only be gained through meditation (dhyana) and not via worshipping Buddhas or reciting sutras

  Zen - Soto - Dogen (1200-1253) – lived as a hermit disavowing all possessions and notoriety


  Buddhism – first introduced during the Azuka (late Yamato Period) – and reintroduced during the Kamakura Period (why did it take so long to take?)

Nichiren - Nichiren (1222-1282) – stated that Siddhartha, the original Buddha, expressed the law of life (the Buddha Nature inherent in all) within the Lotus Sutra. Expressed that the worship of any other Buddha, or forms of Buddhism, was disloyal to the true Buddha and inefficacious (Anesaki 1916:8-11 and Bellah 1959:68)


  The confluence of Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism can be found in the inherently goodness of the individual—situations may obscure that goodness

  This can be contrasted to western monotheistic religions where the nature of the individual is understood as flawed or sinful

Swords and Swordsmanship   Katana: modeled after the Chinese sword, the

Japanese sword took a unique form   Single edged blade   Blade created by folding steel over onto itself – fifteen

to sixteen times creating 16,384 to 32,768 layers   Form a function of utility – used both on horseback

and in close-combat – length changed over time as modes of combat and social relations—Sengoku period [warring states] to Tokugawa peace—changed

Swords and Swordsmanship

  Accounts of battles are at best fanciful

  Both warfare on a grand-scale and single combat are markedly different in character and practice


  Techniques developed as a consequence of the manner in which wars were fought

  From general expertise in horsemanship and weapons (heiho or bugei) to specialization (kendo, kyudo, etc.) – over the Kamakura to the Sengoku periods – subsequent changes and greater specialization during the Tokugawa peace


  Dueling develops as a result of musha shugyo – a quest to learn via challenge and instruction during the Sengoku period


  Dueling develops as a result of musha shugyo – a quest to learn via challenge and instruction during the Sengoku period

  The Gracie Challenge (a new form of musha shugyo)– “If you want you face smashed and split open, your backside kicked and your arms broken, contact Carlos Gracie at this address” 1925 – newspaper ad, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

  Similar challenges were issued during the late 1980’s through the first decade of the 21st Century by the Children of Carlos and Helio Gracie in the United States

Swords and Swordsmanship   The Tokugawa peace brought with it a transformation

of martial techniques to marital arts

  Three periods of Tokugawa Swordsmanship   The Era of Great Swordsmen - From the late Sengoku

period ~1573 to ~1651 (the death of Iemitsu—the third Tokugawa Shogun)

  The Rise of Kata Kenjutsu - ~1644 to ~1789 the development of the martial arts and the great training halls

  The Era of Shiai - ~1789 to ~1868 – the development of competitions

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

  Theodore Roosevelt’s and boxer John L. Sullivan’s characterizations of Jiu-jitsu   Was the characterization of black boxer Jack Johnson

different?

  Newspaper accounts of matches between Jiu-jitsuka and Western wrestlers   Jiu-jitsu characterized as deceptive, uncivilized, brutal,

barbaric, and sneaky

  Although Jiu-jitsuka often won, accounts noted that pugilists could “lay-low the most expert Jiu-jitsuist”

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts Racializing and genderizing Jiu-jitsu


  Western preferences vs. Eastern preferences in MMA fights and outcomes   Western preferences for fights where fighters remain on

their feet and punch – the knockout

  Japanese preference for fights where fighters exhibit technical skill – the tapout

  Is this a vestige of historical preferences tied to the racialization of cultural practices?


  Development of the Martial Arts at the end of the Tokugawa Bakufu   Specialization in “practical” and “useful” martial arts

(Jiu-jitsu, Kendo, Judo) over the military-based martial ways (Kyu-jutsu [archery], So-jitsu [the way of the spear], and Ho-jitsu [musketry])

  Kata and controlled Randori


  Nippon Budokan – founded in 1964 to promote kobudo—the classical martial arts of Japan

Kyu jutsu

Kyuba jutsu


Kodokan Judo – developed by Kano Jigoro in 1882   Allowed for the practice of martial techniques in a non-lethal and collegial

manner that promoted health, fitness and technical proficiency, and contributed to Kokutai (national spirit) Nage-waza—throwing techniques

Te-waza-hand throwing techniques Koshi-waza-hip throwing techniques Ashi-waza-foot throwing techniques Sutemi-waza-sacrifice throwing techniques

Katame-waza—grappling techniques Osaekomi-waza-pinning or hold down techniques Shime-waza-choking techniques Kansetsu-waza-joint-locking tecniques

  Ne-waza is a subset of Katame-waza where the techniques only take place on the ground

Atemi-waza—striking techniques Ukemi-waza—breakfall techniques

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts Kodokan Judo – developed by Kano Jigoro in 1882   First system of martial arts to rank via obi (belt)

differentiation – dan ranks   First dan rankings presented in 1883

  Tomita first go-dan (5th degree Black Belt) in 1888

  Yamashita first ju-dan (10th degree Black Belt) 1935

  Colored belt system – kyu ranks   Developed in Europe in the 1930’s; became practice in the

1950’s with increased commercialization of the arts


  Kendo


  Sumo


  Karate – Funakoshi Gichin


  Aikido—Ueshiba Morihei


  The spread of martial arts


  Is Brazilian Jiu-jitsu unique or is it merely the re-jiu-jitsu-fication of Judo?

SOCI 123 Presentation 2018 Fall - Jeff...

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