(12). Examine Japan’s early Feudal Age and the rise of Minamoto Yoritomo and the Kamakura bakufu.
(13). Discuss the role of Japanese women
living in a warrior society.
(14). Describe the Ashikaga Era and the Kyoto
bakufu.
(15). Contrast the teachings of “Pure Land,” Nichiren, and Zen Buddhism.
(16). Examine Japanese medieval culture and
the No Plays.
(17). Examine early Japanese history as assessed from a world
perspective.
v
Japan’s Early Feudal Age
Ø
Historic
shift=> Civil noble rule to military control:
§
Late 12th
century=> formation of the bakufu (?)
§
Emergence of the Shogun
(See Chronology p. 268)
Ø
The Kamakura
Era:
§
Rise of Minamoto
Yoritomo =>
·
Establishes the
Kamakura bakufu
¨
Headquartered SW of the Kanto Plain (Map)
Ø
In contrast to Taira administration at Kyoto
·
Defeat of Taira forces is national victory in 1185
¨
Japan soon united under Yoritomo’s
control
Ø
Many vassals
apply to join in his service
¨
Established 3 practical
government offices
Ø
One dealt with samurai retainers
Ø
One administered & implemented
policies
Ø
One heard legal
suits
¨
Decisions based on customary laws & precedents
Ø
Codified in 1232 as the Joel Code
¨
Also appointed military
governors of provinces
Ø
The Question
of Japanese Feudalism
§
Criteria for
qualification (?)
·
Lord-Vassal relationship established
·
Fiefs allotted in exchange for service
·
Warrior Ethic suffused culture
§
With some
qualification=> met definition criteria
·
Vassals=> favored over blood kin
·
Fiefs=> limited right of income to % of surplus
¨
Remainder delivered to Kyoto civil government
·
Warrior Ethic=> all criteria met
§
Following Yoritomo
=> widow & Hojo kin take over
·
“Nun” Shogun &
the rise of Hojo control
·
Response of Yoritomo’s former retainers?
¨
Implications for Samurai code of loyalty?
§
Major threat from China:
·
1274 Hojo resists 1st Mongol invasion (pix p. 269)
¨
(despite demonstrated
weakness of Kyoto)
·
1281 2nd Mongol invasion – this time w/140K
¨
held off for 2 months
=> then Kamikaze
·
Result?
Ø
The Ashikaga
Era & the Kyoto Bakufu
§
Tensions rose during
late Kamakura
§
Vassals became
dissatisfied w/Hojo rule
·
Hojo
maintained monopoly on bakufu posts
§
1331: Kamakura sent Ashikaga to put down revolt
·
Emperor at Kyoto attempted to assert personal rule
·
Ashikaga actions upon arrival at Kyoto?
¨
Implications &
significance?
§
Result: Former vassals
rise up & destroy Hojo bakufu
§
Ashikaga established new bakufu
at Kyoto
·
Established
simple/functional posts
·
Appointed trusted
vassals as Lords or Daimyo =>
¨
Ruled over
Semi-autonomous regional states
¨
Military governors
§
Overtime=> Daimyo
personal loyalty to Shogun?
·
New warrior bands
formed=> Warring States era
·
Parallels to West?
Ø
Women in
Warrior Society
§
Japanese history reveals
long line of key women
·
Sun Goddess, Pimiko, & the “Nun Shogun”
·
Original authors writing
in Japanese of Heian court
§
Changed from 15th
century=> war=> status? Inherence?
Ø
Agriculture,
Commerce, & Medieval Guilds:
§
Increased population
during late Kamakura
·
Population: 6M=>12M primarily during peacetime
¨
land reclamation & agro tech. improvements
Ø
Iron edge tools &
improved irrigation & dikes
Ø
Double cropping of vegetables in Fall &
Winter
Ø
New improved rice seeded
in spring & summer
§
Major improvements in
taxation system (quotas)
·
Permitted more surplus
to remain in local area
·
From late Heian thru Kamakura & Ashikaga periods:
¨
Trend accelerates as
$=> from aristocrats to warriors
·
Artisans begin to
produce wares for commercial market
¨
Military equipment sold
to warrior class
¨
Then: sake, lumber, paper, vegetable oil,
salt, fish
·
Demand for copper coins
grew (imported from China)
§
Independent merchants
sell artisan products (Kamakura)
·
Trade networks spread
throughout Japan
¨
Artisan & merchant
guild grew=>
¨
Pay fees in exchange for
monopolies
Ø
Paid to feudal lords
& temples of region
·
Markets at strategic
locations (river/crossroads)=>
¨
Evolved into towns &
cities (any parallels to West?)
v
Buddhism and Medieval Culture
Ø
Changing
cultural characteristics:
§
As Japanese leadership
shifted from nobles to military
·
New forms of literature
emerged=> “war stories”
§
Also a new wave of
culture from China was absorbed
·
Sung culture
§
Buddhist
influence also spread during Kamakura/Ashikaga
·
Major impact &
influence on Japanese arts
Ø
Japanese
Pietism: Pure Land & Nichiren Buddhism
§
Pure Land doctrine: By faith alone…
·
World has fallen on hard
& evil times=>
¨
(earthquakes, epidemics,
fires, crime, & wars)
Ø
Only faith would
therefore suffice for salvation
·
Kuya* (“saint of
the market place”) helped spread
faith
¨
The mighty “… are but dust in the wind.”
¨
(*See pix & quoted
excerpt p. 272)
§
Nichiren=> Lotus Sutra embodied Buddhist’s teachings
·
Chant: “Praise to the Lotus Sutra of wondrous
love.”
·
Mantra
believed to induce spiritual
transformation
·
Believers tended to be
intolerant & nationalistic
·
Asserted rival sects bought Japan its ills
Ø
Zen Buddhism
§
Stressed return to
natural ignorance of uncluttered mind
·
Intuition far superior
to rational consideration
·
Return to the original
mind of the “uncarved block”?
§
Involved long hours of
quiet meditation in Zen gardens
·
Contemplating logical
conundrums:
¨
The sound of one hand clapping
·
Examples:
¨
Hakuin’s Enlightenment (excerpt p. 276)
¨
Zen Gardens
(of Rock & raked gravel)
¨
Landscape of the Seasons by Zen monks (p. 274)
¨
Theory of Zen Art: (see Document p, 275)
Ø
intuitive action is better than conscious action
Ø
Compare intuitive moves
of swordsmen w/sports
Ø
No Plays (see excerpt
p. 275)
§
Product of Ashikaga culture=> unique mystery
drama
§
Performed outdoors on sparse square stage
·
Male actors in elaborate
robes & painted masks
·
Poetic language &
chorus with slow stylized movement
§
Various themes: protagonist possessed of another’s spirit
·
Tale of Genji
offshoot or struggle between bakufus
· Full lifetime during dream while cooking millet
v Early Japanese History in World Perspective
Ø
Spread of
Chinese culture & civilization to Japan:
§
Very rapid=> much
faster than that of Europe
·
Contrast Greece &
Rome’s philosophy & religion
¨
Slower impact on future
Northwest Europe
Ø
T’ang Empire (reestablished by 7th cent.) major
influence on:
§
Vietnam, Korea, & Japan (in different ways)
§
All 3 used Chinese
writing (History, Phylos, literature)
·
Combined their unique
elements with China’s=>
¨
Result:
created own unique culture & identity
¨
But also built independent sovereign states
§
In contrast: While above embraced Chinese culture
·
Tibet, Mongolia, & Manchuria had less in common
¨
Distinct culture &
people, yet all 3 dominated
·
Vietnam, Korea, & Japan used Chinese culture & ideas
¨
But shaped their own
self identity
Ø
(Japan: learn, implant, adapt)
¨
Still resisted Chinese
political dominance
Ø
Interesting parallels to West (Japan vs. NW
Europe):
§
Feudalism:
peasants, vassals, Lords (Daimyos)
§
Warrior Ethic: glory,
valor, honor conflict w/relig. virtue
§
Merchant Guilds & decentralized political economy
§
Grafted heartland
culture onto backward tribal societies