Chinese influence on Postclassical Japan
Chapter 13 (1 of 3)
Japan Had 3 Major Regimes During
Postclassical Era
Taika
(645
710)
Nara
Heian
(710
784)
(794
857)
During these regimes, Chinese culture influenced Japan greatly
Taika Reforms
Created Chinesestyle emperor,
bureaucracy, and
tried forming a
peasant army
Taika Reforms =
Reforms in 646 to
make Japan like
China
I want to
be like him
Chinese Influence
Takes Hold in Japan
(especially amongst
the elites)
Japan studied Chinese
writing and Confucianism,
and admired Chinesestyled Buddhist art
Peasants affected too –
Buddhism spread and
temples built
Taika Reforms Face Opposition
Aristocracy
in Japan
rejected
them b/c
created a
bureaucrac
y that
would
mean
aristocrats
would lose
power
Even
peasants
grew tired
of Chinese
influence
(ex: the
Buddhism
they
practiced
was
distinct
from
Chinese
form)
Taika Reforms Fail
As reforms failed
and the imperial
government
(emperor and his
people) lost
power
Aristocrats living
near the capital as
well as local lords
in the countryside
gained power
Birth of the Heian Court
The emperor and
his followers set
up a new regime
at Heian (the 3rd
postclassical
regime in Japan
we need to know)
By 760, the Nara regime (which
came after the Taika but
supported the Taika reforms) was
driven out of the capital of Nara
Heian was later
renamed Kyoto
Heian Emperor Stops the Taika Reforms
After setting up new capital at
Heian, the emperor ended the
unpopular Taika reforms
(stopped aristocrats from
opposing him)
Emperor was upset at
Buddhist leaders, who played
a big role in opposing Taika
reforms, so he banned
Buddhist monasteries in Heian
Aristocrats Regain Power
With Taika reforms a thing
of the past, and Chinesestyle rule held off,
aristocrats again rose to
power in Japan
The emperor had
never built the
peasant army
(that was part of
the Taika reforms)
and he had to rely
on provincial
lords (lords living
in countryside) for
military support,
meaning emperor
was losing even
more power
Life in Heian (794-857)
Even though emperor
was losing power, and
provincial lords in the
countryside were
getting stronger, the
Heian period saw
Japanese culture
flourish
Society became
obsessed with the
pursuit of beauty and
it was expected that
people would be
extremely polite to
each other
Life in Heian (794-857)
Imperial family (emperor’s
family) and aristocrats lived in
palaces with beautiful gardens
Buildings in the city were made
of unpainted wood with
matted floors, and wooden
walkways connected the
different homes and buildings
Poetry Becomes Popular
The Japanese
simplified the
Chinese alphabet
they had
borrowed, and
that led to writing
of a lot of poetry
and literature
Poetry became
the major form of
art – poems were
short but elegant
The Tale of Genji =
1st Japanese
novel, it was
written by Lady
Muraski
Women in
Heian Japan
Women wrote
poetry, played
musical
instruments, and
even participated
in schemes to
snub or disgrace a
rival
Like in China and the Islamic world,
women became involved in political
power struggles
Imperial
(Emperor’s)
Power Declines
Fujiwara = powerful
aristocratic family
that gained power
over the emperor in
the 800s
As emperor’s power declined, aristocratic
families (and even Buddhist monks) began
building large estates around Heian, and
they controlled the peasants who lived on
their land
The Country v. The City and the
Breakdown of Central Government
While aristocrats and
Buddhists were gaining
power in Heian, in the
countryside, local lords
built large estates (like
kingdoms) and became
extremely powerful
These provincial lords
refused to obey the
imperial government and
aristocratic families that
held power in the capital
(ex: stopped giving
resources and taxes to
central government)
Bushi and Their Samurai
Bushi was the name given to
these local (also called provincial)
lords who set up kingdoms in the
countryside
These bushi hired samurai
warriors to fight on their behalf
Japan Becomes Chaotic, Violent Mess
By the year 1000 C.E.,
Imperial control broke
down in Japan, and
bushi and their
samurais were
constantly fighting
Aristocrats in the city
(Heian) and even Buddhist
monks hired these bushi
and their samurais to fight
for them, leading to the
bushi gaining even more
power
So, the Japanese Power Struggle c.1000 C.E.
Emperor (Imperial
Government) and
Aristocrats from
Heian losing
power – this
meant centralized
government in
Japan was
breaking down
Bushi (lords from
the countryside)
were gaining
power and Japan
was becoming a
feudal society as
these bushi had
manor-like
estates that were
similar to western
Europe
Samurai Warrior Code
Battles were
planned ahead of
time, and warriors
followed a strict
code of honor and
etiquette
Seppuku = defeated
warriors required to
disembowel (and
thus kill)
themselves to avoid
bringing shame to
their families
Peasants Lose Out
As bushi and their
samurais gained
power, the
peasants became
like serfs, bound
to the estate of
the bushi they
lived under
Their was a strict
class system, and
peasants were
kept separated
from warriors
(peasants
couldn’t wear
same style of
clothes as
warriors, and not
allowed to carry
swords or ride
horses
As peasants lost
power, they often
turned to pure
land Buddhism for
salvation
Artisan Class Emerges in Japan
Artisans were
poor and had very
little status in
society
This was unlike
China where
scholar-gentry
often dabbled in
artisan work
Gempei Wars (1180s C.E.)
Fight between 2 powerful
aristocratic families for
control of Japan (the Taira and
the Minamoto)
Minamoto had strong
alliances with the provincial
lords (bushi) which helped
them beat the Taira
Minamoto in Control
After defeating
the Taira, the
Minamoto
established a new
capital city at
Kamikura
The Minamoto set
up a military
government,
known as the
bakufu (they kept
the emperor as a
figurehead, but
real power lay
with the
Minamoto family
and their
samurais)
The military
leaders of this
new bakufu
government were
called shoguns
Yoritomo =
Delusional
Yorimoto was leader of
Mionamoto family (bakufu
government), but had relatives
killed b/c he thought they would
try to kill him to take throne
Because Yorimoto killed so many
potential heirs, weak leaders
emerged after Yorimoto’s death,
and that allowed the bushi
(warrior lords in countryside) to
gain even more power
Hojo Defeats Minamoto
The Hojo, a
warrior family
that had allied
and helped the
Minamoto,
overthrew them
and took power
Minamoto Not Done Yet
Ashikaga Takuaji,
a leading
Minamoto family
member, led
revolt and
defeated the
Hojo, though the
Hojo continued to
resist for a long
time, which
weakened Japan
Ashikaga
established what
was called the
Ashikaga
Shiogunate, which
ruled Japan from
1336-1573
Bushi in, Aristocrats in Capital Out
For a while, the court The civil war between After Hojo v. Ashikaga
aristocracy (that term
the Hojo and the
Shogunate civil war
means the aristocratic Ashikaga Shogunate
ended, more civil
families who had
weakened Japan, and
wars erupted, and
power in the central
the bushi lords were
the end result was
government in the
able to gain so much
that the capital city
capital city) had been power, the aristocratic was destroyed and
losing power as the
families in the capital central rule in Japan
bushi (provincial
were basically wiped
was over
warriors) were gaining
out
power
So What Happened to Japan?
About 300
different
kingdoms
emerged in Japan,
each led by a
bushi
Bushi became
known as
daimyos (some
differences, but
daimyos similar to
bushi)
This was taking
place around the
1400s and into
the 1500s
One Big Change – The Death of Chivalry
Sneak attacks
and spying
became
common, and
peasants were
armed to help
fight (as they
did this, they
looted and
pillaged
villages)
The chivalric way of the
bushi (honor in battle, etc.)
was gone, as daimyos
didn’t have same etiquette
Sneak attacks and spying
became common, and
peasants were armed to
help fight (as they did
this, they looted and
pillaged villages)
Surprisingly, Despite Chaos, Economy Grows and Culture Flourishes
Each daimyo built up their
estates, so despite Japan
being divided into 300
kingdoms, each kingdom was
advancing
Farming improved as
irrigation systems were built
and new tools and seeds
(such as soybean) were
introduced
Daimyos even competed to
attract merchants to their
growing castle towns, and a
new merchant class arose
(they were important b/c got
goods for the military)
These merchants even began
forming guilds (similar to
those in western Europe)
Women’s Status Rises Amongst
Merchants and Artisans
Women had been losing status
and power during bakufu period,
but during daimyo rule, their
status improved
Women in merchant and artisan
families had most freedom (ex:
allowed to run businesses and
join guilds)
Not All Women Treated Well
The bushi had
allowed women
of the elite class
to have some
rights and
freedoms: could
ride horses, and
use bow and
arrow
When daimyos
replaced bushi,
women’s status
fell and they lost
rights
Daimyos believed
in primogeniture
(inheritance goes
to oldest son), so
women lost right
to inherit land
Daimyos made
elite class women
kill themselves
rather than
dishonor family
by being raped,
and women
couldn’t act in
theatrical
performaces
Arts Were Flourishing
Zen Buddhism
(combined with
Shintoism) played big
role in the arts
flourishing,
especially in
architecture
Beautiful gardens
built and tea
ceremonies became
the rage in Japan
Buddhists in Japan
were the key and
led trade with China
Japan Not United, But the Seeds Were Planted
Despite constant warfare of
the warrior age, economic and
cultural development still took
place in Japan
Though there were about
300 kingdoms across Japan,
if these kingdoms could
work together, Japan would
have a solid base for a unity