The Influence of Neighboring Cultures on Japan
Zaccone – World Civilization / Chapter 19 History Alive
Japan lies off the eastern coast of mainland Asia
Cultural Diffusion
Korea (500s) = _________________________________________(1000 yrs. earlier India)
Empress Suiko (593)
_____________________________________________ (607) by Prince Shotoku
1. Sent Official Representative to China’s court
2. __________________________________ to China and Korea (learned Chinese art, literature, philosophy,
gov’t)
3. Koreans came to China with knowledge of Chinese Culture
For 300 yrs. Japan absorbed Chinese Culture objects, customs, and ideas,
Cultural Influences on Japan
___________________________casting brought from ______________________________
Upper Class = Owned Slaves,
________________________________________________________________________
Lower Class = ________________________________________________________________
Family center = ____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________(ooh-jee) = title for clan chiefs / Japan not unified
Japan sends officials, students, translators, and monks to China
Government: Imitating the Chinese System
_________________________________________= sole ruler
Japan Emperor = lose control over semi-independent uji
Uji leaders = chose Emperors and hoped to influence decision
Prince Shotoku = ____________________________________________ideas he created a rank for
gov’t based on ability. He was 1st to borrow gov’t ideas from China
______________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________: The Emperor was the supreme ruler!
Empress Jito reformed and strengthened the central gov’t
Took land from ____________________________________& gave it to Free Men
________________________________________________________________________________________
Cities
Chang’an - 35 sq. miles, 2 million, capital city
Nara – (710) 8 sq. miles, 200,000, streets = checkerboard pattern
Buddhist temples /___________________________________________________________________
Shinto = love, & respect for nature / worship of spirits or Kami
Kami = ___________________________________________________________________________
Emphasize purity (cleanliness) over code of morality
Purify as unclean dirt, disease, wounds, and the dead
Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama ____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Eightfold Path =____________________________________________________________________________
(moral code)
Buddhism and Shintoism thrive and blend together in Japan
Today birth & marriage celebrations = _______________________________________________________
Funeral ceremonies =Buddhism acknowledges suffering/ pain
Writing
Kanji – _____________________________________________________________________________
Reading & Writing in Chinese was difficult
Kana -_______________________________________________________________________________
simplified Chinese characters representing Japanese syllables
Tanka – ____________________________________________________________________________
Based on # of Syllables in a line /Short = 31 Syllables ’/. 5 lines
Sculpture: In the 6th & 7th century Chinese & Koreans immigrants created most of Japan’s Religious art
Architecture – “pagodas” _____________________________________________________