Brooklyn Technical High School
R. Asher, Principal
AP World History
Mr. Stevens
Japanese Feudalism and the Case for Stages of Development in World History
Japan—the Imperial Age, p. 280-285
 Theorize: why, as we emerge from the “Resurgence” period (600 to 1450) into the “Transformation”
period (1450-1750) is Japan caught off guard by the rise of Europe as a world power?
 In what respects may we view Chinese civilization as something of an older brother to Japanese
civilization. Use our five themes as tools of analysis.
Crisis at Nara and the Shift to Heian
 What were the aims of the Taika reforms and why were Buddhist monks and the Japanese
aristocracy so opposed to them?
 Highlight aspects of Japanese social structure that directly contradict principles of meritocracy.
Ultracivilized: Court Life in the Heian Era
 Trace the relative equality of aristocratic men and women at Heian back through the Japanese
tendency to adopt Buddhist and not Confucian concepts from the Chinese.
 Do you think the complex rituals and conventions of the Heian court distracted the Japanese ruling
class from governing or do you think the rituals and conventions helped systematize relationships
and foster more efficient governing? Explain.
The Decline of Imperial Power
 What did the struggle for power among aristocrat, monastery and imperial court center around?
 How does this remind you of power in medieval Europe?
The Rise of the Provincial Warrior Elite
 How are the Japanese samurai similar in origin to the European knight?
 How were the samurai similar in their connection to the agricultural economy?
 Why was pure land Buddhism an effective dominant ideology for feudal Japan?
Brooklyn Technical High School
R. Asher, Principal
AP World History
Mr. Stevens
Task: Using documents, argue that life in Resurgence Era Japan was mainly similar to or mainly different
from life in Western Europe in the same period.
The Constitution of Prince Shotoku, 604 C.E.
3. When you receive the Imperial commands, fail not scrupulously to obey them. The lord is Heaven, the
vassal is Earth. Heaven overspreads, and Earth upbears. When this is so, the four seasons follow their due course,
and the powers of Nature obtain their efficacy. If the Earth attempted to overspread, Heaven would simply fall in ruin.
Therefore is it that when the lord speaks, the vassal listens; when the superior acts, the inferior yields compliance.
Consequently when you receive the Imperial commands, fail not to carry them out scrupulously. Let there be a want of
care in this matter, and ruin is the natural consequence.
4. The Ministers and functionaries should make decorous behavior their leading principle, for the leading
principle of the government of the people consists in decorous behavior. If the superiors do not behave with decorum,
the inferiors are disorderly: if inferiors are wanting in proper behavior, there must necessarily be offenses. Therefore it
is that when lord and vassal behave with propriety, the distinctions of rank are not confused: when the people behave
with propriety, the Government of the Commonwealth proceeds of itself.
Sei Shonagon, The Pillow Book, ca 1000 CE
Especially delightful is the first day of the First Month, when the mists so often shroud the sky. Everyone
pays great attention to his appearance and dresses with the utmost care. What a pleasure it is to see them all offer
their congratulations to the Emperor and celebrate their own new year!
I also enjoy the seventh day, when people pluck the young herbs that have sprouted fresh and green
beneath the snow. It is amusing to see their excitement when they find such plants near the Palace, by no means a
spot where one might expect them.
This is the day when members of the nobility who live outside the palace arrive in their magnificently
decorated carriages to admire the blue horses. As the carriages are drawn over the ground-beam of the Central Gate,
there is always a tremendous bump, and the heads of the women passengers a re knocked to gether; the combs fall
out of their hair and may be smashed to pieces if the owners are not careful. I enjoy the way everyone laughs when
this happens…
Anonymous Buddhist Monks, Chronicle of the Grand Pacification 1333-1370 CE
“No, no! From the look of things at this castle it will never fall in a day or two. Let us take time before going
against it, that we may establish camps and battle-offices and form separate parties.”
They drew back from the attack a little, took off their horses’ saddles, cast aside their armor, and rested in
their camps.
In the mountains Kusunoki Shichiro and Wada goro said, “The time is right.” They made two parties of three
hundred horsemen, came out from the shelter of the trees on the eastern and western slopes with two fluttering
banners, whereon were depicted the chrysanthemum and water crest of the kusunoki house, and advanced quietly
toward the enemy, urging their horses forward in the swirling mist.
The attackers hesitated doubtfully…
Sarashina, The Diary of Lady Sarashina (1009-1059)
I was brought up in a distant province[1] which lies farther than the farthest end of the Eastern Road. I am
ashamed to think that inhabitants of the Royal City will think me an uncultured girl.
Somehow I came to know that there are such things as romances in the world and wished to read them.
When there was nothing to do by day or at night, one tale or another was told me by my elder sister or stepmother, and
I heard several chapters about the shining Prince Genji.[2] My longing for such stories increased, but how could they
recite them all from memory? I became very restless and got an image of Yakushi Buddha[3] made as large as myself.
When I was alone I washed my hands and went secretly before the altar and prayed to him with all my life, bowing my
head down to the floor. "Please [Page 4] let me go to the Royal City. There I can find many tales. Let me read all of
them."
When thirteen years old, I was taken to the Royal City. On the third of the Long-moon month,[4] I removed
[from my house] to Imatate, the old house where I had played as a child being broken up. At sunset in the foggy
twilight, just as I was getting into the palanquin, I thought of the Buddha before which I had gone secretly to pray - I
was sorry and secretly shed tears to leave him behind.