Japan and Korea

Japan’s geography Archipelago (island chain) 4000 islands Mountains  terrace farming Heavy rains  rice planting ( gained from Korea) Seas = barrior to invasion Seas = pathway to trade Japanese choose to isolate themselves later

Religion in Ancient Japan Shinto – “the way of the gods” Believed that Japanese clans descended from nature gods Kami = the spirit of the ancestor The kami dwells in people, animals and other things Offerings to the kami for family blessings Belief in harmony, balance in nature (similarities to Daoism) In 552 AD Japanese also adopted Buddhism (practiced both)

Leadership Prince Shotoku (607 AD) – initiates cultural exchange with China and Korea –Confucianism –Buddhism –Chinese characters in writing

Zen Buddhism Favored religion of the Samurai Hones skills of a warrior Rejects overthinking Meditiation / focus / instinct Influences: –Tea ceremony –Rock gardens –Flower arranging

Heian period – 700’s Golden Age World’s first novel –Lady Shikibu Murasaki –Tale of Genji

Government & Social Structure Feudalism – land broken into many territories governed by Daimyo Ruling classes Emperor - Emperors claim descent from the gods until 20th C Daimyo – lords who control peasants and samurai and are supposed to recognize the Emperors authority Samurai (one who serves) – warriors who pledge to fight for their Daimyo Women can also be Samurai

Shoguns In the 1600’s military dictators called Shoguns took control of the Samurai Emperor was a figurehead only

Bushido “the way of the warrior” (Warriors code) Show courage, honor, respect to gods and authority Show generosity to lower classes Fulfill your mission Failure = shame Better to die trying to fulfill your mission than to live and fail

Middle & Lower classes Artisans Za – workers associations that provided for fellow artisans and set standards of quality (like medieval guilds) Farmers – pay rents to lords to farm land (usually in produce – rice etc.)

Ancient Korea Mountains to North and Sea Animism & Shamanism – good and evil spirits inhabit all things and Shamans (holy men) “intercede” – help those in the spirit world and the physical world relate to one another Clan organization

Japanese Noh Masks

108 BC Han dynasty invades Korea Cultural diffusion Buddhism Calligraphy Confucianism Civil Service

600’s - Clans form 3 Rival Korean Kingdoms Silla Buddhist Monasteries Bronze sculptures Chinese characters adopted to Korean language

Koryu Dynasty 935 – 1392 Celadon pottery Block printing Mongol invasion 1231

Koryu Temple

Southeast Asia MyanmarLaos Cambodia VietnamMalaysia Indonesia ThailandSingapore Brunei Phillippines

Cambodia – Khmer Empire – 1200 Angkor Wat Built by Suryarvaman II 1 square mile Dedicated to Vishnu Temple Government Observatory

Vietnam Confucianism Daoism Animism Dihn – Spirit house

Dominated by Tang dynasty Trung sisters – AD 39 Trung Trak – Trung Nhi Revolt – later defeated