Ancient Japan

Geography String of islands (archipelago- 4) Very mountainous usable for farming Lots of rain and sunlight = good farming Near China and Korea

More geography…. Protected from other nations Sea of Japan or East China Sea Pacific Ocean Experiences many earthquakes, tidal waves, and typhoons

Even more…. The sea is very important to the economy. The limited amount of living space has impacted daily life Natural disasters can make living in dangerous mild climate is very beneficial.

Influenced by China Buddhism Government: Absolute Imperial Rule (united/strong national government – Confucian ideals) Pictographic Writing Architecture

Shinto –(ism) Native Japanese religion- state religion “the way of the gods.” Only worshipped in Japan. Complex polytheistic religion No leader, holy book, canon, priests Ancestors are seen as important.

Kami Includes gods called Kami, meaning superior. Kami promote fertility in crops and people Clans traced their origins to a kami Worked to please the kami spirit

Buddhism 552 AD Buddhism is introduced (from China by way of Korea) Became interwoven with Shintoism Where Shinto shrines were, Buddhist temples were

Buddhism (Zen) With Chinese and Korean influences Buddhism brought 1100s- Zen Buddhism brought Warriors liked it Individual enlightenment Meditation Focused on art and order Gardens

Architecture Buddhism brought the building of temples Korean and Chinese influences Canals Bridges Roads Houses Japan China

Writing 4th century- the written Chinese language brought To be literate needed to read and write Chinese Kanbun formed Chinese characters and grammar put together

Japan Colonized Paleolithic people from mainland Asia 30,000 BC Organized into clans Unified and solidified

Early History Emperors are considered the descendent of the sun goddess. They are worshipped as part of Shinto beliefs.

Japan’s Dynasty Only one dynasty ruled Japan! 660BC to 1945AD (2605 years!) Emperor Jimmu (660 BC) – Emperor Akihito (1989) No need for dynastic cycle or Mandate of Heaven. By 800- Japan had central government (emperor) and landowners By 1185 the Minamoto clan ruled Japan Government changed drastically

Rise of Japanese Feudalism Battle for Control of the Government Clans continued to fight each other samurai warriors dominated Japanese society. Samurai warriors took control of Japan’s govt. Created a Bakufu (military govt.)

Shogun 1192 Minamoto Yoritmo appointed shogun Control military, finances, and laws Shogun-military and political leader of Japan Emperor kept throne but had no political power what so ever. (religious)

Daimyo High-ranking samurai lords (families) who provided the shogun with warriors in exchange for land Wealthy landowners Got orders from the shogun

Samurai Warriors who protected daimyo and lands in exchange for small manors Very loyal to clan and lord Bushido was their code stressing bravery and loyalty

Peasant Worked the land given to them by the Samurai Gave their crops to samurai For land Military protection

Europe Vs Japan

Bushido and Seppuku Bushido: A code of conduct for Samurai stressed bravery, loyalty, and honor experienced great physical pain/ hardship without complaining. They could not fear death. Seppuku: a from of ceremonial suicide Samurai commit suicide as an honorable way to avoid torture, execution, or defeat in battle.

Threat from Outside.. Mongol Invasions Leader, Kublai Khan, wanted to subjugate Korea and Japan. 1274- Sent 450 ships and 15,000 troops to Japan, but they were destroyed by typhoon. Seven years later, sent another 150,000 troops, but they were destroyed too.

Aftermath of Mongols… Sense of national unity developed; Japanese felt their culture was superior. Japan reaped no spoils from war, only debts. Unpaid samurai terrorized peasants to get money. Kamakura shogunate driven from power by dissatisfied samurai. Emperor was re-installed as the power/leader of Japan

The shrimp between two whales Korea… The shrimp between two whales

Korean Geography Peninsula little arable land; mountains and seas isolate it. Shares borders with China and Russia. 50 miles to Japan. Look closely what do you see?

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Korean Dynasties Early History Creation story--- Different clans control areas In108 B.C., Han China conquers Korea Chinese introduce governing method, religions, system of writing Regional powers arise; the Silla defeats others, drives out Chinese, takes control of the peninsula

Silla Rule Silla rule for three centuries! Accomplishments include: Development of art, religion, commerce and education Buddhist monasteries–most monasteries outside of Indian subcontinent bronze writing system—phonetic system based on Chinese characters Kyongju (it’s capital) was 4th largest city in the WORLD!

The Koryu (Korea) dynasty The Koryu Dynasty In 935, Wang Kon takes control, forms Koryu Dynasty, rules to 1392 Models government on China’s civil service system, adopts Confucian ideas Builds universities to train scholars In 1231 Mongols occupy Korea from to 1350s In 1392, scholar-officials overthrow Koryu Dynasty

Yi (Choson) Dynasty Last imperial dynasty in Korea (518 years) Allied itself close with China/Chinese culture Tried to eliminate all Buddhism in Korea and replace it with Confucian ideals During this time Korea was invaded by both Japan and Manchuria (Manchus)

Achievements of Choson Koreans put great emphasis on scholarly learning, looked down on military and war. The early Choson period was also a time of artistic and scientific advances in Korea. Ex. Korean alphabet—one of the simplest and most efficient systems in the world.

China and the Mongols

Who were the Mongols? Nomadic (pastoral) people from the region of modern-day Mongolia. Their greatest leader– Temujin. You know him as Genghis Khan. Unified the clans of Mongolia Created one of the largest single-ruled landmass (Asia to Europe).

Mongols and China Mongols attacked China (Song dynasty) in the 1260s. Achieved by Kublai Khan Sets up the Yuan dynasty move the Chinese capital to Beijing and established it as the capital Uses it as a launching point to take parts of all SE Asia (Vietnam, Laos)

Yuan Dynasty Accomplishments Adapted the Chinese political and cultural models (ie. Bureaucracy, Confucianism, art and poetry) Chinese culture actually flourishes. Economic stability Have support of Chinese Eventually overthrown by the Ming dynasty.