Medieval Period in Japan

Geography Islands covered with rugged mountains Avoid invasion Develop a homogeneous culture Only 17% of land usable for farming

Life in Early Japan Largely a farming society – rice Traded with Korea & China Women had a level of equality with men Inheritance rights for women Abandoned wives could divorce & remarry

Dynastic Rule Emperors were considered the descendent of the sun goddess. Japanese history claims only one dynasty. 660 BCE to 1945 CE (Over 2,500 years) In reality, many ruling families came and went.

Feudalism in Japan Feudalism: a political and military system in which individuals receive land and protection in return for loyalty, military assistance, and other services.

Samurai “Those who serve” Bushido – “Way of warrior” Stressed bravery, loyalty, and honor Had to experience great physical pain and hardship without complaining Could not fear death Seppuku – “Belly slicing” – a form of ceremonial suicide Ronin – Samurai without a master Ninja – Professional spies

Miyamoto Musashi Ronin Undefeated dueler Independent teacher Wrote Book of Five Rings in 1643 Killed a man for the first time at 13; last time at 29 Last three decades dedicated to refining and teaching military science Never combed his hair, never bathed, never married, never made a home, never fathered children

Book of Five Rings Written in Japanese Devoted to the art of war Criticized empty showmanship and commercialization in martial arts Aggressive and ruthless approach to military science

Shogunate Minamoto no Yoritomo Created a centralized government called a shogunate Shogunate: centralized government under a shogun (military ruler) not an emperor

Japan and China 1281 Kublai Khan (Yuan Dynasty in China) invaded with superior forces Samurai meet them at the beach Kamikaze – “Divine Wind” Japan would not have foreign invaders again until 1945 (end of WWII)

Sources of Traditional Japanese Culture Literature Haiku (5, 7, 5) Tea was very good my cup holds emptiness now where shall I put it? Nō drama Art Nature themes dominated Emotional response

Van Gogh on Japanese Art “If we study Japanese Art, we see a man who is undoubtedly wise, philosophic and intelligent, who spends his time doing what? In studying the distance between the earth and moon? No. In studying Bismarck’s policy? No. He studies a single blade of grass."

This screen would have been large into to separate one room into two smaller rooms. Look very closely. What details can you see? Can you see a bridge at the bottom left? What else? Look across the picture and think about the way that the space is depicted. The Battles of Hogen and Heiji, Edo period (1615–1868), 17th century Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on paper; Each 60 15/16 in. x 11 ft. 8 in. (154.8 x 355.6 cm)

The Battles of Hogen and Heiji, Edo period (1615–1868), 17th century Pair of six-panel folding screens; ink, color, and gold on paper; Each 60 15/16 in. x 11 ft. 8 in. (154.8 x 355.6 cm)

Details of The Battles of Hogen and Heiji How would you describe the space in these close up views of the screen painting we just saw? What do you notice about the perspective in the buildings? Do the receding planes of the buildings seem to be converging towards a vanishing point? Because we’ve become accustomed to the linear perspective of western culture, the landscapes of Japan seem flat. However, they are actually multiple views at the same time- as if they were going back to many different vanishing points all over the image. If you were to place a ruler along these receding edges, you would notice that they are parallel and not converging to a point (as we would do in one point perspective paintings). This is referred to as isometric perspective rather than linear perspective (which comes from Western Art- Example would be Leonardo’s Last Supper). Details of The Battles of Hogen and Heiji

There’s no correcting or repainting it. Ink on silk Ink is permanent. There’s no correcting or repainting it. Ink wash creates an atmospheric perspective in the background. The media, often ink in Japanese art, often conveys the meaning or message of the religion. While it took many years of learning how to master the brushstrokes, ink suggests an immediacy. It’s “right now.” Ink, which came from China, often gave landscapes a fresh and lively feel. Unlike oil paints, there’s no way to correct or repaint it. The artists must envision the entire painting when the paper is still blank. The Japanese artists uses ink wash to achieve an atmospheric mist in the background. This creates a sense of distance and space. Every gentle fluid stroke of the brush responded to the previous brushstroke on the paper. Inky one-line tree trunks. Modeling brushstrokes to the form. The outline is in ink. The delicate brushstrokes resemble the expressiveness of the calligraphy created by Buddhist monks during this time in China and Japan.

Monochrome Monochrome –a color scheme that uses tints and shades of one color. Chinese style Monochrome ink paintings were a popular style in Japanese screen paintings The Old Plum, Edo period (1615–1868), ca. 1645 Attributed to Kano Sansetsu (Japanese, ca. 1589–1651) Four sliding door panels (fusuma); ink, color, gold leaf on paper; H. 68 3/4 in. (174.6 cm)

In Search of the Pure Land: Religion in Early Japan Shinto Animistic State doctrine linked to divinity belief about emperor and the sacredness of Japan Buddhism, 6th century BCE Jodo, Pure land Zen

Shinto Ancient Japanese religion: “the way of the gods.” Only worshipped in Japan. Has no books or priests Ancestors are seen as important. Includes gods called Kami, meaning superior. Kami promote fertility in crops and people

Zen Buddhism Zen A different way to achieve enlightenment Achieved through strong self-discipline, especially meditation Koan riddles Zen beliefs became part of samurai warrior’s code