The Influence of Neighboring Cultures on Japan EQ: In what ways did neighboring cultures influence Japan?

Cultural Influences of India, China, and Korea on Japan Cultural influences had to come to Japan slowly from the Asian mainland for centuries. Prince Shotoku becomes regent, the pace of cultural diffusion increases.

Government: Imitating the Chinese System Prince Shotoku adopted the idea of a strong emperor from China. Later the Taika Reforms gave control of all land to the emperor; which angered the clan leaders. Japanese did not adopt meritocracy: nobles held all high government positions

City Design In 710, the design of the new capital city of Nara resembled the design of the Chinese capital, Chang’an (Xi’an). Nara was smaller and did not have a surrounding wall.

Religion Buddhism came to Japan from India to China by way of Korea. Mahayana Buddhism says that all people can reach enlightenment.

Writing The Japanese used Chinese characters: kanji or “Chinese writing.” By 900, they invented kana or “borrowed letters.”

Literature Tanka was based on Chinese poetry forms. A tanka has 31 syllables divided into lines of 5,7,5,7 and 7 (below poems are translated so syllable count is not correct)

Sculpture Japanese adopted the idea of carving Buddha, which began in India. In general: Indian Buddhas were stone, Korean bronze, and Japanese wood.

Architecture In India, Buddhist monasteries had shrines called stupas, with bell-shaped roofs. The Chinese changed stupas to pagodas, with several stories and roofs. The Japanese adopted the Chinese pagoda design.

Music The Japanese adopted a Chinese form of music called gagaku as well as such Chinese instruments as the sheng (Japanese: sho)