1. The Emergence of Japan
World History

2. Social structure & daily life
Rise of the Shogun
Geography
Social structure & daily life
Early Japan
Emergence
of Japan
Nara & Heian Periods
Religion

3. Geography
Archipelago of 4000 islands (4 main ones) with 12% arable land
146,000 square miles (size of Montana or California)
Few natural resources
Temperate climate, & mountainous; prone to earthquakes, floods, typhoons, & volcanic eruptions
Geographically isolated; ocean/seas provided food and protection (harvest sea urchins)

4. Early Japan
Kyushu 1st island inhabited; tribal society of farmers with an aristocratic class
Creation myth – sun goddess call Amaterasu (each emperor claimed to be a descendant)
Yamato clan rules Japan (A.D. 400), & emperor is a ceremonial religious figure
Prince Shotoku rules Japan (A.D. 593) – writes a constitution & converts to Buddhism
Centralized political system & sent missions to China (constant threat)
Chinese culture influences Japan: Confucianism, written characters, Buddhism, civil service, and government

5. Nara & Heian Period Capital moved to Nara (710)
Calligraphy, literature (Tale of the Genji – 1st novel), & poetry
Aristocracy dominates with the Fujiwara clan becoming powerful
Capital moved to Heian (Kyoto) in 794 – becomes the imperial capital
Bushi maintained own military
Rise of samurai w/feudalism (lesser nobility and military retainers) - lived by Bushido (w/seppuku) and were loyal military retainers/lesser nobility
Taika reforms - attempt to revamp imperial administration along Chinese lines (eventually rejected)

6. Rise of the Shogun
Minamoto Yoritomo becomes 1st shogun (Kamakura) in Tokyo; eventually overthrown after establishing bakufu
Decline of imperial power;
Mongols invade in 1274 & 1281 (with 150,000); typhoon destroys fleet (twice); “divine wind” or kamikaze protects Japanese people
Gempei Wars (1100s) – peasants vs. samurai & Minamoto vs. Taira; countryside destroyed
Daimyo’s (warlords each with a kingdom - #300) power grows; collects taxes for irrigation – have castles or fortresses like in Europe
Civil war ( ); shogunate collapses

7. Social Structure & Daily Life
Farming society; the masses were peasant farmers who became serfs
Merchants and artisan guilds arose (for men and women)
Traded paper, pearls, lumber, gold, painted fans, iron casting, porcelain, silk, books, swords, etc.
Japanese elite enjoyed life of leisure & court ritual
Early art imitated Chinese art, but then became uniquely Japanese (tea ceremony and decorative gardens)

8. Religion
Worshipped nature spirits (animism) or kami - evolves into Shinto
Divinity of the emperor - serves as a figurehead from Kyoto
Buddhism arrives from China (6th cent.) & mixes with Shinto
Most Japanese become Shinto & Buddhist – can be both
Zen Buddhism becomes most popular

9. Korea Most profoundly influenced by China (& longest)
Descended from hunting & herding peoples of eastern Siberia & Manchuria
Earliest Korean kingdom – Choson in the north
Koguryo people established independent kingdom in north
Kingdoms of Silla and Paekche fight wars w/Koguryo – weakens each other & Tang dynasty conquers (allied w/Silla)

10. Korea
Chinese withdraw in 668 – Silla left in power & Korea remains independent until 20th century (off & on)
Sinification (adoption of Chinese culture) hits Korea – Buddhism, Chinese writing; also porcelain (celadon) & printing, but became better than Chinese
Tribute system used by Chinese instead of invasion – Korea sent embassies, kowtowed, offered gifts to Chinese - (ensured peace)
Had access to Chinese learning, art , & manufactured goods

11. Vietnam Conquered by China in 2nd century
Maintained unique identity & culture – dressed differently, language, village autonomy, nuclear family; women had greater freedom & influence than in China
Considered “barbarians” by Chinese
Conquered by the Han Chinese – assimilation & diffusion through Chinese troops and administrators (bureaucracy, agriculture, schools, & military)

12. Vietnam
Revolts – Trung sisters in 39 C.E. – women were hostile to Confucian ideals
939 C.E. win independence & remains so until the French in 19th century (Mongol & Ming try, but fail)
Expansion & division – north vs. south, Nguyen vs. Trinh, defeated Khmer & Cham neighbors