1. 1 From Aristocrat to Warrior: 1200-1400  Where did the warriors come from?  Drawn from lower-ranking families  Initially served the Heian government as: Tax collectors (film point) Constables/police Militia  Built up power in the provinces The control of land

2. 2 Gradual shift in power  End of 1100s: aristocratic factions struggle for power Powerful warrior clans compete, too  The warrior clans have military power Leads to the Gempei war 1180-1185 A struggle between the Genji (Minamoto) and Heike (Taira)  Recounted in the Tale of the Heike

3. 3 Warrior culture  A focus on military arts (bu 武) Swordsmanship –Swordmaking (film point) Horsemanship –There were footsoldiers as well  But also the fine arts (bun 文) (film point) Flower arranging Calligraphy and writing: Heike, “The Petition”

4. 4 Warrior culture and Buddhism  Warrior fine arts (bun 文) from Zen Buddhism The above, plus gardening  Mental and physical discipline

5. 5 Warriors and Zen Buddhism  Zen imported from China in the 1200s  For the warriors, a counterbalance to aristocratic Buddhism  However: (film point) Though most Zen Buddhists were warriors Most warriors were not Zen Buddhists –Many maintained older family traditions –For example, the Pure Land (Dan-no-ura) –The Takiguchi nyūdō (acolyte), “Yokobue”

6. 6 Warriors and Noh theatre  Develops 1300- 1400s Slow moving Typically a Buddhist theme  Another cultural counterbalance to aristocratic culture

7. 7 Warriors and honor (film point)  The death of Atsumori: classic example To kill a youth is not honorable To free an enemy is not honorable  Do you find examples of warriors fleeing? What happens when they do?  Honor was mostly for the leadership The cement in the lord-vassal relationship  Low-ranking samurai fought to survive

8. 8 Women Warriors (film point)  Women warriors were rare  Tomoe is the exception that proves the rule See “The Death of Kiso” Tomoe may be a fictional trope  In fact, women lost ground during the warrior age Literacy: no great works by women Inheritance: no longer partible

9. 9 Ninja?  We know little about ninja 忍者  They may have been samurai spies  They may have been warrior monks Monks would fight battles to protect holdings Killing was clearly not a big issue (film point)

10. 10 Conclusions  The Tale of the Heike served warrior interests It should be viewed with caution  High-ranking warriors valued honor New recruits tried to survive  Warriors were only one power group Aristocrats still had authority Buddhist institutions had great resources

11. 11 More Conclusions  The image of the Japanese warrior is mostly a myth, but an important one As the film showed, it served, and serves a particular function –WWII –Japan’s image in the West