Medieval Japan (710-1868)

Medieval Japan (710-1868)

1. Jomon Period (10 000BC-300BC)

   • arrived 10000 come from mainland China
   • people called Jomon because of style of pottery
   • they wrapped rope (Jomon means rope) around the get to get intricate detail
   • evidence for them: dogu, midden, pottery

2. Nara Period (710-794AD)

   • Japan was ruled by emperor/empress from the captial city of Nara
   • first coins used and taxes too
   • first literature/books
   • first roads

3. Heian Period (794-1184AD)

   • run be emperor (no empress) but capital city moved to Kyoto
   • captial moved because priests were getting too powerful
   • millitary commanders get more powerful (shoguns)
   • at first they lead emperors armies soon the empreror became weak and the shoguns seized power in the country side
   • two biggest shoguns from rival clans - Minamoto and Kiyamori fight for control over Japan
   • Minamoto become first shogunates - the Kamaukara shogunate

4. Shogunates

   • was a new government in which the shogun NOT the emperor was in charge
   • the head of the shogunate like a dictator
   • 1185-1868
   • shogunate translate into Japanese 'bakufu' meaning office in the tent
   • remained very isolated
   • the tent refers to the military origins of the Shoguns

5. Kamakura Shogunate (1185-1333AD)

   • the first shogun was Minamoto no Yoritomo
   • lost power in 1333

6. Muromachi Shogunate (1366-1538AD)

   • they moved the capital city to Kyoto-emperor went back to Nara
   • in this time, the nobles began to get more power and fought among themselves and against the shogun
   • this lasted for over 100 years

7. Tokugawa Shogunate (1600-1868AD)

   • ended warring states period and took power in 1600
   • brought peace but made many canges
   • ended in 1868 when the emperor retook control
   • got control of Japan when the Muramachi shogunate became weak
   • this led to war over who controlled japan
   • the three unifiers appeared from this-Udo Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu
   • the first 2 failed but Tokugawa Ieyasu won an important battle at Sekigahra in 1600 and was announced Shogun by the emperor in 1603
   • impacts
     • sword hunt when the peasants were not allowed to have weapons (took away rights, reduced risk of rebellion)
     • power of daimyos was restricted by the amount of samurai they could control (restrited their protection , no rebellion
     • Less social mobility (people with bad intentions couldn't move up, people with bad intentions at top couldnt move down, and their ideas could happen)
     • reduced foreign contact (no war with foreign countries, left japan isolated to new ideas)
     • no freedom of religion (no new ideas=no war, rights were taken)
     • a time of great stability due to these impacts
     • daimyos power and money restricted as they were forced to spend every 2nd year living in Edo (restricted their power=no uprising or opposing the shogun, but took away their wealth)
     • heavy taxes on peasants (no peasant uprising, took away money and they were poor..)

8. Social Structure

   • Daimyo
     • noble families
     • about 260
     • warrior class
     • owned large areas of land (shoen) taxed people on this land
   • Samurai
     • warrior class
     • warriors who were linked to Daimyo
     • helped control his land-paid in rice
   • Peasants
     • majority of population
     • grew food for society
     • paid taxes to daimyo and listened to his samurai
   • Artisans
     • crafted non-essential things
     • not highly regarded
   • 4 tier structure: warrior, peasants, artisans, merchants
   • Merchants
     • Hinin & Ronin
       • outcasts
       • existed outside 4 tiers
     • could be very wealthy but were not respected as they didn't contribute to society

9. Samurai

   • Role
     • protect and serve their emperor and daimyo
     • look after the daimyo land and maintain order so daimyo doesn't get overthrown
   • Armour
     • tiny scales of lacquered iron laced together in rows with silk cords
     • lightweight
     • mask was shaped into a ferocious-looking contenance to scare enemy
     • costly
   • Weapons
     • long sword (katana)
     • short sword (wakisashi)
     • pole sword (naginata)
   • Bushido
     • 'the way of the warrior'
     • demanded that the warrior displays full loyalty, bravery and honour
     • guidelines
   • seppuku
     • cut yourself open
     • was done to avoid the embarassment of being taken prisoner
     • the stomach was the 'hara'-spiritual and physical centre of body-natural place to cause death
     • part of bushido

10. Belief Systems in Medieval Japan

    • Shinto
      • based on animism
        • belief that means all things have spirts
      • Spirits are called 'kami'
      • when you die you enter the spirit world
      • linked with nature
        • shrines in forests
        • shrines also put in homes-ancestor worship ancestor spirit
    • Confucianism
      • respect eders
      • social hierarchy is based on how much the group contributes to society

11. Art and Literature

    • Pottery/Painting
      • Jomon pottery
      • paintings
      • wood block (Ukiyo-e)
    • Calligraphy
      • 'shodo'
      • two types
      • Kanji-hard to master
      • Hiragana-easier used by most people
    • Poetry
      • haiku poems had three lines
      • 5 syllables
      • 7 syllables
      • 5 syllables
    • Origami
      • folding paper to create beautiful shape