Japan Under the Shoguns

Japan Under the Shoguns

1. Brief Overview

   • lots of earthquakes
   • collection of islands
   • city:
     • skyscrapers
     • lots of people
   • good farming land
   • gets very cold in North
   • varied terrain
   • 200 BCE:
     • population quite small
     • early settlers arrive from Korea (Yayoi)
       • bought:
         • technology
         • ideas
         • religion
       • used bronze + iron
     • nomads already living in Japan
   • 30 BCE:
     • hunter gatherers pushed North
     • Yayoi population expands
     • many chiefdoms appear
       • built castles out of wood
         • wooden forts
   • 200 CE:
     • lots of war + fighting
     • forts expand
   • 500 CE:
     • Yayoi takes over most of Japan
     • Yamato kingdom established
     • Jomon last people living ancient lifestyle
       • resisted growth of kingdom
       • relied on fishing
       • last people to come under control
   • 750 CE:
     • now called Japan
     • began to flourish:
       • started to develop:
         • music
         • art
         • writing
         • Buddhism

2. Ancient Japan

   • Emperor's power fluctuated
   • humans lived in Japan at least 30000 years
   • during last ice-age Japan connected to mainland Asia by land bridge
     • ended c.10000 BCE
   • Jomon period:
     • learn to make pottery c.8000 BCE
     • c.8000 BCE - 300 BCE
     • Jomon=cord marked
     • Jomon people were hunter gatherers
       • hunting
       • fishing
     • nomadic lifestyle
   • Yayoi Japan:
     • c.300 BCE - 300 CE
     • began new era
       • agriculture
         • rice
       • bronze + iron tools
       • weaved cloth
         • part of culture
     • lived in villages of wooden huts
     • influenced by Korea + China
       • mainland Asia
     • farming + other skills led to society becoming divided into classes
   • Heian period:
     • c.794 CE - 1185 CE
     • during, arts + learning flourished
     • coincides with Med. Europe

3. Japanese Society

   • 1. Emperor + Shogun:
     • Emperor:
       • first emperor believed descendent of sungoddess
         • sun is most obvious link to life
       • power was inherited
       • power fluctuated over history
       • in Heian period, control over whole Japan
       • figure head
         • no real power
     • Shogun;
       • military leader/warrior
       • control all defense attacks
       • Shoguns moved in when Emperor failed
       • began very power in 10th Cent
       • period of time, when they ruled Japan
   • 2. Warrior class:
     • included samurai
       • highly trained
     • included noble family
       • respected + rich
       • daimypos
     • owned land (estates)
   • 3. Farmers/Peasants:
     • farmed
     • made up 90% of Japan
       • largest group
     • spent life working on fields
     • respected because of value
       • like China
     • different types of peasants
     • forced to pay heavy taxes
   • 4. Artisans + Craftsmen:
     • skilled craftsmen
     • not much value to society
     • made:
       • furniture
       • silks
       • decorative objects
   • 5. Merchants:
     • business people + shopkeepers
     • not very respected
       • big part of job based on personal wealth
   • 6. Hinin including Ronin:
     • not valued
     • outcats
     • not considered part of society
     • jobs considered wrong
       • executioner
       • butcher

4. Religion and Belief

   • Shinto:
     • religion
     • worship sacred spirits in nature
   • Buddhism reach Japan in 6th Cent.
     • first most popular around wealthy members
   • Confucianism reach Japan in 3rd Cent.
   • Kami=sacred spirits found in nature
   • Shintoism became popular during Muromachi period
     • just after attempted attacks from Mongols
       • got destroyed by typhoons
   • according to Buddhist belief, one has to follow 'eight-fold' path to avoid suffering
     • knowing the truth
     • wanting to do good
     • speaking well of others
     • respecting all life
     • working at a job that does not harm others
     • not thinking evil thoughts
     • controlling one's thoughts
     • practising meditation
   • Zen Buddhism was popular with samurai
     • emphasised the importance:
       • right-mindedness
       • duty over self-interest
   • main principles of Confucianism:
     • respect one's elders
     • correct social relationships
     • worship one's ancestors
     • family loyalty
   • Confucianism influenced Japanese culture in Tokugawa period:
     • writing Japanese legal codes
     • encouraged idea that Japan was 'centre' of the world
     • other countries were inferior

5. The Tokugawa Shogunate

   • most important shogunate period
   • came to power in period of instability
     • 14th and 15th Cent.
   • needed a change of leaders before
   • three men (the three unifiers) restored peace:
     • Odo Nobunga:
       • conquered most land
       • first unifier
     • Toyotomi Hideyoshi:
       • reintroduced Feudal System after years of chaos
         • restricts class mobility
           • e.g. only children of samurai could be samurai
       • introduced law that only samurai could carry weapons
       • began hostile campaign against followers of Christianity
       • died of Bubonic plague 1598 CE
       • wanted to take weapons off peasants
         • to make nails for a statue of Buddha
         • peasants would go to heaven
         • wouldn't have risk of an uprising
     • Ieyase Tokugawa
       • first Tokugawa shogun
       • came to power in 1603 CE
       • 1st shogun for 30 years
       • ended period of instability
       • reintroduced Feudal System = order
       • ended conflict through rules + restriction
       • helped create Modern Japan