Aim: Was Feudalism in Japan similar to European Feudalism?

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Aim Was Feudalism in Japan similar to European
Feudalism?
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I Geography of Japan

• Japan is an archipelago east of Korea. It
  consists of 1000s of islands, but 4 main ones.
• Japan lies on a fault line, and is part of the
  Pacific Ring of Fire (a circle of volcanic
  activity in the Pacific Ocean).
• Japan is very mountainous. Its tallest mountain
  is Mount Fuji.
• Only 20 of Japanese land is arable (suitable
  for farming).
• Japans main natural resources are seafood and
  rice.

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Mt. Fuji
Geography of Japan Continued
Japanese Rice Paddy
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On March 11 2011, Japan experienced a devastating
earthquake, causing mass destruction. While being
a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire has its risks,
it also has its rewards. Japan is a leader in
clean geothermal energy (from magma under the
Earths crust).
Japanese monkeys enjoying a natural hot spring
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Pacific Ring of Fire
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II Early Japan (300 710 CE)

• Early Japanese were hunters and gatherers. They
  were controlled by clans. A clan is a small
  political group based on family ties, often led
  by an elder
• B) The earliest inhabitants of Japan were the
  Ainu they were Caucasian (not Asian!). There are
  very few Ainu left in Japan today.
• C) The traditional Japanese religion was Shinto
  (worship of kami forces in nature)
• D) By 100 BCE Japan began to farm rice
• E) By 400 CE Japan was united under an emperor,
  with the capital at Nara.

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Early Japan Continued
The Ainu populated Hokkaido, parts of Honshu, the
Kurile Islands and Sakhalin, but today they live
mostly in Hokkaido. They were only officially
recognized as an indigenous ethnic group of Japan
in 2008!
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Shinto Shrine
Shinto means the way of the gods. Shintoists
believe that kami take the form of the forces of
nature, such as the wind. Humans are believed to
become kami, and are revered after their death.
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Early Japan Continued
E) Through cultural diffusion, early Japanese
culture absorbed many Chinese traditions and
ideas including Confucianism, Buddhism, art,
architecture, the growing and drinking of tea,
and a system of writing.
The first sumo wrestling matches were performed
in honor of the gods, in hopes of a good harvest.
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III The Heian Period

• 794 CE Kyoto became the new capital of Japan.
• 9th century poets began to write in Japanese
  instead of in Chinese.
• C) Lady Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji
  1000 CE. The worlds 1st known novel. Genji is
  the son of the Emperor during the Heian period.
  The book describes the customs of the
  aristocracy.

The bond between husband and wife is a strong
one When there are crises, incidents, a woman
should try to overlook them, for better or for
worse, and make the bond into something durable.
The wounds will remain, with the woman and with
the man, when there are crises such as I have
described. It is very foolish for a woman to let
a little dalliance upset her so much that she
shows her resentment openly. He has his
adventures--but if he has fond memories of their
early days together, his and hers, she may be
sure that she matters. A commotion means the end
of everything. She should be quiet and generous,
and when something comes up that quite properly
arouses her resentment she should make it known
by delicate hints. - Lady Murasaki Shikibu The
Tale of Genji
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Phoenix Hall, Kyoto, Heian Period
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The Heian Period Continued

• D) In 646 CE the Emperor introduced the Taika
  reforms to make the imperial administration more
  Chinese (as under the Tang Dynasty of the
  time). They abolished private ownership of land
  and people, proclaiming that they were owned by
  the emperor that new administrative and military
  organizations responsible to the emperor should
  be established both in the capital and the
  provinces that a census would be introduced and
  with it fair distribution of land and that a new
  and equitable tax system would be created. Laws
  were codified for the first time.
• E) The Fujiwara family controlled the political
  scene of the Heian period over several centuries
  through strategic intermarriages with the
  imperial family and by occupying all the
  important political offices. The family reached
  the peak of its power under Fujiwara no Michinaga
  (9661027) most historians believe he ruled
  Japan at this time and not the emperor.

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The Heian Period Continued

• F) After Michinaga, the Fujiwara declined, and
  public order could not be maintained. Many land
  owners hired samurai for the protection of their
  properties. That is how the military class became
  more and more influential.
• G) In the 12th century, two military families
  with aristocratic backgrounds gained much power
  the Minamoto (or Genji) and Taira (or Heike)
  families. The clans fought a deciding war for
  supremacy, the Gempei War (1180 to 1185). By the
  end of the war, Minamoto Yoritomo won. After
  eliminating all of his enemies, he was appointed
  Shogun (highest military officer) and established
  a new government in his home city Kamakura.

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Minamoto Yoritomo
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IV Feudal Japan

• As you recall, by the mid 9th century the
  Fujiwara family gained influence over the
  Imperial government (i.e. the emperor).
• Aristocratic families increasingly carved out
  small kingdoms ruled by bushi (warrior leaders).
  Samurai, mounted warriors, were loyal to their
  local lords more than to the Emperor.
• After the Gempei Wars in 1185 CE, the Minamoto
  established the bakufu (military government).
  Shoguns were the military leaders of the bakufu.
• A civil war lasted between warrior families
  (1467-1477). Led to Japan divided into 300 little
  kingdoms, ruled by daiymos (warlords).

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Feudal Japan

Emperor
Shogun
Land - Shoen
Loyalty
Daimyo
Daimyo
Land - Shoen
Loyalty
Samurai
Samurai
Samurai
Food
Protection
Peasant
Peasant
Peasant
Peasant
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Feudal Japan Continued
Emperor The divine head of society, who held no
real power. Lived at Kyoto.
Shogun The emperors military deputy, who held
real power over Japan. Lived at Edo.
Daimyo Lords who held power over their own land,
under the control of the shogun.
Samurai Warriors, most of whom enjoyed high
social status but had very little power. Loyal to
their daimyo.
Farmers, Artisans
Merchants People who traded goods. They
occupied the lowest rung of society, as Confucian
teaching held that they were an unproductive class
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Feudal Japan Continued

• B) The Samurai followed the Code of Bushido Way
  of the Warrior

1. Honor 2. Bravery 3. Loyalty 4. Simplicity 5.
If a Samurai displeased his master or lost a
battle, he may practice seppuku (ritual suicide)
so he will not lose honor.
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Seppuku Ceremony
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Kokura Castle
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Osaka Castle
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Feudalism Continued
A SHORT SLEEVED KIMONO, or armor robe, was
tied snugly at the waist with a special knot
(lower right)
A COTTON BREECH CLOUT that extended up over the
chest was the basic undergarment of a samurais
costume
BILLOWING PANTALOONS,worn over the armor robe,
fitted loosely in the legs to allow freedom of
movement
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Feudalism Continued
STURDY SHINGUARDS of cloth or leather were
reinforced with strips of iron to give protection
from the front
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V Japan and the Mongols

• A) In 1266, the Mongol ruler Kublai Khan paused
  in his campaign to subdue all of China, and sent
  a message to the Emperor of Japan. He advised the
  Japanese Emperor to pay him tribute at once... or
  else. The Khan's emissaries returned from Japan
  without an answer. Five times over the next six
  years, Kublai Khan sent his messengers the
  Japanese shogun would not allow them even to land
  on Honshu, the main island. In 1271, Kublai Khan
  defeated the Song Dynasty, and declared himself
  the first emperor of China's Yuan Dynasty. A
  grandson of Genghis Khan, he ruled over much of
  China plus Mongolia and Korea meanwhile, his
  uncles and cousins controlled an empire that
  stretched from Hungary in the west to the Pacific
  coast of Siberia in the east. The great khans of
  the Mongol Empire did not tolerate impudence from
  their neighbors. As early as 1272, Kublai Khan
  wanted to launch a strike against Japan. His
  counselors advised him to bide his time until a
  proper armada of war ships could be built. The
  Mongols commissioned the construction of 300 to
  600 vessels from the shipyards of southern China
  and Korea, and

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Japan and the Mongols Continued

• conscripted an army of some 40,000 men. Many of
  the officers were Mongolian, but the majority of
  the soldiers were ethnic Chinese and Koreans.
  Against this mighty force, Japan could muster
  only about 10,000 fighting men from the ranks of
  the often-squabbling samurai clans. Japan's
  warriors were seriously outmatched.
• B) The Mongols attacked Japan in 1274 and 1281.
  Both times their ships were stopped by strong
  winds. In August of 1281, of the khan's 4,400
  ships, only a few hundred rode out the towering
  waves and vicious winds. Nearly all of the
  invaders drowned in the storm those few thousand
  who made it to shore were hunted and killed
  without mercy by the samurai.
• C) The Japanese believed that their gods had sent
  the storms to preserve Japan from the Mongols.
  They called the storms kamikaze , or "divine
  winds." Kublai Khan seemed to agree that Japan
  was protected by supernatural forces he
  abandoned the idea of conquering the island
  nation.

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Japan and the Mongols Continued

• D) After the Mongol invasion, new problems arose
  for the shogun. The emperor began to fight the
  shogun for control of the country. At the same
  time daimyo, the nobles who owned much of Japans
  land, fought to break free of the shoguns
  control. During these struggles for power, small
  wars broke out all over Japan. By the 1400s the
  shoguns had lost most of their authority. The
  emperor was still largely powerless, and daimyo
  ruled much of Japan. Each daimyo controlled his
  own territory. Within that territory, he made
  laws and collected taxes. There was no powerful
  central authority of any sort to impose order in
  Japan.

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VI Zen Buddhism

• A) Zen Buddhism began in China in the 6th century
  and became popular in Japan by the 12th century.
  It was greatly influenced by Taoism Zen
  Buddhists have a great respect for nature.
• B) Zen Buddhism greatly influenced Japanese
  culture
• 1. Zen Buddhism requires a strict mental focus
  and discipline, which reinforced the Code of
  Bushido
• 2. Zen Buddhist Gardens were built as places for
  meditation and beauty
• 3. Japanese Tea Ceremony This ceremony
  transforms the simple act of pouring tea into a
  beautiful art form.
• 4. Haiku Poetry Short, simple, beautiful poems.
  5, 7, then 5 syllables.

Zen literally means meditation.
A Zen Rock Garden
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Zen Buddhist Gardens for Every Season!
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Japanese Tea Ceremony
The objective of the Japanese tea ceremony is
based in part on the etiquette of serving tea,
but is also includes the intimate connections
with architecture, landscape gardening,
paintings, flower arrangement, ceramics, Zen
Buddhism, and all the other elements that coexist
in harmonious relationship with the ceremony. Its
ultimate aim is the attainment of deep spiritual
satisfaction through the drinking of tea and
through silent contemplation.
JapaneseTeaCeremony.net
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VII Women in Feudal Japan

• A) In the early Japanese feudal period, women
  were expected to exhibit loyalty, bravery, and
  take on the duty of revenge. As her warrior
  husband was often absent, the samurai wife had
  important duties at home to oversee the
  harvesting of crops, manage the servants, and all
  financial business. On her, too, fell the burden
  of providing the proper education of her
  children. She was to instill in them a strong
  sense of loyalty to the samurai ideals of courage
  and physical strength. In wartime women sometimes
  had to defend their homes. Trained in weaponry,
  women carried a dagger in their sleeves or sashes
  and could throw with deadly aim. The naginata, a
  long, curved sword, was considered the weapon
  most suitable for women. Sometimes women joined
  men in battle, actually fighting along side them
  or encouraging the troops. And, like their
  husbands, women were expected to commit suicide
  if the family was dishonored in any way. Some
  women used suicide as a form of protest against
  injustice.

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Women in Feudal Japan Continued

• B) Over time the independent samurai woman was
  replaced by a new ideal samurai women as humble,
  obedient, above all subservient to men.
  Respecting one's husband and family and bearing a
  male child became this ideal woman's most
  important tasks. Supporting the new ideal was
  Confucianism and Buddhism (some Buddhists
  believed in the separation of genders). "A woman
  has no way of independence through life. When she
  is young, she obeys her father when she is
  married, she obeys her husband when she is
  widowed, she obeys her son. Confucius, The
  Three Obediences
• C) Geisha did not yet exist, but in medieval
  Japan there were licensed female prostitutes.

Prior to the influence of Confucianism, a
Japanese woman was skilled with the naginata.
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VIII Feudalism West vs. East
A) Advantages of Western European Knights 1.
Their whole body was very well protected by their
metal armor 2. Their armor it was easy to
identify certain knights from certain places 3. A
knight used many strong, large weapons and they
also used a shield 4, As most rode on horseback
knights had a general size advantage B)
Disadvantages of Western European Knights 1.
Underclothes made of linen had to be worn to
prevent chafing from the metal armor 2. Metal
armor is heavy and made moving limited and
difficult 3. The helmet limited vision and
breathing ability 4. There were many different
components to the armor which required help to
put on and take off
C) Advantages of Japanese Samurai 1. Armor was
light, as it was mostly from bamboo, with small
parts made of cloth and metal 2. Due to the
lightness it made movement easy 3. Samurai
excelled at hand to hand combat 4. Samurais could
fight both on horse and on foot fairly easily D)
Disadvantages of Japanese Samurai 1. Had less
protection for the body, made them slightly more
vulnerable 2. Samurais fought mainly on foot 3.
Most of their weapons like arrows would not be
able to penetrate a knight's armor
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HW Questions

• Describe at least 2 ways that Japans geography
  has impacted its history and/or culture. Mention
  the Mongols!
• How did Chinese culture influence Japan? Provide
  evidence. When do we see historical evidence of
  Japan moving away from Chinese influence? Why do
  you think this happened?
• 3. What does The Tale of Genji tell us about
  women during the Heian period of Japan?
• 4A. Compare and contrast Japanese feudalism with
  feudalism in Western Europe. At minimum include
  discussion of their class systems, codes of
  chivalry, armor, weapons, and women. Obviously,
  expand upon the diagram in the previous slide
• 4B. Also, who do you think would have the
  advantage in a battle between western European
  knights and Japanese samurai? Explain your
  answer.
• 5. Write your own haiku about Japan!
• 6. Fill in your Period 3 chart for Feudal
  Japan!!!

My friend pork shoulderI return to you. this
timeI've brought mayonnaise
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Key Vocabulary

• Ainu
• Archipelago
• Clans
• Code of Bushido
• Daiymo
• Fujiwara
• Gempei War
• Geothermal energy
• Haiku
• Heian Period
• Hokkaido
• Kami
• Kamikazi
• Kublai Khan
• Kyoto
• Lady Murasaki Shikibu

Minamoto Mt. Fuji Naginata Pacific Ring of
Fire Samurai Seppuku Shinto Shogun Sumo Taika
Reforms Taira Tale of Genji Tea Ceremony Zen
Buddhism