The Spread of Chinese Civilization

The Spread of Chinese Civilization Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

Japan’s Imperial Age • 5th c: Yamato clan emerged as emperors • 6th -7th c.: Chinese culture increasingly influences Japan • Taika, Nara, and Heian periods (7th to 9th centuries) • Tremendous borrowing from China (Sinification) • 645 CE: Taika Reforms • Copy Chinese style of rule in Japanese government • Try to develop bureaucracy to limit power of aristocracy; opposed by aristocracy • Confucianism rejected; Japan held birthin esteem, not education

Story Time p. 132 “Japan” • Take Notes • - • - • - • - • -

Early Japan • Three important periods • Taika Period (645-710): Emperor admires all things Chinese • Nara Period (710-794): Heavy Buddhist influence in court • Japanese political, social, and religious customs crystallized in this time period. • Named for the capital city • Heian Period (794-857): Emperor becomes a mere figurehead • Mark of Japanese art, literature, culture and an era of sophistication

Religion in Japan • Native religion: Shinto “The way of the gods” • Worshiped kami: nature and its seen and unseen forces • Encourages obedience and proper behavior • First important Japanese clan—Yamato—claimed direct descent from the Shinto sun goddess (thus had a “Mandate from Heaven” to rule) • 522 C.E. Buddhist missionaries arrive from China. • Chinese influence will remain strong into the 9th century. • Buddhism coexisted with Shintoism—one could practice both.

Taika Period: Apex of Chinese Influence in Japan • Success of Tang Dynasty inspired Japanese leaders • 646 C.E.—Taika Reforms • Attempt to reorganize Japanese government according to Chinese administrative styles • Calls for a central bureaucracy and a peasant conscript army • Aristocrats and Buddhists resist Taika Reforms • Chinese-style bureaucracy relies on a scholar-gentry • Confucianist scholar-gentry not embraced • Birth more important than education • Buddhism had been reworked (Zen) and, blended with Shintoism, had become Japanese. • Backlash against foreign influences.

Enter the Fujiwara • Emperor flees to Heian (Kyoto), 794 C.E. • Buddhist power in court too strong • One particular monk tried to marry Empress Koken and claim the throne for himself! • Peasant support for Buddhism doomed the Emperor’s peasant-conscript army. • Aristocrats force the emperor to restore their power. • They will dominate the central government, not the emperor and bureaucracy. • Block any social mobility; rank solely by birth • As powerful landlords, they form rural militias. • Emperor reduced to a figurehead. • Fujiwara clan intermarries with the emperor’s family and pretty much takes over control of political affairs. • Enacts Taiho Code (701-704): new laws based on Confucian system of strict obedience to authority. (They borrowed what they could use while maintaining their established identity and way of life)

A Golden Age • The Imperial Court has no political power, so it focuses on culture at the Heian Court. • Strict behavioral codes • Palace and garden life • Pursuit of aesthetic enjoyment • Avoidance of distasteful elements of life. • Poetry and literature admired • Simpler script adapted from Chinese improved expression • One thing about the Japanese: They maintained that they were the greatest race on earth but were more than willing to borrow from others when it made them stronger. • Women were as cultured as men, even involved in palace intrigues and power struggles. Got it? A brief period of improvement for women! (Well, the wealthy/high-born ones, at least) • Lady Murasaki’sThe Tale of Genji depicts courtly life. (1st novel ever)

Feudal Japan • No powerful emperor, so power dispersed. • By 12th century intermarriage had created a large pool of noble families. • 1192 C.E., YoritomoMinamota given title of Shogun (chief general) • Aristocrats’ estates and Buddhist monasteries were large and not completely unlike independent states. • As Aristocrats vied against each other for power in the vicinity of the capital, provincial land lords carved out little kingdoms of their own.

The Provincial Warrior Elite • Bushi—warrior leaders; governed and taxed for themselves, not the court. • Samurai—mounted soldiers loyal to local lords, not the emperor or aristocrats. • Devoted lives to hunting and training. • Often hired to protect the emperor and keep the peace in the capital. • Switched from longbows to curved steel swords in 12th century • Battles often hinged on duels of champions • Lived according to a strict warrior code (Code of Bushido) that included seppuku • Peasants forced to feed Samurai

Ode of Yakomachi (8th century C.E.) Note how the extract below describes the final sacrifice of a Samurai warrior for his lord. Our ancestors have served the Sovereign and we too will serve him. Leaving our bodies sodden on the high seas or rotting in the grass of the wild moor, we gladly die for our Liege Lord. Our ancient name will be kept spotless With catalpa bow in hand and sword and dirk on thigh. At dawn and even we stand to guard our Sovereign’s Gates.

Order of Real Power During the Feudal Age Shogun: military ruler of Japan Daimyo: like European lords; part warrior, part noble Samurai: professional warriors who served to protect their emperor and daimyo Notice that the Emperor and regular folk don’t make the list!

Japanese Feudalism

Social Classes in Feudal Japan Emperor: The center of loyalty for all Japanese even though the shogun ruled in his name Shogun Daimyo Samurai Peasants: farmers who were required to give a part of their crop to their daimyo (like serfs) Artisans and craftsmen: their status was low but their work was valued Merchants: despised as unproductive money-grubbers, but could become wealthy—and if they married into respected samurai families, could get some prestige Outcasts: beggars, executioners, or hide-tanners (like Hindu untouchables)

Compare and Contrast: Feudalism in Europe and Japan Alike Different • Political structure • Mutual ties and obligations • Land-for-loyalty • Social structure • Honor code • Legal arrangement • contract in Europe • group identity and loyalty in Japan • Treatment of women • Chivalry in Europe • Lost freedoms of Fujiwara period in Japan

Feudal Europe vs. Feudal Japan • Similar: • political structure, social structure, code of honor • Difference: • Europe: simply a land-for-loyalty exchange • Japan: based upon group/family identity and loyalty

Decline of Imperial Power and Creation of Shogunate • Japanese feudalism means emperor’s power declines • By 11th/12th c., aristocratic families dominate and are in control at court • 1180-1185: Gempei Wars • Battle between Taira and Minamoto families over political control • Minamoto victorious and control court • Minamoto establish Bakufu(military government) headed by a shogun (military leader) • Emperor and court remain; Minamoto family and samurai have real control in shogunate

Chaos Continues • 1336-1573: Ashikaga Shogunate established; collapse of centralized authority as emperor flees upon his refusal to recognize shogun • Power of emperor and shogunate weakens, however. • 14th c: Period of civil war between aristocratic families • Bushi vassals acquire more land • Land then divided among samurai upon pledging loyalty to vassals to give military assistance when needed • 1467-1477: Court rebellions continue, and Japan fragments into 300 small kingdoms led by warlords called daimyos

Life Under the Daimyo • Fortresses important (duh) • Less “honorable” • Spies, sabotage, banditry, assassinations… • Changing role for women • Until the 11th century, marriage patterns had been woman-centered: a husband either joined the family of his wife or lived seperatly from her and visited on certain nights. • Buddhist and Confucianist ideas slowly changed women’s status. • Women barred from becoming government officials • Share of land distributed by the government was set at 2/3 that of men. • But on rare occasions women could rise to the top: Empresses Suiko (593-628) and Shotuku (764-770). • By the end of the 12th century, status and position declined. • Danger of warfare made it practical for only one person to inherit the family’s property, and that became the eldest or most able son. • Women lose property rights and become dependent upon men. • Growth of towns and cities means more brothels and prostitution.

OnnaDaiguku “Great Learning for Women” A woman has no particular lord. She must look to her husband as her lord and must serve him with all worship and reverence, not despising or thinking lightly of him. The great life-long duty of a woman is obedience. In her dealings with her husband both the expression of her countenance and the style of her address should be courteous, humble and conciliatory, never peevish and intractable, never rude and arrogant—that should be a woman’s first and chiefest care.

Sinification in Korea Trade between Koreans and Chinese as early as 4th century B.C.E. 109 B.C.E. Han conquer Korea, Chinese colonize the peninsula. Buddhism spreads Adoption of Chinese writing, learning, art, and manufactured items (e.g. porcelain) Confucianism respected (but no scholar gentry) Although Buddhism appealed to common folk, other forms of Sinification affected only the elite

Story Time p. 136 “Korea” • Take Notes • - • - • - • - • -

Sinification in Korea v. Sinification in Japan Alike Different Facilitated by Buddhism Declined to create a Chinese-style state No power to a scholar gentry: birth and family connections most important for government position Most Sinification influenced only the elite Korea touches China and had been conquered by it in the Han and Tang Eras. Japan is an island and was never conquered by the Chinese nor did it pay any tribute. Longer period of contact

Sinification in Vietnam • By the time the Tang Chinese first encountered the Viets, the Viets had established their own distinctive culture. • Spoken language not related to Chinese • Villages autonomous • Nuclear family (rather than extended family) • Women had more freedom and influences • Han conquest brought changes • Chinese administrators • Chinese schools taught Chinese script and Confucian classics • Exams required for administrative posts • Chinese agricultural techniques improved food supply • Government and military modeled off of Chinese • Resistance • Aristocrats vie for influence over the peasantry. • Tran sisters oppose male-dominated Confucian codes. • Independence by 939 C.E.

Sinification in Vietnam v. Sinification in Japan Alike Different Spoken language not related to Chinese Although Vietnam borders southern China, like Japan it was far from the centers of Chinese power. Village autonomy: no centralized state Buddhism Like Korea, Vietnam had been conquered by Chinese. Viets adapted exams for administrative posts Viets used Chinese military organization

Wrap Up • Unlike China’s other nomadic neighbors, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam were based on sedentary agriculture. • Chinese civilization influenced Japan, Korea, and Vietnam • Writing, bureaucratic organization, Buddhism, art • Each responded differently to elements of Sinification • Except for Buddhism, Sinification was mostly for the elite • Nearness to Chinese power centers a factor • Japanese isolation allowed them to develop separate political patterns • China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam were all preoccupied with interaction within the east Asia, so they had limited awareness of larger world currents when compared with the global awareness in other major civilizations

The Spread of Chinese Civilization