Insights into Early Japan and Southeast Asia Cultures

1. Japan and Southeast AsiaSSWH0.

2. Time and Geography

3. Very Early Japan • Japanese are a very homogenous people; this played a major role in its history • Unsure where first settlers came from • By first millennium BCE, Jomon people were living on the islands

5. RELIGIOUS

6. Buddhism and Shinto • Buddhism • Zen and Nichiren sects developed after arriving from Korea • Buddhism gave religion broader, nobler intellectual content • Zen emphasized meditation techniques • Shinto, “The Way of the Gods” • Close to Chinese Daoism • Combination of animism, worship of great deities • Optimistic, guilt-free world view with no theology, sacred book, or concept of heaven and hell

7. Early Government and Administration • Beginning of organized large-scale government in Yamato period • Yamato clan claimed descent from Sun Goddess, founded imperial family • Buddhism became religion of upper class Mahayana Buddhism officially introduced to Japan in 538

8. POLITICAL

9. Early Government and Administration • 17-point Constitution written in 604, stated what a government and loyal citizenry ought to do • Used Chinese government model with village as foundation unit • Japanese were confident to pick and choose what they would adopt Shotoku Taishi, the leader responsible for the 17-point constitution

10. Nara and Heian periods710-1185 • First capital built at Nara • Buddhism began steady transformation to popular religion • Imperial court moved to Kyoto in 794 • Contacts with China, Korea strictly limited

11. Nara and Heian periods710-1185 • Government became struggle between all-powerful emperor and decentralized feudal lords • Emperors reduced to ceremonial figures • Fujiwara clan became power behind the throne • Shogunate – true head of government was shogun (military commander) • Warriors (bushi, or samurai) rose in power, with their code of conduct (bushido) Shogunate

12. Kamakura Period1185-1333 • Complete domination by samurai and their overlords • Shoen: parcels of productive land, villages • Exempt from central government taxation • Shiki: privately-held rights to their use and income • Not unusual for shoen to have 3-5 lords

13. Kamakura Period1185-1333 • Bakufu: military government under shogun • Shogun was independent true ruler of Japan • Bakufu able to defeat Mongol invasion attempts

15. AESTHETIC

16. Arts and Culture in Medieval Japan • Japanese and Chinese languages are radically different • First Japanese books • Chronicles of Japan • Records of Ancient Matters • World’s first novel. Tale of Genji • Tells great deal about aristocracy • Genji and Pillow Book were Japanese books, no foreign models • Both books written by women

17. Arts and Culture in Medieval Japan • Poetry was special strength • Japanese painting • Great sense of design, draftsmanship • Nature scenes, lively portraiture • Great attention to cultivation of beauty; life was to be enjoyed Japanese painting

18. RELIGIOUS

19. Arts and Culture in Medieval Japan • Buddhist evolution • Buddhist sects emphasized salvation through faith alone • Zen Buddhism insisted on meditation alone to purify the mind • Became most influential of all Buddhist worship forms • Underlay Japanese interpretation of beauty, truth Zen Buddhist monk meditating

20. POLITICAL

21. Ashikaga Shogunate1336-1573 • Ashikaga clan were shoguns, ruling daimyo (local nobles) • Culmination of Japanese feudalism, period of bloody wars • Contacts with China • Especially close in trade • Japanese pirates, smugglers also active • Korea • Mediated China-Japan trade • Had fallen into Chinese control, but with autonomy • Government was feudal division of king, local lords • Conquered by Mongols

22. Early Southeast Asian States • Enormous and varied area • Burma, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Thailand, and Philippine Islands • History of independent political organization until modern times when they became European colonies (except Thailand) • Mainland Southeast Asians descended from Turco-Mongolian language group • Islanders descended from Austronesian languages • Racial diversity • Chinese influence based on military, diplomacy • India’s influence through trade, culture, philosophy

23. Early Southeast Asian States • Funan and Champa • Funan, Mekong River delta, conquered by Khmers • Champa, central Vietnam • Both kingdoms strongly influenced by Hindu Indians

25. Kampuchea and Sri Vijaya • Kampuchea • Khmers were politically dominant group • Kampuchea was greatest of ancient mainland kingdoms • Wealth based on wet-rice agriculture • Taxation to build Angkor Wat temple may have contributed to its decline Flag-map of Democratic Kampuchea

26. Kampuchea and Sri Vijaya • Sri Vijaya • Controlled much of insular region • Focused on controlling Malacca Straits trade route • Indian conquest brought organization, expansion

27. Majapahit • Only indigenous empire to unify all of Indonesia • Trading, commercial venture • Last great Hindu kingdom in southeast Asia • Failed when aggressive Islam arrived

28. Burma and Thailand • Burma • Burmese kingdom centered on religious shrines at Pagan • Governing class adopted Hinayana Buddhism • Empire destroyed by Mongols • Thailand • Government centered at Ayuthaya • Mongols allowed Thais to be tributaries rather than conquering them • Chakri Dynasty created most stable, administratively advanced state in southeast Asia

29. Vietnam • Often-rebellious subjects of China • Han ruler made Nam viet into a Chinese province • Next 1000 years, imperial appointees governed it • Mahayana Buddhism became dominant faith • Had only southeast Asian writing based on Chinese • Independent state in 939, paying tribute to China • Even Mongols were repelled • Maintained resistance against new Chinese invasions

30. REVIEW

31. Discussion Questions • Japan from the Nara Period until the 19th century was ruled as a shogunate, with a figurehead emperor. Where else have you studied a system where true power was in military hands? What was different about the Japanese experience? Can you think of any modern nations that still have a royal family which has little except ceremonial position? • You have already studied about China, where a huge empire was formed, and you’ve read about several other large empires. Yet, Southeast Asia never solidified into a single unit. Why do you think that never happened? Is there anything in Southeast Asian history or culture which prevented such unification?