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From Aristocrat to Warrior: 1200-1400

From Aristocrat to Warrior: 1200-1400. Where did the warriors come from? Drawn from lower-ranking families Initially served the Heian government as: Tax collectors ( film point ) Constables/police Militia Built up power in the provinces The control of land. Gradual shift in power.

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From Aristocrat to Warrior: 1200-1400

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  1. From Aristocrat to Warrior: 1200-1400 • Where did the warriors come from? • Drawn from lower-ranking families • Initially served the Heian government as: • Tax collectors (film point) • Constables/police • Militia • Built up power in the provinces • The control of land

  2. Gradual shift in power • End of 1100s: aristocratic factions struggle for power • Powerful warrior clans compete, too • The warrior clans have military power • Leads to the Gempei war 1180-1185 • A struggle between the Genji (Minamoto) and Heike (Taira) • Recounted in the Tale of the Heike

  3. Warrior culture • A focus on military arts (bu 武) • Swordsmanship • Swordmaking (film point) • Horsemanship • There were footsoldiers as well • But also the fine arts (bun文) (film point) • Flower arranging • Calligraphy and writing: Heike, “The Petition”

  4. Warrior culture and Buddhism • Warrior fine arts (bun文) from Zen Buddhism • The above, plus gardening • Mental and physical discipline

  5. Warriors and Zen Buddhism • Zen imported from China in the 1200s • For the warriors, a counterbalance to aristocratic Buddhism • However: (film point) • Though most Zen Buddhists were warriors • Most warriors were not Zen Buddhists • Many maintained older family traditions • For example, the Pure Land (Dan-no-ura) • The Takiguchi nyūdō (acolyte), “Yokobue”

  6. Warriors and Noh theatre • Develops 1300-1400s • Slow moving • Typically a Buddhist theme • Another cultural counterbalance to aristocratic culture

  7. Warriors and honor (film point) • The death of Atsumori: classic example • To kill a youth is not honorable • To free an enemy is not honorable • Do you find examples of warriors fleeing? • What happens when they do? • Honor was mostly for the leadership • The cement in the lord-vassal relationship • Low-ranking samurai fought to survive

  8. Women Warriors (film point) • Women warriors were rare • Tomoe is the exception that proves the rule • See “The Death of Kiso” • Tomoe may be a fictional trope • In fact, women lost ground during the warrior age • Literacy: no great works by women • Inheritance: no longer partible

  9. Ninja? • We know little about ninja忍者 • They may have been samurai spies • They may have been warrior monks • Monks would fight battles to protect holdings • Killing was clearly not a big issue (film point)

  10. Conclusions • The Tale of the Heike served warrior interests • It should be viewed with caution • High-ranking warriors valued honor • New recruits tried to survive • Warriors were only one power group • Aristocrats still had authority • Buddhist institutions had great resources

  11. More Conclusions • The image of the Japanese warrior is mostly a myth, but an important one • As the film showed, it served, and serves a particular function • WWII • Japan’s image in the West

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