Asian History: Review Essay

A. Describe the influence of Chinese culture on Heian Japan. In the Taika and Nara, Japanese peaked in their selective borrowing from Chinese culture. In 646, the Japanese tried to introduce the Taika Reforms, to change the imperial administration to resemble the Chinese(thought it had little effect in Heian Period).Previously, Japanese scholars tried mastering Chinese characters and wrote dynastic histories like those used by emperors in China. In the Heian period, Japanese consciousness grew and Chinese influence was reduced to a minimum. B. Describe Court Life during the Heian period Court Life during the Heian period is like the life of elites in America. Social status was most important, love affairs were common, and gossip was abundant. The members of imperial households and leading aristocratic families lived in a complex of palaces and gardens which the Japanese saw as most appealing. There were artificial lakes and fine gardens in every courtiers living quarters. Writing verse and poems were valued art types and were full of Japanese Classics and Chinese allusions. C. What led to the decline of imperial power within Japan? While the emperor was goofing off, aristocratic families were trying to run the imperial bureaucracy and create the most influence. One of them, the Fujiwara held quite a bit of influence over the imperial affairs, with many members of their family in the upper administration as well as increased marriage of Fujiwaras into the imperial family. All these aristocratic families whittled down imperial control and replaced it with their control. Buddhist monasteries tried to do rise in power as well, creating secret texts and ceremonies to bring cooperation between them and the court aristocrats. D. How did the rise of provincial warrior elites change Japanese Institutions? The rise of provincial warrior elites drastically changed Japanese institutions. As the imperial government gradually lost control, elite families created small fortresses where the Bushi, warrior leaders created a mini state inside. This created much crime and conflict, which in turn created a new warrior class, the samurai. The samurai lived by a code of family honor and death rather than defeat. All these factors created a feudal type order that replaced the weakened imperial administration. E. Describe social, political, and economical institutions during the Bafuku Age. The Bafuku Age was a military government that was established by the Minamoto after they defeated the Taira house. The leader of Minamoto after the victory was an unfit leader who weakened the Minamoto power. After a few equally bad successors, the Minamoto was dominated by the Hojo family who was content with allowing the Minamoto to be the face of the formal rulers. This created a three tiered system where the Hojo had real power, and manipulated the Minamoto who claimed to rule in the name of the emperor at Kyoto. In early 14th century the Minamoto tried to replace the Kamukura regime with their own regime, resulting in conflicts with the exiled emperor and the Minamoto. After this, civil and political strife was rampant and the collapse of centralized authority led to more conflict which ended with a division of Japan into many little kingdoms. F. To what extent did Vietnam and Korea accept and reject Chinese influences? The Koreans were able to resist Chinese control in the beginning, but after the fall of the Han and Koguryo, a wave of sinification began. Buddhism was the link between China and Korea and the Koreans adored the Buddhist art and buildings. Chinese writing and a unified law code like that of Han China was introduced. Universities were established so Korean youths could try learning the Confucian classics. The ruler tried to establish a Chinese style bureaucracy not unlike the Taika Reforms, but was rejected by the noble families and thus never happened. The Vietnamese put up more resistance than the Koreans because of their desire to hold onto their own identity and the fear of becoming part of China. They did trade with the Chinese but kept much of their own language and culture distinct. When Han China began to take over Vietnam, the elite of Vietnam allowed the agents of the Chinese regime to integrate Chinese culture into Vietnam. The usual sinification began that was not unlike Korea’s. There were sporadic revolts by Vietnamese aristocracy and ultimately frustrated the Chinese hope to assimilate their culture into the Vietnamese. G. Which classes and institutions were largely sinified in Korea and Vietnam? In Korea, the scholars and elites were mostly sinified. Although the peasantry did incorporate some parts of Buddhism into their lives, the elites and educated were mostly sinified; they made Chinese type bureaucracies and assimilating both the language and culture of Buddhism into their lives. In Vietnam, the lower class and higher class were more equally sinified than in Korea. The lower class adopted agricultural techniques to make Vietnam a heavy producer of agriculture. The Upper class took in political and military organization to help improve their fight against the neighboring countries. Schools were also built to educate the youth in Chinese scripts and made exams to qualify administration posts. H. How did Korea and Vietnam maintain political independence from China? Korea maintained political independence from China by the Koguryo resisting the invasion than seizing control when the Chinese control weakened. The warriors of Koguryo were heavily resistant to the Chinese conquerors at first, but were routed when the Tang allied with the Silla and demolished the Paekche and finally ended the Koguryo. The Silla however began to have conflicts with the Chinese that ended with the Chinese leaving peninsula and the Silla being a vassal of China. Vietnam had always been resistant to the Chinese even thought they were constantly attacked and finally conquered by them. Their struggle for independence was fierce and many uprisings occurred throughout the country. When political turmoil and nomadic attacks occurred in China, the Vietnamese tried to assert their independence. This didn’t fully work and in the end, a massive rebellion when the Tang fell made the Vietnamese fully independent. Vocabulary: A. Taika Reforms: Reforms instituted in 646 that aimed to completely change the imperial administration to resemble the Chinese absolutist style emperor B. Heian Period: A period where Buddhist monks became increasingly bold and powerful that a clever prelate almost married the empress. After this ordeal, the emperor fled to Heian, a new capital city and forbade any monasteries to be built in the city (Though the monasteries found a way around it). The Taika reforms were later abandoned and the aristocratic families were reinstated. Time when Chinese influence was reduced C. Kami: Nature spirits, Japanese word for divinity D. Bushi: Warrior leaders who controlled mini fortresses and built up their own army of samurai E. Samurai: Mounted troops loyal to the local lords and not to the court or aristocracy F. Seppuku: Ritual disembowelment, part of the death rather than defeat/capture G. Bakufu: Military government, literally meaning tent in Japanese H. Shogun: military leaders, like a mini emperor but not entirely I. Daimyos: Another way of saying Bushi but this was when Japan was divided into 300 small kingdoms J. â€Å"Gatekeepers†: Scholar gentry of Chinese civlization K. Sinification: Adoption of Chinese culture L. Tribute states: Separate states that recognize and give tribute to another state had conquered them M. Kowtow: Showing respect by bowing down to someone, originated in China Document Analysis: A. What ideas in the documents are: 1. Chinese?-The Chinese poetry mentioned that was exchanged in the first paragraph. The mention of a (most likely) Chinese tale of an emperor who had a wizard bring him a comb from his lost love. The painting of the Chinese Lady and the instrumentalist Chung Tzu-Chi are also Chinese ideas. The battle scene has Han and Chu type swords in them, both likely were swords from a period in China. The last paragraph has mention of one’s â€Å"filial† duty, something that most likely originated from the filial piety of China. 2. Buddhist (Indian)?-The Karma and debt mention in the first paragraph are Buddhist ideas. The abbot mentioned in the second to last paragraph is implied to be one of a Buddhist monastery. 3. Japanese?- The emperor concluded that the boy should be named either Minamoto or Genji, both Japanese clans. 4. Vietnamese?- The thought in the first document that the girl should not shirk her debt of grief to fate hints that she should remain strong, a Vietnam type development B. How are the documents similar? Different? The documents are similar in that they mention similar things. They show the influence of another country and of Buddhism. The changes brought by these influences are also shown. The documents are different in that the Tale of Genji has a female character which can suggest that females had more privileges in Japan. The Tale of Kieu shows more influence from many different states then in the Tale of Genji, which shows just one. C. What would account for the differences? The proximity with which the origin of the documents could have something to do with the influence it receives from neighboring states. Vietnam and Korea would show more influence from each other and China whereas Japan would have less because it is separated by ocean. D. How would you summarize the degree of Sinification of neighboring cultures? Korea received and kept a good amount of the culture of China. To this very day they have a similar culture and characters in writing. Vietnam did get some culture/technology from China but mostly rejected the idea. Japan received Chinese culture very well at first, but during the Heian Period, they rejected it. E. How have the Vietnamese and Japanese maintained their cultural identities? They resisted heavily against the Chinese and were able to keep their culture relatively untainted. After independence, they were able to nurture it with only a little bit of Chinese influence that was left over. Photo Essays: A. Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures are syncretic blends of foreign and indigenous cultural elements. Identify these elements in the above photos: 1. Chinese- The first photo in pg 286 shows the influence of Buddhism, which, though Indian, was transferred by China. The photo in pg 290 shows a painting in a Chinese style with buildings with ceiling most likely made with tiles, a Chinese development. In pg 291, the art style, like in pg 290, is a Chinese type style. The landscape painting in pg 298 is a Chinese style with a little excerpt in Chinese in the top left corner. The photo on the right shows a Chinese building type with a curved roof. The photos afterwards show little if not zero Chinese influence/cultural elements. 2. Buddhist- The photo in pg 286 shows a Buddhist temple and garden. In pg 290 there is evidence of a garden in the background, which is a Buddhist development. In pg 291 there is also evidence of a garden. In pg 298, the Golden Pavilion is built with a curved tile roof, showing a stress of the simplicity in Zen Buddhism. The photos afterward show no Buddhist cultural elements. 3. Indigenous elements-The many open hallways in pg 286 show a Japanese touch to a construction that is both Chinese and Buddhist. The painting in 290 and 291 show a Japanese element in the trees (indigenous to Japan) and the highly decorated style of dress. The pitcher in pg 301, shows a nearly uniform Korean culture, since neither Chinese nor Buddhist pottery looks like this. In pg 304, there is a painting of the samurai, something only found in Japan. B. Compare and contrast western European and Japanese feudal military societies. Japan and European feudalism had a set of values that embraced most of the people in the system. They also had highly militaristic and many times went through long centuries of warfare from the feudal loyalties and rivalries. Both had virtues or codes that their warriors lived by. Feudalism also left both with a lasting effect, where the warrior class would outlast feudalism and run rampant throughout the country. In Europe however, the feudal system was based on contracts with each other whereas in Japan they relied more heavily on group loyalties. Europe also had parliamentary institutions unlike Japan, who had less institutionalized group thought. C. Compare and contrast the religious architectures of the Christians, Shinto, Buddhists, and Muslims. What elements are universal and transcendental, and which are local, ethnic, or particular to an individual society? Shrines and temples were common in all of these religions. They were all used by worshippers and were uniformly sacred. Buddhists had more gardens and aesthetic qualities. Shinto stressed that there should be simplicity and had curved roofs made by tiles. Christians had large stone churches that were huge in comparison to the other type of architectures. Muslim architecture was huge but not as much as Christians.