The Imperial Age - JapanThe Era of Warrior DominanceKorea & The Making of Vietnam

Chapter 13

Japan: The Imperial Age 7th to 9th C – Nara - first

emergence of a strong Japanese state

Political development – limited - members of the imperial family struggled for power with the Buddhist clergy

646 - Taika Reforms – began w/ land reform, based on Confucianism

True aim was greater centralization / enhance the power of the imperial court

aristocracy/Buddhist monks opposed

Heian Dynasty - Capital to Heian (Kyoto)

-Abandoned Taika reforms-Aristocracy restored to power

Ultra civilized Court Life& the Decline of Imperial Power

Elite Codes of behavior Aesthetic enjoyment Poetry Women & men take part

Lady Murasaki - Tale of Genji – world’s oldest known novel

Fujiwara family Cooperate with Buddhists

Powerful regional lords (bushi – men of the bow – early Samurai)

Samurai – warriors – loyal to local warlords, not the Emperor Special code Family honor Death rather than defeat -

Peasants lose status & freedom Worship Salvationist Buddhism

The last minutes of Minamoto Yorimasa's life; he was about to commit the suicide after losing his war against the Taira – started the tradition of honorable suicide ('seppuku' in Japanese)

Era of Warrior Dominance 11th & 12th C Taira & Minamoto – violent family rivalries

fought for control in Gempei Wars 1185 Minamoto (family of famous archers)

victorious Established Bakufu - military govt

Declining Influence of China Emperor under control of Shoguns

1272-1281 - Mongol invasion of Japan massive Mongol forces w/ superior naval

technology and weaponry attempted a full-scale invasion of the Japanese islands

A famous typhoon referred to as kamikaze - divine wind -credited w/ destruction of both Mongol invasion forces – strong defenses on island of Kyūshū

Japanese successful in stopping the Mongols, the invasion

BUT – devastating repercussions extinction of the Kamakura shogunate

Age of the Warlords 14th C Short reestablishment of imperial rule

under the Emperor Go-Daigo by Ashikaga Takauji

Ashikaga Shogunate established Emperor driven from Kyoto central authority weakened

1467-1477 - civil war b/w Ashikaga factions

300 states - Ruled by regional warlords (daimyo)

Toward Barbarism? Warfare becomes more brutal

Daimyo support commerce

Zen Buddhism practiced by elite new connection with China

Samurai boarding Mongol ships in 1281

Korea – influenced by China & Japan 109 B.C.E. - Choson kingdom

conquered by Han Koguryo people - resist Chinese

dominance Sinification increases after Han

ousted b/c Buddhism Silla, Koguryo dynasties (668-1392)

copied Tang cities Aristocracy most influenced by

Chinese culture (Confucianist social hierarchy)

Peak of Chinese influence Revolts against Koguryo dynasty Caused by labor, tax burdens Weakened gov’t 1231 - Mongol invasion- brought

turmoil 1392 - Yi dynasty founded - Lasted

until 1910

North & South were separate, but greatly influenced each other

The Making of Vietnam Chinese push south to Red

River valley Viets (native peoples) – Retain

cultural distinctiveness

Women generally have higher status; examples??

Han China Conquest and Sinification

111 BCE - Vietnam becomes a tributary to Han Dynasty direct political & economic

control Chinese culture

systematically (forcibly) introduced

Roots of Resistance Resistance from

aristocracy & peasants – united to fight common enemy PLUS Women participated!

39 C.E. - Revolt of Trung sisters

939 - Independence; lasted until 19th C Distance from China helps

resistance

Le Dynasty (980-1009) Used Chinese-style

bureaucracy

Procession commemorating the Trưng Sisters in the early 20th century

The Vietnamese Drive South Indianized Khmer & Chams

defeated Viets expand into Mekong delta

region

Expansion and Division Hanoi - far from frontiers Cultural divisions develop

following intermarriage w/ Chams & Khmers

Nguyen dynasty – last ruling family of Vietnam Capital at Hue by late 1500s Challenge Trinh power in North Rivalry until 18th century Nguyen family symbol