MEDIEVAL JAPAN UNIT

Today’s Lesson: Origins of Japanese Culture

ARTICLE RESPONSES!

REVIEW

With your partner –and without looking at your notes- Come up with 3 of the most important things you remembered from last class. Why are they important? Populations, Natural Hazards, Geography of Japan.

Liquefaction Earthquake Tsunami 4 main islands of Japan Ainu People Population of Japan

OPENING QUESTION

¢ Where does culture come from? Think about cultural traditions we practice here in Canada.

Discuss with your partner, then be prepared to share with the class.

MYTHICAL ORIGINS:

Long ago the islands of Japan did not exist, only the ocean. A god and goddess looked down from the heavens above and saw a long, colourful rainbow streaking over the ocean. The rainbow formed a splendid bridge and the god and goddess decided to walk across it. Pausing in the centre of this stretch of colour, the god lowered his jewelled sword into the ocean. When he lifted it, tiny water drops fell from the tip and as they hit the ocean, they turned into land. The god and goddess descended to their newly created land where the goddess gave birth to Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun. Her great, great grandson is thought to be Jimmu, the founder of Japan’s royal family. Every emperor from Jimmu’s time to present day have been directly related to Jimmu. They are thus the descendants of gods: A demi-god.

Read the creation myth of Japan, then complete section II of your worksheet

CLASS DISCUSSION

¢ How would this origin myth influence Japanese power in the region? Explain why you think this story could fuel Japanese military expansion of the Twentieth Century.

EMPEROR JIMMU EMPEROR AKIHITO

125 monarchs! Oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world!

125 monarchs!

PROOF OF DIVINE ANCESTRY : EMPEROR’S REGALIA

No one could dispute Japan’s emperors were related to the gods: ¢  1) a mirror that belonged to

the sun goddess. (Wisdom)

¢  2) a sword taken from a 8 headed monster. (Valour)

¢  3) a jewel said to have been taken from the steps of heaven (Benevolence)

No public image has ever been taken of the items. The ceremony is secret and only certain priests and the emperor are allowed to see the items!

These images are an artist’s interpretation

MYTH CONTINUES:

¢ Emperor Jimmu gained control of Japan around 660B.C.

¢ He fought the original inhabitants of Japan the Jomon.

¢ The Ainu people are considered the descendents of the Jomon.

¢ As a result of this myth and physical differences, the Ainu were seen as an inferior people for centuries.

Ainu people 1902

THE YAMATO PERIOD ¢ Early Japanese society

revolved around the Uji: Or family clans

¢ The Yamato State organized the Uji through the creation of social ranks.

¢ They created the Sun line and relatives of the ruling family, the Yamato. Descendants of the gods.

Question 1: What would be the advantage of using families to control regions or areas of a country?

THE SHINTO RELIGION

¢  The belief that spirits existed in all things (living or not). This religion has existed on the Japanese islands since before the Seventh century!

¢  Shinto is the practice of nature worship. It is known as “the way of the gods” to distinguish itself from Buddhism.

SHINTO RELIGION: KAMI.

¢ Heart of Shinto are kami, or divine spirits. They oversee human life and the ways of the world bringing good fortune or chaos.

¢ Some kami are considered early spirits of ancestors, while others are the forces of nature and the environment.

SHINTO SHRINES

¢ The first Shinto shrines were outdoors– A large rock or tree where people brought offerings of flowers or grains

¢ Torii: A gate that marks a sacred space. A Torii can be found at the entrance of a Shinto Shrine.

Question 2: Why do you think it would be important to separate the real world from a sacred area?

SHINTO: THE WAY OF THE GODS

¢ Eventually, the shrines developed into enclosed buildings surrounded by beautiful landscapes.

CHINESE INFLUENCES IN JAPAN

¢ Buddhism filtered through China and into Japan.

¢ Buddhism acted as a vehicle for an increase in Chinese influence!

¢ There were even Japanese embassies in China during the 600s.

(10MIN) TEXTBOOK QUESTIONS

1.  Read pp.179 – 182. 2.  Choose to answer either question 1,2,4, or 5 on p.182

of your textbook. 3.  Discuss and record your answer 4.  Be prepared to share your answer with the class.

IMAGE INTERPRETATION

¢ Take out a lined piece of paper. ¢ Write your name on it. ¢ Look for evidence of Chinese influences in the

image below. (There are at least 4!) ¢ Write your answer in full sentences.

The Illustrated Sutra of Cause and Effect. Nara period/8th century (Jobon Rendai-ji Temple)

4 THINGS IN THE IMAGE

¢ Artwork itself: Daoist in nature ¢ Architecture depicted ¢ Traditional Chinese Clothing ¢ Buddhism: This image shows a “sick man” and a

rich person on a horse. The interpretation is of Prince Siddhartha seeing a sick man on his travels. *Notice how the image depicts Siddhartha as ethnically Asian.*

CONCLUSION

Today we looked at ¢  Imperial Japan Sun-line ¢ Origins of Shinto religion ¢ Chinese influences on early Japanese culture. Discuss with your partner what you think was the most interesting part of today’s lesson. Next Class: Japanese Feudalism.