History of Japan E-Book

Captivating History

• Herausgeber: Captivating History
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 173

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

If you want to discover the captivating history of Japan, then keep reading...   Japan is one of the most adaptable countries in the world. It is capable of very rapid change, even after crises that would halt the progress of other nations. When the shogunates collapsed in the 17th century, the feudal system disintegrated. Within time, though, railroads replaced ox carts. During World War I, a first-rate economy sprung up on deserted farmlands. During World War II, the modest islands of Japan burgeoned into an empire with one of the most powerful navies in the world. After the devastation of that world war, Japan emerged as one of the most modern countries in the world. The Japanese have survived frequent earthquakes and tsunamis and rebuilt their cities using enviable technologies.   The Japanese progressed throughout the eras because of the emperor, but they also progressed despite him. These are people who never let go of their sacred history, and their story is told and retold in art, film, literature, and even graphic novels across the entire world. Terms such as shoguns, samurai, haiku, anime, and manga are familiar to many in the Western world today. Westerners also learn flower arranging, martial arts, meditation, and enjoy a variety of visual and digital art forms because of the unique culture of Japan.   In  History of Japan: A Captivating Guide to Japanese History, Including Events Such as the Genpei War, Mongol Invasions, Battle of Tsushima, and Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, you will discover topics such as:  -  Children of the Sun  -  Warring Clans  -  The Two Imperial Courts  -  Edo Japan: Part One-1603 to 1638  -  Edo Period: Part Two-1638 to 1868  -  The Meiji Restoration  -  Foreign Relations  -  The Taisho Era  -  The Showa Era  -  Japan in World War II and Its Aftermath  -  Heisei Era  -  And much, much more!    So if you want to learn more about the History of Japan, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button! 

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

History of Japan

© Copyright 2019

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Children of the Sun

Chapter 2 – Warring Clans

Chapter 3 – The Two Imperial Courts

Chapter 4 – Edo Japan: Part One-1603 to 1638

Chapter 5 – Edo Period: Part Two-1638 to 1868

Chapter 6 – The Meiji Restoration

Chapter 7 – Foreign Relations

Chapter 8 – The Taisho Era

Chapter 9 – The Showa Era

Chapter 10 – Japan in World War II and Its Aftermath

Chapter 11 –Heisei Era

Conclusion

References

History of Japan

A Captivating Guide to Japanese History, Including Events Such as the Genpei War, Mongol Invasions, Battle of Tsushima, and Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

© Copyright 2019

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Introduction

They came from all walks of life, social classes, and religions, but they were united by their unquenchable thirst for freedom. Armed with unwavering courage, they came from southeast Asia, through China and over land bridges, into a new land. As with all primitive cultures, the first Japanese were divided into clans, clinging together for security, and built homesteads. They weren’t alone. Already there was a collection of indigenous people, whose exact origin is unknown. Once the glacial waters receded, creating the Sea of Japan, the nascent country was alone and separated from China and the rest of Asia. In the first century, Japan developed independently from mainland China, but there were Chinese immigrations later on.

Japan is one of the most adaptable countries in the world. It is capable of very rapid change, even after crises that would halt the progress of other nations. When the shogunates collapsed in the 17th century, the feudal system disintegrated. Within time, though, railroads replaced ox carts. During World War I, a first-rate economy sprung up on deserted farmlands. During World War II, the modest islands of Japan burgeoned into an empire with one of the most powerful navies in the world. After the devastation of that world war, Japan emerged as one of the most modern countries in the world. The Japanese have survived frequent earthquakes and tsunamis and rebuilt their cities using enviable technologies.

The Japanese progressed throughout the eras because of the emperor, but they also progressed despite him. These are people who never let go of their sacred history, and their story is told and retold in art, film, literature, and even graphic novels across the entire world. Terms such as shoguns, samurai, haiku, anime, and manga are familiar to many in the Western world today. Westerners also learn flower arranging, martial arts, meditation, and enjoy a variety of visual and digital art forms because of the unique culture of Japan.

Chapter 1 – Children of the Sun

They trudged over to some of the 4,000 islands across Asian land bridges that floated on the seas toward the end of the glacial age. The archipelago that is Japan has only four sizable islands—Hokkaido in the north, Honshu (formerly called “Yamato”) in the central region, and to the south, Shikoku and Kyushu. The northern wind is cold and dry, originating from the Asian mainland. Artifacts from the Paleolithic era some 20,000 years ago are similar to those found in Manchuria and Mongolia. The southern wind brings the typhoons, as they are conditioned by the Japan Current, or the Kuroshio, that comes from the tropics and the Oyashio Current, which is a cold current from Siberia that sweeps southward. Those that came to Japan found a hilly, mountainous country with five hundred volcanoes, though only about one hundred are currently active, the most famous of which is Mount Fuji, which dominates many Japanese paintings.

The Ainu people of Japan mostly settled in Hokkaido, as the rest of the archipelago was underwater during the glacial melting. Their appearance was proto-Caucasian or Mongoloid, and the males had full beards. Some of the Ainu people even had blue eyes. According to Japanese legend, “They lived in this place a hundred thousand years before the Children of the Sun came.” The term “children of the sun” refers to the people of the Yayoi period in the third century BCE. That corresponds with the Chinese dynastic chronicle, the History of the Wei Kingdom, compiled in the year 300 CE. When Japan became more populous, the Ainu were discriminated against, as they were very different in their appearance and cultural practices. Today, there are about 25,000 of them left, but most are of mixed race due to intermarriages over the years.

The Jomon period spanned from around 14,000 to 1000 BCE. Some archeologists indicate that the Ainu people were the remnants of the Jomon civilization, though others indicate they preceded the Jomon period. It is possible that the Ainu originated from the northern steppes, while the Jomon came in from the South Pacific. The Jomon people were animists who worshiped nature, not out of fear but out of respect. That was because their survival depended upon the earth. They were shorter in stature and darker than the Ainu up north. The Jomon gathered nuts and roots, and they hunted and consumed shellfish. They lived in small settlements of round thatched homes sunken two feet into the ground. A fire crackled in the middle of their dwellings, and smoke billowed out a circular opening in the roofs. These people are known for “cord pottery,” which was bulbous in form and impressed with cords that formed designs. Some clay pots were half-buried and were used for storage or cooking, while others used them for religious purposes.

The Yayoi period came next and is said to date from 1000 BCE to 300 CE. The people who came during that time most likely immigrated from China. They brought with them the knowledge of the irrigated rice paddy and lived in tight-knit units with distinctive leaders. While some homes were at ground level, most were elevated above the wet fields. They used bronze decorations and weapons, including spears, swords, mirrors, and bells. In central Honshu, huge bells were found, but they were without clappers, so they were most likely hit from the outside as part of a ceremony. Such bells weren’t found south of there.

The Kofun period lasted from about 300 to 538 CE. These people were more aristocratic and more militant in nature. They had swords, helmets, and shields, as well as armor and horses. Some archeologists speculate that this wave of immigration came from Korea. The dead were treated with more sophistication than in earlier periods, where bodies were buried without coffins in the fetal position. The Kofun people interred their dead in huge earthenware jars and placed mounds above the graves. Later on, they dug stone tombs. Their leaders were called emperors, a term that was taken from China once they became acquainted with each other, which was retroactively applied to previous rulers. This position was hereditary, and the emperor was considered to be of divine origins. They used their powers of persuasion to unite the many clans under their purvey, and they also used their military might.

Society during this time was divided into hereditary clans or family groupings called uji. The uji of the more powerful clans were known as omi to distinguish themselves from the aristocrats who were more distantly related to royalty. Certain clans held a great deal of power in Japan, and it would be similar to the aristocratic families in Western cultures, who may not have been royalty but still wielded a lot of influence over the court and its decisions. In the future, the clans in Japan would have more power than even the emperor himself.

Asuka Japan

The Kofun period was followed by the Asuka period, which ran from 538 to 710 CE. The annals of old China called Japan the “land of Wa (or “Wei).” “Wa” is a derogatory word in Chinese for “dwarf,” and the Chinese considered the people of Japan inferiors to themselves.

The uji were separated into occupational groups. For example, some groups were in charge of ritualistic ceremonies and priestly functions, while others were tasked with matters of the state. Labor forces composed the level below, consisting mostly of skilled craftsmen, fishermen, weavers, hunters, ceramic makers, and the like. The lowest groups were the commoners and slaves.

The commoners, as expected, were poor and uneducated and farmed the land for a living. However, monks traveled to China to proselytize and brought back rice paper to Japan. Young children weren’t blessed with toys, so the art of origami was developed. A child learned how to make chairs, tables, people, birds, and the like. Then they played with those creations much like a child plays with their dolls in a dollhouse.

Most people grew their own rice and raised their own vegetables, along with some for their overlords, or the princes of the provinces and towns. Slaves represented only about five percent of the population.

In terms of marriage, all children were considered legitimate regardless of whether they were born by their father’s wife or a concubine. Usually, marriages were monogamous.

Mythology

In Japan, the first gods were related, being sister and brother—Izanami and Izanagi. It was believed that they dipped their sacred spear into the waters and created the islands of Japan. Amaterasu was the sun goddess and Tsukuyomi was the moon god. A bronze mirror seen among the archeological artifacts signifies the sun goddess, and a round jewel stands for the moon god. Tsukuyomi was the enemy of the emperors,

who were said to have come into being in 660 BCE, but the date is very arbitrary as the creation myths underwent continual revisions. Japanese creation stories tend to explain natural events or occurrences in noted people, like the emperors.

The first emperor of Japan, according to legend, was named Jimmu Tenno. The seat of the imperial state was Yamato (Honshu). Around 270 CE, the people from Kyushu invaded and appointed Ojin as the emperor. He was renamed Hachiman, the Shinto god of war. This deification of emperors continued all the way until 1946.

Shintoism

The Shinto religion was the first religion in Japan. The members of that sect were animists and had an array of deities. Shintoism embraced many practices, including ancestor worship, fertility rites, and a reverence for nature. The spirit, called kami, resided in each person and even natural objects, such as a tree or a waterfall. It was like an essence that inhabited all living things. The Shinto religion had no founder, no sacred books, no saints, and no martyrs. Shinto shrines were simple, and they still exist all over Japan. A Shinto shrine is a structure with small ascending steps and a peaked roof. Inside there are symbolic objects like bronze mirrors or swords. There are bowls placed in front for washing, as washing is a way for one to be cleansed of impurities, including spiritual ones. Shintoism was and still is the most common religion in Japan. It did not conflict with other religions but rather blended with them.

Buddhism

Buddhism was officially introduced to Japan by Korea in 552 CE, although the origins of Buddhism go much further back. It is thought that Buddhism originated in India around the first millennium BCE and then traveled to Nepal. Buddhism was personified in Siddhartha Gautama, better known as the Buddha, meaning the “Enlightened One.” Gautama wasn’t a deity; he was human. Throughout his life, he brooded over the human condition and found that it was associated with suffering, which would give rise to desire. In order to reach a state of true happiness and peace, which is called Nirvana, it is necessary to rid oneself of earthly desires. One has to, therefore, follow an eightfold path consisting of right understanding, thought, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration. It is a religion that emphasizes ethical conduct (sila), mental discipline (samadhi), and wisdom (panna). There are numerous Buddhist temples in Japan, but the temple of Horyu-ji is acknowledged as being the oldest wooden structure in the world. It is also one of the most beautiful temples in all of Japan. Today, it is a complex consisting of a monastery, library, lecture halls, refectory, and a five-story pagoda. Buddhism is the second-largest religion in Japan today.

The Japanese tradition of Buddhism is known as Mahayana Buddhism, and its adherents believe in the bodhisattvas, who are spiritual beings who have postponed their own state of eternal bliss in order to help humans along the path of salvation. At the end of time, they believe that a bodhisattva, named Miroku or Maitreya Buddha, will come to save humanity and bring it into a state of purity and paradise. This Buddha mirrors the Christ figure as taught in traditional Christianity.

The Soga vs. Nakatomi Clans

The uji in Yamato separated over the issue of adopting Buddhism or Shintoism. The Soga clan preferred to make the national religion Buddhism, while the Nakatomi clan preferred Shintoism. The debate started in 552 CE when the Japanese ally of Korea, Paekche, sent an image of Buddha to the imperial court. When an epidemic struck, Emperor Kinmei ordered the Buddhist images to be destroyed along with the Hoko-ji temple, also called the Asuka-dera temple.

In 585, another pestilence struck, and Emperor Yomei found out that some Korean priests had two images of the Buddha, and those were thrown into a moat. When the pestilence persisted, the emperor ordered the images to be restored, after which the plague then ceased. Korean priests and nuns arrived soon after, and Buddhism began to thrive. Empress Suiko, who reigned from 592 to 628 CE and who was a devoted Buddhist, had a nephew, Prince Shotoku, who was a scholar and politician. Prince Shotoku was the son of Emperor Yomei, and he lived from 574 to 622 CE and wrote a commentary on Buddhism called Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda Sūtra. A sutra is an aphorism or maxim based on a recognized truth. The term is also used in Muslim and Hindi teachings.

Confucianism

Confucius was a Chinese scholar who developed a practical code for right understanding, the second principle of the eightfold Buddhist path. Some people perceive of Confucianism as a religion, but it is more so a system of right thinking. It was from the studies of Confucius that Prince Shotoku created the first constitution of Japan in 604 CE. The Twelve Level Cap and Rank System of civil service was installed, and that was a major change for Japan. In this system, rank was based on merit and achievement instead of hereditary alone. This system inspired other cap and rank systems later on.

Relations with China

Prince Shotoku, who was an important politician during the reign of Empress Suiko, felt it was essential for Japan to establish good relations with China, so he sent fourteen missions to China. His faux-pas occurred prior to the first mission when he sent a letter to China. In this letter, he addressed China as the land of the setting sun while calling Japan the land of the rising sun. Chinese Emperor Yang of Sui took this as a deprecation, as he was accustomed to foreigners portraying themselves as subservient to China. However, the Buddhist monks and well-versed statesmen of Japan were able to overcome that drawback, so the two countries were able to share the knowledge and technology of the time. What’s more, a paradigm had now been created for the maintenance of peace and understanding with China and other East Asian countries. Of course, throughout the years, hostilities occasionally arose that had found their footing in the politics and trade policies of other nations.

The Fujiwara (Nakatomi) Clan

One of the major clans in Yamato was the Fujiwara. The term “Fujiwara” was the revised name for the Nakatomi clan, and they particularly opposed the Soga clan because of its wholehearted support of Buddhism. In the year 645, they staged a coup, which then gave rise to a new imperial line. The first emperor of that line was Emperor Tenchi (or Tenji), and he seized power in 645 CE. Tenchi applied many reforms, called the Taika Reforms, to the hierarchical structure, and he reestablished heredity as the foundation of imperial lineage; however, merit was also honored and expected of the emperors and royal families. Buddhism was made the national religion, although Shintoism was tolerated. Imperial power was fortified, and the bureaucracy was sophisticated under Tenchi’s rule.

The Taiko Reforms and the Taiho Code

In the year 645, the central government made many widespread changes that were based on Chinese systems. The central administration was subdivided hierarchically and abolished private land ownership. The land was nationalized in the name of the emperor and parceled out to able-bodied men. Taxes were charged on grain, rice, and other crops. The lower-levels who couldn’t afford such taxes were given lots of land, which up to five families would till.

Under the Taiho Code of 702, the old tax-exempt status of the elite classes was eliminated, but the tax reform was very gradual in order to prevent rebellions. There were taxes on crops, crafts, and textiles. Military service was required, but more tax payments could be substituted for that. Despite the fact that the changes were gradually introduced, the taxes incurred by farmers were very burdensome and produced hardships. Taxes were usually paid in the form of rice or another crop and occasionally copper.

Nara Japan 710 – 794 CE

During this period, the capital was moved to Heijo, also known as Nara, located in south-central Honshu. As the Japanese learned more from the Chinese model of rule, they designed their new capital to resemble Chang’an (modern-day Xi’an), a city that ruled as a capital for many dynasties in China.

Politics in Nara were designed around court life. During this period, the emperors became progressively weaker. Interclan rivalries usually resulted in one clan or the other gaining dominance over the political scene, but the Fujiwara maintained most of the control, although it ebbed and flowed at times.

The nobility was absorbed with the maintenance of ritual ceremonies. They performed beautiful music and dance performances, some of which were imported from China. These performances were extremely elaborate, containing grandiose costumes and fanciful masks.

The Taiho Code of 702 was upgraded to the Yoro Code of 718. The Yoro Code was a revision of the basic code regarding governmental administration, but it also added on a penal code, a department of religion, and a declaration asserting the divinity of the emperor. Those departments managed the religious rites of the country and determined the penalties for crimes.

Local governments consisted of provinces, districts, and villages. Those who held higher offices were allotted larger tracts of land. As a result, there came to be landowners who owned huge plots of land. Many aristocrats and monastic orders were tax-exempt, and although they did reclaim unused land for agrarian purposes, it was labeled as state property and likewise wasn’t taxable. These tax-exempt lands caused hardships for the rest of the population and placed even more of a burden upon the ordinary cultivators than it did during the Asuka era of the 6th century. This stimulated agrarian poverty and created a whole segment of vagrants, who were called ronin, although that term later evolved to mean something else.

During the period of Nara Japan, there was a series of natural disasters, in addition to a smallpox epidemic which, combined with the disasters, killed a quarter of the people. The emperor at the time, Shomu, blamed himself and felt that his lack of religiosity caused these calamities. He made up for it by constructing the Buddhist temple of Todai-ji. That shrine houses the world’s largest bronze statue of the Buddha.