Chapter 13 Outline the Spread of Chinese Civilization: Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

Chapter 13 Outline – The Spread of Chinese Civilization: Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

The Postclassical Era

The Spread of Chinese Civilization: Japan, Korea, and Vietnam

Overview

-As China flourished during postclassical period, its neighbors, specifically Japan, Korea, and Vietnam, copied heavily from the Chinese

In each, Chinese influence blended with local customs to produce similar, but distinct cultures
Buddhism played a big role in the transmitting of Chinese culture

Japan: The Imperial Age

-Postclassical Japan had 3 major regimes: Taika (645-710), Nara (710-784), and Heian (794-857)

During these regimes, Chinese influence on Japanese culture peaked (especially among elites)
Culturally, Japan became like China, except Japan kept Shintoism

-Taika reforms = reforms in 646 to make Japan like China (wanted an absolute, Chinese-style emperor, to create a bureaucracy, and to build a peasant army)

Japanese copied China in many ways: studied Chinese alphabet, had elaborate court etiquette, used politeness and decorum, studied Confucianism, and admired Chinese-style Buddhist art

-Common people affected by Chinese influence also

Buddhist temples built and had to bow to passing aristocrats (now Confucian scholars)
Peasants began to combine Buddhist worship with ancient kami (nature of spirits) of Japan

-After a while, Japanese aristocracy began rejecting Chinese influence

Peasants even against Chinese influence (ex: created own form of Buddhism)
Taika reforms failing, and aristocrats and local lords gained power as emperor lost power

Crisis at Nara and the Shift to Heian (Kyoto)

-The Taika reforms failed because aristocracy fought against them, but so did Buddhists

-In 760s, emperor forced to flee Nara (capital) and set up new capital at Heian (later called Kyoto)

Buddhists were major reason why emperor had to flee, and he forbid Buddhist monasteries in his new capital, though Buddhists built them in the nearby hills

-Emperor stopped Taika reforms (aristocracy fighting them, so easier to stop them)

Chinese-style system of ranks which aristocrats were divided remained, butunlike China, rank in Japan determined by birth and allowed little mobility between ranks
Aristocrats quickly regained power over central government, and began building rural estates
Emperor never built peasant army, instead relied on local provincial leaders to supply military forces, further eroding power of the imperial government (emperor)

Ultracivilized: Court Life in the Heian Era

-While emperor lost power, court (life in the capital) culture was refined and soared to new heights

Japanese emperors continued to live in a closed world full of luxury (those less powerful now)
Aristocratic men and women lived their lives with strict codes of polite behavior
In this society, social status meant everything (lots of gossip, often about love affairs)
Never in history had society been so focused on the pursuit of beauty, and social interaction been so gracious and well mannered

-At the Heian court, imperial (emperor’s) family and aristocrats lived in palaces with gardens

Buildings made of unpainted wood w/matted floors, wooden walkways b/thomes, fish ponds, and artificial lakes with waterfalls and gardens
Poetry was most valued form of art (poems were short but very elegant)

-Chinese writing borrowed by Japanese was simplified so more like Japanese spoken language

This led to outpouring of poetry and literature that were more and more distinctively Japanese
“The Tale of Genji” = 1st Japanese novel, written by Lady Muraski

-Women played big role in poetry, art, and music

Women wrote poems, played flutes or stringed instruments, and even participated in elaborate schemes to snub or disgrace rivals
Like in China and Islamic world, they became involved in palace intrigue and power struggles

The Decline of Imperial Power

-Fujiwara = aristocratic family in mid 800s who gained lots of power over the emperor

Fujiwara married into imperial family and placed family members in imperial government

-Aristocrats(along with some Buddhists) began building large estates in and around the capital,

Aristocrats (and Buddhist monks, as Buddhism was becoming popular among aristocrats) began to control the lives of the peasants living on their estates

The Rise of the Provincial Warrior Elite

-While aristocrats and Buddhists gaining power near capital, provincial (local) lords were building large estates (kingdoms) throughout the rest of Japan

Provincial lords ruled built self-sufficient estates, with fortresses for defense, and even refused to give resources to the court (central government), showing emperor and even aristocracy’s loss of power and control

-Bushi = Warriors who were the leaders (local lords) of the mini-states scattered throughout Japan

Samurai = mounted troops who used curved steel swords and worked for the bushi
As imperial (central) control breaking down by 1000s, Japan became a violent, chaotic mess
Even Buddhist monasteries hired armies to defend themselves and attack rival sects
Amid this chaos, aristocrats (elite in capital) hired bushi and their samurais as bodyguards, and as a result, a powerful warrior class emerged in Japan
Battles were formal and planned, and each side spoke of the justice of their cause before fight

-A warrior code developed that stressed family honor and death rather than retreat or defeat

Seppuku = Ritual suicide of disembowelment that defeated warriors did to restore family honor (known as hara-kiri in the West)
Feudal system was beginning to develop in Japan that was similar to western Europe

-Rise of samurai ended hopes of creating a free peasantry

For next few centuries, Japanese peasants became serfs (bound to land they worked on)
Peasants separated from warrior elites by strict class system (different forms of dress and peasants couldn’t carry swords or ride horses)
Peasants turned to pure land Buddhism as they lost power and got poorer

-Artisans lived in the imperial court (capital) at Heian or in the fortress towns of the bushi

A professional class of artisans emerged, but were poor and given little status (unlike in China where scholar-gentry undertook artisan activities)

The Era of Warrior Dominance

-As the provincial lords got stronger, the imperial household (emperor) and court aristocracy (elite living in the capital of Heian) declined

Aristocrats in the capital (likethe Fujiwara) relied on provincial lords for help against rivals
By the 1000s, the provincial families (bushi) gained power within the court (capital) as well
Gempei Wars = War in the 1180s between the Taira and Minamoto families for control
Early on, Taira winning b/c allied with emperor, but by the 1180s, the Minamoto won b/c of their strong alliances with provincial lords
Peasants forced to fight and were killed easily by better equipped samurais
Bakufu = military government set up by Minamoto after beating Taira, moved capital to Kamikura (Minamoto rule began the feudal age in Japan)
Emperor kept, but as figurehead with Minamoto family and their samurais having the power

The Declining Influence of China

-As aristocracy got stronger and emperor weaker, influence of Chinese lessened

Attempt at strong central government w/scholar-gentry class (like China) were gone
Even Buddhism was transformed into a distinctly Japanese brand

-When Tang dynasty fell, Japan closed embassies in China, further separating the 2 societies

The Breakdown of Bakufu Dominance and the Age of the Warlords

-The Minamoto leader, Yorimoto, weakened regime by killing rivals he feared may overthrow him

Had family members murdered or exiled (they were strong leaders, losing them hurt empire)
Shogun = name for military leaders of the bakufu
Yorimoto didn’t have heir to throne b/c of his tactics, and after his death weak leaders emerged (in meantime, bushi lords were building up their power )
Hojo = warrior family allied with Minamotos, gained power over the Minamotos
Hojo left Minamoto shoguns in place (though had power over them)

-Ashikaga Takuaji = head of one branch of Minamoto family led revolt that overthrew the Minamoto regime and established the Ashikaga Shogunate (1336-1573)

The Minamoto emperor defeated by Ashikaga fled to Yoshino (nearby town) , allied with local warlords there, and fought civil war against Ashikaga Shogunate for years

-Ashikaga eventually beat the Yoshino rivals, but the long civil war weakened them

During fighting, many bushi (with their samurais) took land from peasants and aristocracy
As bushi warlords gained power, the court aristocracy (elite in capital) was nearly wiped out

-Fight by heirs seeking throne led to civil war (1467-1477) which helped end central (imperial) rule

In the war, imperial capital destroyed, and provincial lords (bushi) continued to gain power
Daimyos = leaders of the nearly 300 kingdoms Japan got divided into following the civil war

Toward Barbarism? Military Division and Social Change

-Chivalric ways of the bushi era deteriorated in the 1400s and 1500s

Warfare changed: spying and sneak attacks became common, and armed peasants became important part of army (these peasants looted and pillaged as they went through countryside
Peasants often rose up in hopeless but furious revolts
Seemed as if Japan was reverting from a civilized society into a barbaric one

-Despite the chaos of the warlord period, there was much economic and cultural growth

Daimyos tried to build up their states (collected taxes, built irrigation systems, gave incentives to peasants to settle new lands, had new tools, and had new crops (soybeans))
Peasants produced silk, hemp, paper, dyes, and vegetable oils, providing a source of income
Daimyos competed to attract merchants to their growing castle towns
Soon a new merchant class arose – got goods for military, traded with China
As in western Europe, guilds organized (offered group protection in time of political turmoil)

-Growth of commerce helped women avoid drop in status that was occurring during Bakufu period

Women in merchant and artisan families had most independence (allowed in guilds, could run businesses), but, women in the warrior elites class not good
During bushi period, women learned to ride horses and use bow and arrow to help hunt, but daimyo rule led to drop in women’s status (ex: primogeniture = inheritance to oldest son, which hurt women b/c could no longer inherit land like they could under bushi)
Given in marriages to cement alliances b/t warrior families and taught to kill themselves rather than dishonor family by being raped by illicit suitors or enemy soldiers
Women couldn’t act in theatrical performances (men trained to act the part of women)

Artistic Solace for a Troubled Age

-While constant warfare b/t samurais was dragging Japan back to barbarism, the arts flourished

Zen Buddhism played big role in supporting the arts (especially in architecture)
Buddhist monasteries led trade w/China, which revived Chinese influence on Japan
Painting imitated China’s Song, but monochrome ink sketches by Japanese were original, as were screen and roll paintings that captured natural beauty of Japan
Shintoism and Zen Buddhism influenced building of gardens (ex: Ryoanji Temple = islands of volcanic rock set amid white pebbles), and tea ceremonies became more common
Amazing that gardens and places of such beauty built during such warfare and violence

Seeds of Unity and Japanese Nationhood

-Economic and cultural growth during kept Japan from becoming barbaric, and even helped unify the people of Japan

Commercial and artisan classeseventually helped unify the Japanese economy
If the 300 or so daimyos could work together, they could unite Japan

Korea: Between China and Japan

-Koreans descended from the hunters and herders of eastern Siberia and Manchuria

By 300s, people on Korean peninsula learned farming and metal-working from the Chinese
From 300s onward, Koreans played role in dynastic struggles along the north China plains
In 109 B.C.E. the Han dynasty (China) conquered part of Korea, and got more land over the next 400 years (which explains why Chinese culture influenced Korea so much)

-Koreans soon resisted the Chinese, and 3 independent Korean kingdoms arose

Koguryo = Korean kingdom in northern Korea begun in 37 B.C.E. after Chinese driven out
Silla and Paekche = The 2 independent kingdoms Koreans established in southern Korea

-Sinification = The adopting of Chinese culture (in this case the Koreans)

Chinese influence seen most through Buddhism (Korean rulers patronized (paid for) Buddhist artists, monasteries, and pagoda, and Koreans scholars went to China to study Buddhism
Chinese alphabet introduced - didn’t fit well w/Korean language (similar problem in Japan)
Code of law introduced like Han dynasty used
Universities created – students learned Confucianism and history of China (not of Korea)
Tried to create Chinese style bureaucracy, but Korean nobility resisted (would lose power)

Tang Alliances and the Conquest of Korea

-The 3 Korean kingdoms fought for hundreds of years, resulting in each getting weakened by war

Tang able to take advantage of the civil war in Korea and takeover much of Korea
Tang allied with Silla kingdom in south and beat other 2 kingdoms (Paekche and Koguryo), but soon fought w/Silla on how to divide the conquered lands
Tang and Silla struck a deal – China left Korea alone, but Silla had to pay tribute to China
Other than paying tribute, Korea was independent (it remained that way until the 1900s)

Sinification: The Tributary Link

-Though now independent of China, Chinese cultural influence on Korea peaked during Silla (668-935) and later Koryo (918-1392) dynasties

Silla rulers tried to turn their empire into mini version of Tang China (ex: same dress style)

-Paying the tribute to the Chinese ensured independence, and Koreans also got back valuable gifts and access to Chinese learning

The Sinification of Korean Elite Culture

-Silla rulers built capital at Kumsong, and made it look like Tang capital

Aristocratic families made sure built their mansions near the imperial government (aristocrats were large percent of population in capital, lived w/extended families and had 100s of slaves
Aristocrats studied in Chinese schools and some took Chinese-style exams which Silla used
Aristocratsspent much time on arts and entertainment (government jobsgiven through family connections, not knowledge and merit, so had plenty of free time (no need to become scholar)

-Korean elites preferred Buddhism over Confucianism, even paid for Buddhist monasteries and art

Kumsong (the capital) was crowded with Buddhist temples, usually made of wood
Buddhism practiced in Korea similar to that practiced in China, further linking the 2 cultures

-Sometimes Koreans added on to enhance what they borrowed from China

Ex: pottery (pale-green glazed celadon bowls) and in stoneware (black and rust colored)

Civilization for the Few

-Other than Buddhism, Chinese cultural influence on Korea mostly affected by the elites (ex: aristocracy had strict social ranks, and aristocrats the ones chosen to staff bureaucracy)

Trade w/China centered on aristocrats (Korea imported fancy clothing and art for the elites and exported raw materials like copper, which was mined by near slaves in awful conditions)

-Korean elites (aristocrats and members of royal family) sponsored artisan work

Artisans had very low status and poorly paid
Traders even lower, and so weak they didn’t even have a distinct class

-Basically, aristocrats were the only people who counted in Korean society

Commoners were mostly peasants, and near-slaves (known as “low born”) and ranged from miners and artisans servants and entertainers
Buddhism popular b/c gave hope to commoners, and festivals were fun break from rough life
Commoners work done for the aristocrats, and outside of capital, Korea was mostly backward

Koryo Collapse, Dynastic Renewal

-Commoners often rose up against ruling aristocrats, and though they were stopped, they still weakened the Silla and later Koryo dynasties

Peasant revolts, fights b/t aristocrats, and outside invasions, led to downfall of both dynasties
In 1231 the Mongols invaded and created turmoil in Korea
Yi= Dynasty that replaced Koryo in 1392, and ruled Korea until 1910, restored power of aristocracy and Chinese influence (as Korea seemed happy to live in China’s shadow)

Between China and Southeast Asia: The Making of Vietnam

-Vietnamese had distinct culture which they did not want to lose by being conquered by China