Notes
Japan
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Japan
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Samurai
Bound by the code of bushido- "the way of the warrior". This emphasized honor, bravery, and absolute loyalty to one's lord, but it covered every aspect of a samurai's life, including walking, bowing, and holding chopsticks.
If bushido was betrayed, seppukku (ritual suicide) was commited.
Supposed to have no fear of death
Tokugawa Shogunate
Wanted to end feudal warfare
Maintained outward forms of feudalism but created a central government that controlled all of Japan
Controlled daimyo by forcing them to live at the capital every other year and keeping his wife and children there all the time. Daimyo had to ask permission to marry or repair their castle
Only samurai could serve in the military or hold government jobs
Peasants remained on the land
Lower classes forbidden to wear silk and other luxuries
Agriculture improved
Population growth due to food surpluses- more towns appeared
Merchant power increased- grew wealthy because of trade increase and gained influence by lending money to daimyo and samurai and marrying their daughters into the samurai class
Zen Buddhism
Buddhist sect from China
Emphasized self-reliance, meditation, and devotion to duty
Valued peace, simplicity, and beauty, revered nature
Influenced development of landscape paintings
Believed that people achieved enlightenment through meditation and performing everyday tasks precisely
Contradictory traditions: monks were scholars, yet they valued an uncluttered mind, stressing the importance of reaching a state of "non-knowing". Stressed compassion, yet samurai fought to kill.
Monks sought absolute freedom, yet had rigid rules.
Heian Period
Noblepeople lived in fairy-tale like places that had lotus pools, gardens, and pavilions
Rules of etiquette governed the court
Multicolored silk dress
Men studied Chinese but women were forbidden to study it
Women wrote important literary works at this time, including The Tale of Genji and The Pillow Book
Poems and romances were sad, love doesn't last and and the world's beauty doesn't last
