MMW 12 Chang Final

Silla Unification

• era of Korea’s practical independence from China

• united peninsula

• Silla’s alliance with Tang China, resulting in Chinese invasion of Korea

Koguryo

• northern kingdom in Korea’s Three Kingdom period

• refused Silla’s request for an alliance and was defeated by the invading Tang Chinese force

Paekche

• western kingdom in Korea’s Three Kingdom period

• rising ambitions led Silla to feel threatened and ally with Tang China

Silla

• southern kingdom in Korea’s Three Kingdom period

• unified the Korean peninsula due to alliance with Tang China

Tang-Silla Alliance

• result of Paekche’s rising ambitions

• goal was to install puppet Korean rulers to turn Korea into a tributary state to China

Korea’s tributary relations with Tang

• Korea as subordinate state to China

• allowed Korea’s access to the Silk Road

• adopted Confucian infrastructure

• capital modeled after Chang’an

Martyrdom of Icha-don

• Buddhist convert official in Silla court

• provoked execution because he authorized a Buddhist temple without permission

• cut off his head, blood was the color of milk as he promised

  • symbolized show of Buddhist shamanistic power, which resulted in Buddhism being accepted

Sokkuram

• Buddhist temple in Korea

• meticulous balance and symmetry in design

• mathematical perfection in design

• *link Buddhism to greater prestige in Korea and the king

“International” sangha

• monks and bodhisattvas surrounding the Buddha at the Sokkuram

• *linked Buddhism to be part of the larger cosmopolitan world

“Three-dimensional mandala”

• reminiscent of intricate Buddhist designs

• Sokkurum considered a real life mandala

• *symbolize doctrine of impermanence, sacrificing months of work in an instant

Resemblance to sodos

• reminiscent of royal burial mounds of Neolithic people

• used rocks stacked over the dead to protect souls from evil spirits

• *represents Buddhist shamanistic power

Temple of the Yellow Dragon

• Buddhist temple in Korea built on site associated with spiritual shamanistic powers

• *represents synthesis between previous religion and Buddhism

Monarch as chakravartin

• ruler promotes religion throughout entire kingdom

• king protects Buddhism as Buddhism protects the kingdom

• *syncretism of shamanism and kingship

Imperial Unification and Bureaucracy

221 BCE — Qin Unification

• first ever unification of China under Qin Shi Huangdi

• inaugurated China’s dynastic legacy

• Totalitarian “police state”

State of Qin — logistical advantages

• strategical location — safe distance from the other states that were constantly clashing from being close together

• agricultural economy made farmers of greater loyalty to the king than merchants

• legalist state with harsh and well-defined laws, but with a stable and orderly society

Qin Shi Huangdi (First Emperor)

• noble with promiscuous mother and illegitimate son of merchant, raised a hostage prince

• unified Korea to prove himself

• gave himself the divine title “Huang Di”

  • *signify arrogance and confidence

• ruled with iron fist, committed atrocities

Legalism

• focused on harsh and well-defined laws

• strong policing to deter crime

• present in Qin state under Qin Shi Huang Di

Qin Standardizations

• universal conscription

• uniform tax system

• standardized weights and measures

• uniform currency

• *contributed to Chinese cultural coherence

Terracotta soldiers

• 15,00 strong soldiers in Qin Shi Huangdi’s tomb

• individualized faces, armor, weapons, incription

  • *demonstrates emperor Huangdi’s organization, raw power, and rationality

Han Dynasty

• ruled after Qin Dynasty

• Confucian-legalist experiment

• created the Equal Market System and Equal Tax System

• recommendation system and economic burden led to corruption and destruction of the state

Han Emperor Wu (Wudi)

• martial emperor, similar to Qin Shi Huangdi

• autocratic

• superstitious

• paranoid

• adopted legalist system

Ever-level Granary

• Equal Market System

• When there is surplus, the state should buy as much cheap grain as possible to store in granaries

• In poor harvest, the state opens the granaries to feed the people at discounted prices

Theory of Correspondence

• belief that society corresponds to the cosmos

• social hierarchy = reflection of natural order

• analogical thinking

• *used as justification of social classes

Sima Qian (S’su-ma Ch’ien)

• father of Chinese history

• spoke up for a falsely accused general to the emperor

• strict legalism, not one’s place to speak even when right because they need to acknowledge rank

• punishment = castration

• wrote histories to redeem himself and family name

Banzhao (Pan Ch’ao)

• female scholar, poet, teacher, in Han court

• wrote “Teachings for Women”

• affirmed patriarchal Confucian roles

• *underlying message was more feminist, urging for equality between husband and wife

Salt and Iron monopolies

• debate between Confucian scholars and legalist ministers

  • whether governments should maintain monopolies or not

• *Financial crisis vs. Confucian ethics

• Confucians argued that government expeditions would put burden on tax-paying peasantry

Existential Crisis in Post-Han China

Yellow Turban Revolt

• Taoist inspired grassroots rebellion - left millions dead

• Han court could do nothing (no resources left)

• commoners turned to provincial warlords and the empire disintegrated into 3 kingdoms

• loss of the north to the Taba Huns (Northern Wei dynasty)

Three Kingdoms period

• period of greater chaos after the disintegration of the Han Dynasty

Neo-Taoist Escapism

• disillusioned literati withdrew from public life of politics

• took refuge in art, nature, wine

“Peach Blossom Spring”

• poem of fantastical world without politics, war, taxes = timeless utopia

• written by Tao Yuanming

Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove

• unconventional lifestyle - “hippies of Medieval China”

• hermit-like lifestyles

• *made statement against traditional mold of Confucianism

Xi Kang’s “Discourse on Nourishing Life”

• cultivation of the qi (vital energy)

• controlling actions and emotions

• replenishable qi and essential/unreplenishable qi

• learn to regulate qi properly = living 1000 years

Cultivation of qi (vital energy)

• control emotions

• abstain from too much food and too much sex

• *control qi to live longer/1000 years

Qingtan or ching-t’an (pure conversation)

• pure conversations between Chinese literati and monks

• wide variety of discussion

• syncretism of Chinese ideas with Buddhist ideas

Problem of Geyi or ko-i (matching concepts)

• rendered Buddhist ideas into Chinese ideal

• created new terms with preexisting implications

• *substituted Chinese terms could corrupt Buddhist meaning

Laozi Huahu Jing (Sutra of Laozi Transforming the Barbarians)

• Sutra of Laozi transforming the Barbarians

• Laozi went to India to be taught by the Buddha

• *”prove” that Buddhism is Chinese at its core

• *way to make foreign religion native

Cultural obstacles to synthesis

• language was non-abstract and concrete, opposite of sanskrit

• hard to reconcile Buddhist and traditional Chinese ideas (filial piety and reincarnation)

Master Hui Yuan

• “Monk does not bow down before a King”

• monks severed ties with world and don’t expect the protection of state

• *paved the way for radical transformation of Buddhism

Theravada Buddhism vs. Mahayana Buddhism

• Theravada: “Way of the Elders”

  • way/practices of the original Buddha

• Mahayana: “Greater Vehicle”

  • devotional prayer to Buddha

  • more inclusive

Gentry Buddhism of the South

• popular among gentry/literati class

• patronage among certain rulers (Emperor Wu)

• *appeal of monastic retreats, escape from everyday life in mountain monsteries

Emperor Wu of Liang

• “Emperor Bodhisattva”

• very pious Buddhist

• great patron of Buddhism

• let himself be taken as hostage by the temples to give them symbolic ransoms from the court

Lay example of Vimalakariti

• Buddhist from India

• appealed to followers of Gentry Buddhism because he was not a monk

• *example of how to be pious and devoted without renunciation

Caesaropapism of the north

• used Buddhism as source of political legitimacy and social cohesion

Northern Wei Dynasty

• took over after the Three Kingdoms period

• established by Tuoba Huns

• Gradual process of unifying the north

Tuoba Huns

• established the Northern Wei Dynasty

• politically used Confucian statecraft

• culturally tried to adopt as many traditions as possible

• socially used Buddhism

• *means of unification through syncretism

Social services of temples

• aid relief in rural areas

• prayers and rituals for welfare and protection of the state

Tang Bureaucracy

• establishment of a highly structured and professional meritocracy

• expanded and refined exam system

• changed exams from memorization to actual application of knowledge

• well-defined bureaucracy with branches

Northern Wei centralization

• major contribution from Silk Road, led back to Tang Capital

• *momentum for political integration from Tuoba Huns

• *established building blocks for reunified China

Rules of Avoidance

• no official could rule in one district for more than 3 years

• no local minister could appoint his own subordinates

• *measure against corruption

Juntian or Equal Field System

• “nationalization of Agricultural land”

• Edict of 485: establish all unclaimed land as emperor’s

Decree of 486 — organization of “fives”

• rural organization into “fives”

  • 5 households = neighborhood, 5 neighborhoods = village, 5 villages = commune

• *made it easier for government to keep track of everyone

• *streamlined process for taxation and conscription

Sui Unification 589

• rebuilt the Great Wall

• built the Grand Canal, linking the Yellow River of the North and the Yangzhe River of the South

• *integrated commerce of the north and south, but required heavy taxes and conscript labor

The Grand Canal

• linked the Yellow River of the North and the Yangzhe River of the South

• easier navigation

• relieved population pressures

• rise to new cities

• *fuller cultural and economic integration of the empire

Emperor Taizong

• ruled at peak of the the dynasty

• practical ruler, no symbols

• open to criticism, wary of flattery

• little patience for corruption and nepotism

• able to recognize talent regardless of status

• frugal

• murdered both brothers to become emperor

• *practical ruling of Tang Bureaucracy

Incident at Xuanwu Gate ()

Emperor Xuanzong

• opposite of Taizong

• romantic ruler, indulging in beauty, music, arts

• thousands of palace women

• obsession with Yang Guifei, favorite consort

  • said to have neglected imperial duties because of her

Yang Guifei

• favorite consort of Emperor Xuanzong

• obsession with lychees (extreme luxury)

• beauty

• strangled to death by emperor’s guards because they believed it was her fault that the emperor was neglecting his duties

An Lushan Rebellion

• frontier commander who rebelled

• stormed the capital

• last minute escape by emperor and entourage

• emperor’s guards mutinied and demanded emperor to get rid of Yang Guifei if he wanted their continued loyalty

Empress Wu (Wu Zeitan)

• favorite concubine of Taizong

• ruled as emperor in her own right

• ruthless with rivals and sons

• *strengthened central authority

• *promoted dignity for women by using heavy symbolism of female power

Fengshan ceremony

• ritual to harmonize moral and spiritual power of a reign

• done in excess by Empress Wu

• symbols to reconcile male and female power

  • peak-mountain

  • emperor and empress

  • yin yang

• *exhibited Empress Wu’s focus on symbols, but highly problematic since it required lots of resources

North Gate Scholars

• served under Empress Wu

• *write works on her behalf to establish her power as a female ruler

12-Point Memorial

• 12 suggestions Empress Wu wanted to make required readings for students

• *reduce tax burden?

Zhou Dynasty

• “new dynasty” founded by Empress Wu

• not considered separate from Tang

Xue Huaiyi of White Horse Monastery

• peddler of cosmetics and perfumes

• favorite lover of Empress Wu

• became the abbot of the most important monastery in China

• over-abuse of power and influence

• *wrote a poem about the reincarnation of a female Buddha, portraying Empress Wu as a Maitreiya

Zhang brothers

• young lovers of Empress Wu

• brought in their families into the court

• *reflects gender bias against women, because her young lovers were looked down upon, yet it was normal for other emperors

Buddhism and the Tang State

“Scripture on Perfect Wisdom”

• specific instructions for rulers on what they should do as humane kings

• reaction of an early persecution of Buddhism

• “spiritual defense shield”

• *established Buddhists as necessary to preserve state order

Age of Degenerate Dharma (Mo Fa)

• “extinguishing of Dharma”

• 50 years after Buddha’s death = no Buddha

• 500 years after Buddha’s death = end of ideology

• 5,000 years after Buddha’s death = no more Buddhist community

Inversion of signs

• outward appearance of people different to what they are inside

  • people who are pious might not be good

Emperor as bodhisattva

• role as a humane king

• emperor incarnation of Buddha

Transgression of the monastic vinayas

• Tang Buddhist monks

• exclusion of temples and monasteries

• Huichang suppression

• Fraudulent transfers of land, tax exemptions, selling tax shelters to individuals

Threat of Maitreyism

• “Buddha of the Future”

• compared to role of Messiah and Madhi

• someone who will come to redeem corrupt world

• *seen as threat to dynasties because their corruption could be targeted/victim to Maitreya

Huichang Suppression 840-845

• most serious persecution of Buddhism in China

• carried out by Daoist emperor

• confiscated many tax-exempt temple estates

• destroyed a lot of shrines and monasteries

• Buddhism never fully recovers

• *religion becomes more private rather than integral part of state

Amitabha Buddha

• Buddha of Western Paradise

• Pure Land Buddha

• the more you pray to this Buddha, the more likely you’ll be reborn in paradise

• popular sect of Buddhism

• *devotion to Buddha rather than studying sutras

Pure Land Sect

• praying to Amitabha Buddha = reborn in paradise

• popular sect of Buddhism

Chan or Zen Buddhism

• esoteric transmission

• focuses on meditation and lineage

• rejected scriptural, intellectual, or devotional approach to enlightenment

• not centered around any particular Buddha

The “Flower Sermon”

• crowds waiting for Buddha to give a sermon

• comes late, takes out a small flower

• shows everyone and smiles

• one person gets it. smiles back

• Buddha leaves

• *symbolize ambiguous meaning of enlightenment in Buddhism

Bodhidharma

• monk in Chan/Zen tradition

• Emperor Wu as first audience

Sixth Patriarch Hui Neng

• Buddha nature and capacity for compassion and enlightenment in everyone

• *more attractive to the West because more positive

Intrinsic Buddha nature

• everyone has the capacity for compassion and enlightenment

Gong-ans or Koans

• “public cases”

• paradoxical Q&As exchanged between master and student

• *meant to provoke/shock mind in order to clear it

Early Japanese Mythology and Shinto Ethics

Jomon

• early Japanese period named after rope-pattern pottery

• along sea-coast, evidence of dwellings

• pottery used for rituals and household use

Yayoi

• named after marshy plains near Tokyo

• simultaneous intro of irrigation, bronze, iron

  • better weaponry

• *increasing signs of specialization and social stratification resulting from surplus

Rice cultivation

• introduction of irrigation

• *led to economic development in Japan

Social stratification

• burial practices and art

• tombs were biggest indicators of social stratification

Tomb or Kofun Period

• huge and extravagant tombs

• surrounded by artificial moats

• on mount

• distinct social classes

• keyhole shape

• *sophisticated view of afterlife

Horizontal vs. Vertical cosmology

• horizontal: soul moves across water after death

  • moats in tombs

  • symbolizes return to ancestral land across water

• vertical: soul moves closer to sky

  • elevation of mounds

  • symbolizes being closer to sky gods

Uji and Be

• Uji: Japanese noble clans headed by a warlord

  • tracing descent from a kami

• Be: occupation communities that supported the Uji

  • identified based on craft/occupation

Yamato State

• loose hegemony of dominant aristocratic clans

• loose alliance with other clans, itself as the head

• situated in richest agricultural land

• *relationship to Korea = access to weapons and horses

Kojiki and Nihonji

• Kojiki: record of Ancient Matters

• Nihonji: chronicles of Japan

• *symbolizes symbioses between authority of Yamato and authority of Amaterasu (Sun Goddess)

• *use of mythology to prove legitimacy

Izanagi and Izanami

• responsible for creating all Japanese islands

• ancestor to all kamis in Japan

• ritual of purification

• gave birth to islands of Japan and deities of Shinto

• Izanagi gave birth to Amaterasu and Susano-o

Clan kamis

• clans using certain kamis as their patron/to represent them in order to establish political legitimacy

• many clans’ lineages trace back to different kamis

Amaterasu vs. Susano-o

• Amaterasu: sun goddess

  • kami of Yamato clan

• Susano-o: storm god,

Yamato vs. Izumo clans

• battle to become imperial clan by using mythology in their poltiical agenda

• Izumo clan considered more civilized and economically powerful than Yamato

Shinto as “Way of the gods”

• indigenous Japanese spiritual beliefs and rituals

• centered on worship and recognition of kamis, which are everywhere

• simple life-affirming code of conduct

• *emphasis on conduct and behavior

Nature kamis

• spiritual powers found in nature

• quality of excellence within nature that inspires feeling of awe

• rooted in every part of daily life

Makoto

• sincerity of feeling and actions

• extreme vulnerability

• beauty of poetry