Japan and Korea

What is the Korean flag called

Taegeukgi

What does the red part of the Korean flag represent

Yin and Yang (balance and harmony)

What does the red part of the Taegeuk represent?

Yang – proactive cosmic forces

What does the blue part represent?

Yin – responsive cosmic forces

What do the two halves together represent? (flag and Yin and Yang)

Balance, harmony, and constant movement

What surrounds the Taegeuk circle?

Four elements: heaven, earth, fire, water

What percentage of Korea is mountainous?

About 70%

What mountain range runs through Korea?

Taebaek Mountains

How long is Korea’s coastline?

About 5,400 miles

About how many islands does Korea have?

Around 3,000

Why did Koreans eat a lot of fish?

Surrounded by sea and strong fishing industry

What is Korea’s fishing industry ranking?

3rd largest in the world

Korea acted as a cultural bridge between which two countries?

China and Japan

Who invaded Korea in 108 B.C.?

Han Emperor Wu Di

What did China set up in Korea?

A military colony

What values did Korea adopt?

Chinese values

What were the Three Kingdoms of Korea?

Paekche, Shilla, Koguryo

Which kingdom unified the peninsula with help from Wu Zhou?

Paekche

What is the Seokguram Grotto?

A man-made cave with a Buddha statue

What is Bulguksa?

A famous temple (pagoda comes from here)

What does the lotus symbolize?

Peace / purity / beauty from hardship

What is the purpose of the Buddhist drum?

Calming, meditation

Under which dynasty did Korea become a tributary state to China?

Shilla Dynasty

What dynasty built the capital Kaesong?

Koryo Dynasty

Where is Kaesong today?

North Korea

What kind of pottery did Korea make?

Celadon (mint-green porcelain)

What is special about celadon?

Chinese technique but Korean style

Japan is about the size of what US state?

California

How much of Japan is mountainous?

About 75%

What are Japan’s four main islands?

Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu (plus Okinawa)

Japan is a chain of islands running which direction?

North to South

Why does Japan have lots of fish?

Warm and cold ocean currents

What climate does Japan mostly have?

Humid monsoon climate

What natural disasters affect Japan?

Earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis, typhoons

What is the “Ring of Fire”?

Area with many earthquakes and volcanoes

What is tsunamigenesis?

What creates tsunamis

What animals live in northern Japan?

Snow monkeys

What is the climate in southern Japan

Tropical

Why is space limited in Japan?

Mountains and high population

What are Ugis?

Early Japanese clans

What did each Ugi have?

Their own gods and goddesses

Who was the sun goddess

Amaterasu

What clan founded Japan’s first and only dynasty?

Yamato Clan

What religion worships nature spirts

Shinto

What are Shinto spirits called?

Kami

Who is the wind god?

Kaze

Who was Prince Shotoku?

A leader who sent scholars to China

What did Japan borrow from China?

Writing, art, culture, government ideas

What did Japan NOT adopt from China?

Civil Service Exam

What are Kanji and Kana?

Japanese writing systems (Kanji = formal, Kana = informal)

Where was the capital moved in 710?

Nara

Who held power during most of the Heian period?

Fujiwara family

Who wrote The Pillow Book?

Sei Shonagon

Who wrote The Tale of Genji?

Lady Murasaki Shikibu

What flower symbolized beauty through hardship?

Lotus flower

What part of the neck was considered sacred?

The back of the neck

Who were the samurai?

Noble warriors

Who was the military ruler?

Shogun

What were Daimyo?

Powerful land-owning lords

Who were the only ones allowed to carry swords?

Samurai

What code did samurai follow?

Bushido

What is seppuku (harakiri)?

Ritual suicide by cutting the stomach

Why would samurai commit seppuku?

To restore honor

What is the samurai sword called?

Katana

What happens when a samurai’s husband goes to war?

Women could become warriors

Gi

Justice, right decision

Yu

Courage

Jin

Compassion

Rei

Respect

Makoto

Honesty

Meiyo

Honor

Chugi

Loyalty

What was Edo?

Old name for Tokyo / capital

What is a Zen garden?

A meditation garden

What is a haiku?

A 5-7-5 syllable poem

What is sumo?

Traditional Japanese wrestling