APWUnit 1 Song China culture

Japanese social system

Feudalism; shoguns (military rulers) → daimyos (landowning nobles) → samurai (warrior) → peasants (serfs) → merchants; they had an emperor as a figurehead, but not as a ruler

Heian Japan

the period in which Japanese culture was closest to China, Japan attempted to emulate CHinese traditions in politics, art, and literature

Korea

Korea and China tributary system \= close contact, Korea took elements of Confucianism and Buddhism (nobles studied Confucius and Buddhism attracted peasants), Koreans took the Chinese writing system

Where did China have the greatest influence?

In Korea, due to geographic proximity

Vietnam

tenser relationship with China, but still a tributary system, elites adopted Confucian training and Mahayana Buddhism, took agricultural practices and irrigation systems

Vietnam cultural resistance

resisted Chinese views on women, preferred nuclear families rather than the Chinese extended family, resisted foot-binding and polygyny

Vietnam political resistance

lack of political centralization, took a merit-based bureaucracy but had more allegiance to the village peasants than the emperor → revolts against the government

How did Buddhism enter China?

It came from India but spread through the Silk Road, and was popularized during the Tang and Sui dynasties due to the Buddhist monk Xuanzang

Daoism with Buddhism

Buddhism was introduced to China by relating it to Daoism, eventually syncretizing to create Chan/Zen Buddhism, which emphasized direct experiences and meditation rather than learning from scripture

Neo-Confucianism and Buddhism

Although Buddhism wasn’t always promoted, COnfucians began to adopt its ideals, and it spread especially when Buddhist scriptures became accessible through printing

Theravada Buddhism

focused on personal spiritual growth through silent meditation and self-discipline, mostly in SEA

Mahayana Buddhism

spiritual growth for all beings and on services, mostly in China and Korea

Tibetan Buddhism

focused on chanting, strongest in Tibet

Cultural Impact of Buddhism

more rights for women, better treatment of the poor