Modern East Asian History
Modern East Asian History — Exam 1
Notes by Zoe, Danielle, and Christle
SEVEN (7) of the following terms will appear on your exam; you will choose FOUR (4) of the terms to define. Each term is worth ten points. Points will be based on your ability to explain who, what, when, where, and why the term is historically significant. Historical significance is worth three points, the date (approximate, i.e. “mid-1800s”) worth one point, and the remaining categories are worth two points each. Your answers should be between four to five sentences in length. 40 points total.
Confucianism
v What? Philosophical system and ethical system based on the teachings of Confucius
o Ethics, morality, and social harmony
v Where? Originated from ancient China
o Influential in East Asian countries (Japan, China and Korea)
v Fukuzawa Ukichi criticized Confucianism late 1800s
o Holding Japan back
o Modernization and learning from the west was the way to go
o Confucianism was too rigid
v Imperial Rescript on Education late 1800s
o Had Confucian ideals
o A mix of westernization/modernization, but mostly Confucianism
§ Important ideology that lasted for decades
Monsoon Asia
v What? Arabic word for “seasonal wind”—Rain & drought
v When? From history till now, cycle of blistering summers and frigid winters
v Where? Region in East Asia where the climate and agricultural cycles are influenced by the monsoon system
v Who? Affected all of Monsoon Asia (like China, Japan, Korea)
o Like the farmers, commoners, and even Chinese emperor
§ If the weather instilled drought, flood and natural disaster, the Heavens disapprove of that emperor and a new Dynastic Cycle is foreseen
v Monsoon System
o Seasonal wind patterns
o Moist air from Indian and pacific oceans during summer months
o Rainfall and dry, cold air from the continent during winter.
v Climate patterns have dictated agricultural practices
o Rice cultivation—Weather and flooded hills
v Why? Shaped settlement patterns, trade routes and cultural development across East Asia
v Variability led to challenges
o Floods
o Droughts
v Why? 7 common values of Monsoon Asia
o Family
o Respect for learning
o Respect for age
o Women’s subjugation
o Social Hierarchy
o Traditional past
o Collective Identity
Oda Nobunaga
v Who? Daimyo—Regional Lord
v When? 1534-1582/ Mid 1500’s
v Military leader
v Helped the unification of Japan by unifying the daimyos
v Introduced new military tactics, used firearms effectively and reduced the power of Buddhist Monasteries and rival daimyo
v Led the groundwork for the unification of Japan
v Innovative approach to warfare and governance, marked a shift in Japanese History.
v Assassinated—Drank tea
v First to tax villages
v No shogun
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
v 1536-1598/ Mid 1500’s
v Central figure in Japans unification
v Rose from being a foot soldier—>Daimyo
v Expanded power by alliance
v Complete the unification of Japan by 1590
v Implemented administrative reforms
o Land surveys & “sword hunt”
o Disarmed peasants = no uprising
v Social Hierarchy
v Rigid class lines
v 1592 – launched invasion of Korea
o Want to conquer Ming China
o Unsuccessful
Tokugawa Ieyasu
v Founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate
v When: mid-1500’s to early 1600s
v Rule from Edo
v Defeated Hideyoshi Son
v Feudal order in Japan
o Prime minister added
v Bakufu add
o Tent government
v He had a succession plan
v Hereditary shogunate
v Peace and stability
o Samurai made no more money because there’s no wars
v Rules Japan after winning a civil war (Eastern Coalition vs. Western Coalition)
o Tokugawa was the leader of the Eastern Coalition
Sankin Kotai / Alternate Attendance / Hostage System
v Daimyos that didn’t support Tokugawa Ieyasu right away were given the “outer domain”
o Daimyos have to live alternately in their own domain then in Edo every year
v Cost daimyo a lot of money
o Had to borrow $ from merchants or marry their daughters to merchants
o As they travelled across the country, they paid merchants along the way for amenities like hotels or food—Merchants got richer
v Had to leave their wife and eldest son in Edo
o “Hostage system”—Their family is closer to the emperor, so they need to behave themselves or else something bad might happen to them
The “Floating World” / Toshiwara
v Urban Culture during Edo period
v Is for the masses
v Elites not expected to go to popular culture
o Samurai sneaked in
v Created new group of people apart from the official classes
o Artist, priest etc…
v Imaginary world outside of daily obligations
o Free time
v Geisha —> part of the floating world
v Focus on
o Pleasure
o Entertainment
o Transient nature of life
v Ukiyo
o Entertainment
o Kabuki Theatre
o Ukiyo-e woodblock prints
§ Scenes of urban life
v Shift in Japanese society
v Arts and literature
Dejima Island
v Artificial Island
v To confine foreign traders—Only Dutch
v Japan 1636
v Nagaaki
v Limiting interactions with Japanese Society
v 1641 Dutch East India Compant relocated trading post to Dejima
v Dutch only westerners allowed to trade
Zheng He
v Led China’s largest navy and established China’s power in naval technology and power
v Led an expedition to find any potential enemies overseas
v Appointed by emperor Yongle of Ming dynasty (1400s)
Hongwu
v
Qianlong (1736-1795)
v Decline of Qing Dynasty
o Large population
o West has better weapons
v Expeditions against pirates & rebels in Taiwan, Vietnam, Nepal & Burma
v Took up art and literature
v 1795(?) Qianlong stepped down as emperor & China is defeated by Japan
o Rebellions of Taiping & Nian
Canton System
v Trade policy
v Qing dynasty—1757 under Qianlong Emperor
v Controlled foreign commerce
o Restricted foreign trade to the southern port of Canton
o Merchants confined to designated areas during the trading system
o Foreigners can live only through trading months—October-March
o No wives or children allowed
o No weapons
v Only select 10 Chinese merchants allowed
o Chosen by emperor(?)
o Maintain coastal defences
v Hoppo
o Complaints go to Hoppo
§ Can forward to Beijing, or do nothing
v Purpose: To maintain and limit foreign influence
v Problems:
o Bankrupt Chinese merchants—Tariffs & customs
o Promised that westerners would behave, they did not
§ Killed Chinese citizens
o Merchants lost money bribing government officials
o Growing tensions with western powers
§ Hated the strict rules
· Justice system—Accidental Chinese deaths=murder
· Legal tensions—Treated people differently by class
o Growing tensions within China
§ Angry at dynasty conceding to western demands—Westerners not treated the same
· Engineers & bankers
§ Rise of Anti-Foreign Nationalism
o Led to outbreak of first Opium War 1839
Opium Wars
v Opium was Britain’s way to gain profit
o 90% of trade from East India Company
o Balanced triangle trade system
§ Britain—>India—>China—>Britain
v Lots of demand for opium in China
o Stressed/bored people
§ Eunuchs, court officials, wealthy wives, students, soldiers
v Result of Lin Zexu stopping opium trade—British angry
v China was “hopelessly backward”
o Old navy boats were not as modern as Britain’s
o Seen as barbaric or semi-civilized
§ China saw foreigners as this before, now they are getting name-called
The Treaty of Nanjing (1842)
v Unequal treaty—Strips China’s power
o Not so much like the center of the world like they claimed before
v Result of losing opium war against Britain
v Century of Humiliation 1839-1949
v Colonial state for England
v Opening more ports, rather than just Canton
v Hong Kong for Britain until 1990s
The Chinese Exclusion Act (1882)
v No Chinese labourers allowed to enter US
o No overseas Chinese allowed
v Changed the act—105 can enter per year (mid 1900’s)
v Ended 1943
o Had to join US to defeat Japan—Pointless to ban Chinese from US
Extraterritoriality
v 19th century
v Western Imperialism
v Unequal treaties
v Foregoing nationals are exempted form the jurisdiction of local laws and instead were subject to the laws of their own countries
v First opium war in China
o Treaty of Nanjing and other treaties
o Gave extraterritorial rights to British citizens
v Japan 1850s
o Signed treaties with western nations included extraterritoriality
Most Favoured Nation Status
v Anytime the “colonial-state” signs a treaty that is not the “most favoured nation,” the “most favoured nation” can get those rights too
v The Treaty of Nanjing (mid 1800’s)
o Status to Britain from China
v Townsend Harris Treaty/Treaty of Amity and Commerce (mid 1800’s)
Lin Zexu
v Drug commissioner/DRUG TSAR
v Prohibits opium
o Foreign merchants in Canton to surrender opium or die
§ A letter to the British queen that says they are in the wrong
o Blocked Canton
o Lime + opium thrown into the sea
Taiping Rebellion
v The bloodiest civil war
o Revolution—Everything destroyed, looted, burned, killed
v Origins
o Canton held economy & international commerce
o Political & ethnic tensions
§ Hakkas, south regions, quasi-ethnic conflict
o Han Chinese newcomers spoke Mandarin
§ Treaty ports & Hong Kong
v Origins of ideology—Hong Xiuquan the Taiping Founder
o Believed he was Christ’s younger brother
o Goals:
§ Eliminate “demons”
§ Bring heavenly kingdom of Great Peace
v Secret followers in the mountain cut their queues
o “Long haired rebels”
o Show off unloyalty to Qing
v Took over Nanjing and made it their capital
v Defeating the Taipings:
o China was busy with the threat of maritime power & Taipings, but Taipings were more of a threat
§ Ziqiang “Self-strengthening” policy(?)
o Guofan & Hongzhang
§ Recaptured Nanjing
§ Xiuquan suicided
§ End of Taiping
v Taiping & Nian Rebellion=20-30 million deaths
Dynastic Cycle
v China
v Cycle of dynastic rise, flourishing, decline, and replacement
o Rise:
§ A successful rebellion against the previous dynasty
§ The Mandate of Heaven given to an ethically fit leader
· Approval of Heaven
o Flourishing:
§ Expand territory
§ Enrich country
§ Proper role models
o Decline:
§ A lot of natural disasters—Floods/famine
§ Weak/oppressive rulers
o Replacement:
§ Rebellion authorized by the people
v Fall of Ming, rise of Qing (mid 1600’s)
Ing Hay and Lung On
v Ing “Doc” Hay
v Assistant Lung On
v Safe from a lot of racism compared to other Chinese
o Only 1 gunshot on the door(?)
o The only doctor in the town, so the citizens took care of them
Shintoism
v Japan indigenous religious tradition
v Connection to nature
v Shintoism help understand japan development
v Religions beliefs influence society
“Right Relationships”
v Hierarchical relationships between older-younger, subject-ruler, husband-wife
v Confucian ideal
v Can be used to punish those who were considered “lower”
Foot Binding
v Women addicted to opium because it reduces pain felt
Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908)
v Likes traditional customs
v Her child was the emperor—Infant Guangxu emperor—So she was a spokesperson for power
v Intelligent, ruthless, & political
v Goal was to preserve Manchu power and her power
v Key figure in the Self-Strengthening Movement
v Problems arise in Sino-Japanese War for Korea (1894-1895
o Chinese officials cannot work together in war—Boats & weapons incapable of meshing
o Empress Cixi made funds go to Summer Palace instead of naval power
o Japan won China & Korea
Commodore Matthew Perry (1852)
v America needed friendship & commercial relations with Japan
o Whalers need help if shipwrecked
§ Japan kept killing them
o Coal to continuously operate maritime traffic
§ Especially to Asia
v Impress Japan with technology & riches
o Telegraph & Model Railroad
§ Japan is central in telecommunications & bullet trains
v “Black ships”
o An earthquake in Japan made people think it was because of these ships looking like huge black fish(?)
v Treaty of Kanegawa
o Opening up of Japan
o Japan’s first treaty with an outside power
Sakamoto Ryoma
v Who? Low ranking samurai
v When? Mid 1800s
v Reformer—To open up Japan
o The need of westernization
v Killed Katsu Kaishu(?)—High ranked Tokugawa official
v Convinces 2 other domains—Satsuma & Choshu
v Defeated Bafuku Shogunate 1866
o Military defeat
o Riots
o Triple threat+citizens
Gunboat Diplomacy
v What? The use or threat of military force to achieve foreign policy objectives
v Who, When, Where, Why?
v Commodore Matthew Perry towards Japan (mid 1800’s)
o Powerful display of naval military intimidates Tokyo Bay
§ No shots fired though
o “Black ships”—Very technological compared to Japan ships
o Kind of like “make a treaty with us or face the consequences.”
o The impact was that Japan made a treaty with a foreign nation for the first time—Opened up!
v Great Britain towards China during Opium Wars (mid 1800’s)
o Unhappy with new opium ban
§ Some British still smuggled opium in
o Superior naval boat army > China had old navy boats
o Demonstrating military might by war to force negotiations
§ Resulted in Treaty of Nanjing—Ports, Hong Kong to Britain, extraterritoriality
v Saigo Takamori towards Korea (late 1800s)
o An idea that was rejected/held off because Japan wanted to fix internal problems first
§ Led to Satsuma Rebellion
o Wanted to force Korea to sign a treaty by invasion
§ Learned from western gunboat diplomacies
Ii Naosuke
v When? 1815-1860 (early-mid 1800s)
v Where? Edo/Tokyo
v Who? Tairo—Dictator
o Worked to revive a traditional dictatorship
o No more input from daimyo
o Killed 69 anti-bafuku
v Why? Signs Harris Treaty Mid 1800s
o Without Shogunate and Emperor’s approval
o An unequal treaty with US that affected the whole nation all because of this guy
v Assassinated in Tokyo
o Rise of anti-bakufu rebels
The Harris Treaty
v What? Unequal treaty—Shames Japan, domestic turmoil
o Shame is powerful in Japan
§ US is the most untrustworthy
o Semi-colonial Japan
v Where? Between US and Japan
v Who? Ii Naosuke signed the treaty without emperor or shogunate’s opinion
v When? Mid 1800s
v Why?
o US granted extraterritoriality
§ Japan cannot crime US
§ Humiliations of rapes of Japanese in newspaper
§ No opium(?)
o Resistance to US might equal war
o Gives up tariff autonomy
§ Power to US—Gets to set tariff price
o Open 8 Ports
o Most Favoured Nation Status
o Modern-Japanese Nationalism
§ Unifying Japanese
§ Angry with Bakufu, Shogun, foreigners
§ Anti-Bakufu movement
The Meiji Restoration
v What & Who? Rebellion—>Restoration
o By samurai and daimyo rebels
o The start of the Meiji era
v When? Imperial Restoration 1867-1868
o Meiji emperor—Political power & divine
o Abolish Tokugawa Shogunate
o Strong sense of nation
v Where? Japan
v Why?
o 4 Interpretations of Meiji Restoration:
§ Coup-d’état
· Toppling of government from high ranked officers (daimyo/samurai)
§ Aristocratic Revolution from Above
· From the wealthy, not the peasants
§ Nationalist Revolution
· Creating idea of Japanese state because of the threat from the west
§ Revolution from Below
· Improve country and bring change
· Rebellions and riots
· From peasants/normal people
o New worldview—Open to new ideas from the west
o Imperial Charter’s Oath 1868
§ Seek knowledge from world
§ No old customs/traditions
§ Public assemblies—Gave people a voice in the government
§ Slogans—Economic wealth
· “Enrich country, strengthen military”
§ Civilization & enlightenment
§ Remove evil status—End of feudalism
o 2 Groups
§ Fundamentalist:
· Solve government problems with old traditions
· Agrarian economy
· Policy of exclusion
§ Realists:
· Rise of market is inevitable
o Might as well benefit and control it
· Open Japan to foreign traders
· Monopoly of trade
Satsuma / Tosa / Choshu
v What? The three feudatories that united to take down the Tokugawa Bakufu
v Where? 3 domains in Japan
v Who? Sakamoto Ryoma of Tosa convinces the daimyo of Satsuma and Choshu to go against shogunate
v When? Mid 1800s
v Why? United 3 powerful domains against the Bakufu
o Overthrow the Bakufu
o Paved a way to Meiji era
Fukuzawa Ukichi
v What? Convince Japan that education is crucial to modernization
o Education was not a foreign value
v Who & When? A Samurai that lived mid 1800-early 1900
v Make Japanese look more western, but was not forced
v Learn from the west to strengthen Japan
o “Conditions of the west” — Life in the west
v In US during civil war
o Learned about family, politics, infrastructure, relations of men and women
§ Actors kissing?!
o Criticizes Japanese traditions
§ Confucianism
· Rigid structure holding them back
§ Kouseki Family System
· Victimized people as peasants did not own a last name
v 2 things gave the west power:
o The Enlightenment—Ideas from philosophers
o Capitalism—Economic System
v Founded KO University
o First public lecture hall so anybody can listen and learn
v Enlightenment—He sees everyone equally
v Why? Led Japan to expand education
o Blending Confucianism with new ideas to go along with present conditions
o Temples began to provide education for the poor
Iwakura Mission
v Who? Oligarchs—Japanese government officials overseas
o Out for 14 months
v When? Late 1800s
v Where? All around the west to learn from their government, lifestyle, education…
v What? Change contents in education:
o Brought western teachers into Japan new language teachers—German and English
§ Needed to know English or German to be admitted
§ 524 western educators
§ 13000 students
o Baseball
§ Foreign value that Japan made their own
v Why? Final analysis: “These countries are our enemies”
o Japan has to get better to overcome western powers
§ Stop unequal treaty—External
§ Create unity and nationalism
Saigo Takamori
v Who & Where? Samurai from Satsuma
o Popular and influential
o Part of Meiji government
o Did not like westernization
o DOG PERSON!!! Dogs from around the world!
v When? Mid 1800s
v What? Wanted Gun-boat diplomacy on Korea
o Meiji declined because they wanted to focus on internal problems first
o Led to Satsuma Rebellion
v Why? Leads Satsuma Rebellion against Meiji (Late 1800s)
o Gathers 15,000 citizens to march to Tokyo, and gathers up to 40,000 people on the march
o Claims to be fighting on behalf of the emperor because he believes that the Meiji Constitution is not good for Japan
o Becomes a nationalist hero by suicide—Loyalty
v Defeated by imperial forces led by Yamagata
o 60,000 troops killed 20,000 rebels
o Irony: Fighting for emperor, while against emperor troops
Meiji Constitution
v What & When? New constitution of Japan by the late 1800s
o “Promulgates” new constitution
§ “Give as a gift to the people”
v Who? Created by Ito Hirobumi and other genro who studied the constitution of Western governments
o Genro—Oligarchs that were rich people ruling the nation
o Privy council—Wrote in secret from the citizens
o Diet—Lower & upper houses of nobility that can have elective representatives
o Prime minister—Responsible for civilian decisions of cabinet
v Based mostly on German constitution
o Some German government leaders helped Japan make their government
v Fictitious traditions to create a sense of involvement—Internal
v Increase in people’s rights, so the oligarchs persist in promulgates
v Kokutai – “national polity”
o Places sovereignty on emperor
o Japan is unique culturally & politically
v Creates a bicameral parliament
v “The Rights and Duties of Subjects” 15 articles state laws for the people
v Why?
o Tightly controlled state by emperor
o Strong state with minimal power to people
o Japanese are “subjects”
§ Obligation to state—Military, education, taxes
o Change is possible
§ New body politic of people
o Imperial ideology—Loyalty
§ Imperial Rescript on Education
Imperial Rescript on Education
v When? Late 1800s
v What? Essentially brainwash to a generation of Japanese people
o Landmark document
v Who? Instilled by emperor
v Where? All of Japan’s schools had his face as an “all seeing eye”
v Why? Instil morals and nationalism
o Confucianism
o Learn emperor is the father and we are his kids
o “Should emergency arise, offer yourself to the state”
§ Death of a generation because of excessive loyalty
§ Extreme nationalism seen in future wars
Yamagata Aritomo
v
Kangxi
v One of the three great emperors of Qing China
Munbangdo
v 1700s-1800s paintings that blend past traditions and modern trends of Korean culture
v Munbang – “scholar’s study”
o Paintings often showed objects associated with munbang
o Bookshelves, paper, brush pens
v Became a popular genre in 18th-20th century
v Owned and sponsored by King Jeongjo, and mostly owned by elites of Joseon
v Used as decorative room dividers and backdrops
v Three types of munbangdo: bookshelf, isolated, stacked
o Used of linear perspective and volumetric shapes show Western techniques implemented
o Joseon painters would travel to the West to learn and implement the techniques
v Why? Also depicts new technology like watches, mirrors, clocks, eyeglass cases in the style of Korean culture
o Technology came from the West, but the paintings show how Koreans modify the technology and adapt it into styles that fit Korean culture aesthetics
o Shows westernization
v Objects also painted for expressions of hope, good fortune, longevity
o i.e. fruits, flowers
Chinese Restaurants in the U.S.
v When & What? Many restaurants arose due to the Chinese Exclusion Act of the late 1800s-early 1900s
v Who & Where? Restaurant owners can get a visa to bypass immigration bans in US
o Number of restaurants quadrupled from 1910-1920
o Allowed owners to travel back to China to visit family and bring back employees from China
v Only the person who managed the restaurant was qualified to apply for the visa
o Immigrants pooled their money to start the restaurants
o Take turns running (“owning”) restaurant for 1 year
o Needed 2 white witnesses to support their visa application
§ The same white witnesses vouched for many immigrants, which means more entered US
v Why? Allowed immigrants to visit family in China, bring family members to the US with an automatic job, and gave a steady source of income to send money back to China
o Loophole to great wealth despite Exclusion Act
o Increase in family business abroad
Kokutai
v What: Idea of national polity; means “country”
o Japan is culturally and politically unique
v When: late 19th century
v Who: established by genro? To preserve the emperor
v Where: Meiji Restoration, Japan
v Why: Japan begins to restore sense of national identity
o Give citizens and nation feeling of unity