tuesday -- stalker chapter 4

Historical Overview

Prelude to Warrior Rule: Decline of the Heian court

Heian period

1. dominated by the aristocratic fujiwara cla who controlled imperial authority thhrough mariage poltics

2. flourshing culture: classical japanese literature (Tale of Geniji) and visual arts at thier peak

economic decline

1. centralized landholding which weaked as private property (known as shoen) which was exempt from taxation got bigger

2. provincinal leaders, like warrior families, gained local power as court appointed deputies

Emergence of Warrior clans

1. there were two major warrior clans

   1. the Taira (Heike) and Minamoto (Genji) rose to be importance

   2. both clans traced thier lineage to imperial ancestors; this gave them legitmacy

2. local miltary leader gained strengh as provincal governers became ineffective

The Kamakura Period

Genpei War (1180-1185)

1. a five year conflict between the two clans; sparked by disputes over imperial succession

2. culiminated in the battle dan-no-ura

   1. naval conflict where taira were anhilated

   2. The taira infant emperor Antoku drowned; symbolized the clans fall

Establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate

1. Minamoto no Yorimoto became the first shogun in 1185

   1. this marked rise of military rule

2. before early courts the kamakura Bakfu coexisted with the imperial goveremnt— knonw as dual polity

governance

1. shogunate established three main adminstrtive branches

   1. adminstrative

      1. managed finacial affairs and land distribution

      2. also known as mandokoro

   2. judical office

      1. resolved disputes; mainly over land

      2. monochujo

   3. samurai-dokoro

      1. oversaw military vassals and security

culture shift

1. austerity became important value which reflects samurai values

   1. austerity: sterness or severity of manner or attitude

2. warriors rejected the opulence of the court

   1. focused on discipline and loyalty

   2. opulence: great wealth or luxirious

the Ashikga period (1336-1573)

Kemmu Restoration (1333-1336)

1. emperor go daigo restored imperial ruled ending the Kamakura Shogunate

2. Ashikaga Takauki

   1. former supporter of Go-Daigo

   2. betrated the emperor

   3. established the ashika shogunate

features of the Muromachi Bakufu

1. based in kyoto

2. Ashikaga rulers immersed themselves into court lives

3. ashikaha lacked direct control over provinces relying on shugo daimyo

4. decentralized power structure led to conflicts

   1. Onin war which started the sengoku period

cultural acheivement

1. the muromachi era saw an expaniding of zen insprited arts

   1. no theater

   2. ink painting

   3. tea cermony

Structure and Role of the Samurai

The rise of the Samurai

orgins

1. dervived from the the term suburau

   1. suburau - to serve

2. early samurai were rural elites tasked with maintaining order/defending against bandits

3. importamt familes (taira and minamoto) rose by supporting provincal governors or military campaigns

Transition to Warrior Governance

1. Samurai evolved from estate managers to poltcal leaders

2. relied on martial skill, loyalty, miltary alliances for power, not a powerful lineage

economic foundations

1. samuari depended on stipends from land revenue

   1. creates a patron based system

2. rewards include control over property, exemption from taxes, presitigous courts titles

Vassal-Lord Relationships

feudal structure

1. samurai swore feality to a damiyo in exchange for land or protection

   1. feality: loyalty to a person or group

   2. damiyo: a land owning lord who acted as a land holder of shogun (de facto leader of japan)

duties and responsbilties

1. samurai were required to provide military service

   1. usually were on retainer for thier lords

2. tasked with maintaining order

   1. served as judges, tax collecters

The Role of Women in Warrior Society

status during the heian period

1. elite women in the heian era enjoyed independence

   1. held property

   2. inherited wealth

2. matriocal marriage custum allowed women to retain influence with thier natal familes

   1. matriocal: marriage custim where husband goes to live with wifes communtity

   2. natal: family a person was born and raised in

decline in womens rights

1. under warrior rule, primogeniture replaced equal inheritance, favoring male heirs

   1. primogeniture: the right of succession belonging to the firstborn child

Notable Poltical and Miltary Events

the mongol evasion ( 1274-1281 )

background

1. the mongols demanded japans submission

   1. the mongols were led by Kublai Khan

2. when japan refused, the mongols launced two invasions from korea

the battles

1. first invasion

   1. occured in 1274

   2. the mongols superior tatics overwhelmed japanese defenders

   3. a typhoon destroyed mongols fleets

2. second invasion

   1. occured 1281

   2. this was larger and more prepared

   3. also stopped by a typhoon

impact

1. strengthed through japans believed in divine protection

   1. kamikaze - divine wind

2. finacial strain on the kamakura shonguate led to the decline

The Onin war (1467-1477)

orgins

1. dealt with an issue of succesion with the ashika shonguate

2. dispute turned into widespread conflict

consequences

1. kyoto was devasted; city reduced to ashes

2. initated the sengoku jidai

   1. sengoku jida a period of regional wars and shifiting alliances

Zen Buddhism and Cultural Influence

philsophical Principles

core teachings

1. emphasis on mediation, personal discipline, and enlightment through direct expierence

2. rejection of eleaborate ritual and dogma

   1. mediation was known as zazen

appeal to the samurai

1. zen focus on mental clairty and detachment resonated with samurai values of discipline and focus

2. zen teaching supported warrior ethos

   1. includes readiness to face death

artisitic legacy

zen gardens

1. designed for cotemplation

2. abstract arrangements of rocks, sand and moss

3. example is ryoanji temple in kyotoi

ink painting (sumi-e)

1. monochrome styles

2. emphasized spotaneity and simplicity

3. key figures: sesshu

   1. know for works like winter landscape

nō theather

1. ritualistic performances exploring themes of impermance and redemption

2. developed a playright zeami and motokiyo

   1. combines poetry, music and dance

culutral contributions of the warrior class

patrongage of the arts

1. warrior elites supported artist, poets and archietects

2. innovations include the constriction of zen temples, gardens and cultural centers

Literature

The Tale of Heike

1. chronicles the genpei war and fall of the taira clan

2. themes of karma and impermance reflect budhist influences

martial ideals

1. development of bushido

   1. focused on loyalty, honor, accpetance of death

   2. reflected in literature, poetry and miltary strategy