LECTURE 19 -Classical Japan: Nara and Heian Era

The Nara Period (710-794)

Causes of the emperors loss of power:

Nara also known as Heijo

Modeled after Chang-an

Opening up of virgin land

Todaiji temple- largest

Use of regents
o

Fujiwara Family

Yoshifusa head of

wooden temple

Fujiwara

First real books: Kojiki and

Nihon Shoki (712 and 720)

fewer than 4

Kaifuso Fond Recollections

daughters who

of Poetry (752)

married an emperor

Manyoshu- Collection of Ten

Thousand leaves (759)

Insei- cloister
government

rank system (28 ranks)

Early Abdication

Prine Shotoku- introduced cap

Michinaga- had no

Shirakawa

Kana- Japanese script

Emperor Shomu

Okashi something unusual and

Made the Todaiji temple

amusing

Small pox epidemic (735-7)

Turned to Buddhism

things

Merit over lineage

Mono no aware- sadness of

Mappo- last law

lands in perpetuity

Bushi- warriors

Samurai- retainers

743- allowed peasants to have

Yamanoue Okura

Manyoshu poet

Taira- Taira no Kiyomori

Minamoto- Minamoto no

Rise and Fall of the Court: The

Tameyoshi

Heian Period (794-1185)

* Taira won

Emperor Kammu

Yoshitomo- Tameyoshis eldest

Built capital in Heian (794)

son

aka Kyoto

Murasaki Shikibu

Tokiwa- Yoshitomos concubine

of Prince Genji)

Ike no Zenni- Kiyomoris step

Worlds first novel

Increase in private land

ownership

Kiyomori

Wrote Genji Monogatari (Tale

o

Attacked Taira, defeated by

Purchase

mother

Two spared sons- lead the

downfall of Taira

Minamoto no Yoritomo

Minamoto no Yoshitsune

Antoku- Kiyomoris 2 yr. old

grand son

Prince Mochihito- rival

*1183- Minamoto seizes the

capital

Tomomori- Kiyomoris son; fled

westward

Naval battle at Dannoura

Kamo mo Chomei- retired priest

Wrote The ten foot square

hut

LECTURE 20 Rise of Feudal Age

Genpei- Minamoto- Taira war

Saigyo poet monk

Kamakura Period (1185- 1333)

Minamoro no Yoritomo most

powerful figure in land

Founded by Shinran
Invocation of Amida

Nichiren

Lotus Sutra

Zen Buddhism austerity and self

discpline, appelead to warriors

See tai-shogun barbariansubduing great general

Took root to China by priest

Eisai

Bakufu- tent headquarters

Jito- steward

imperial rule

Shugo- protector

Yoshitsune- Yoritomos half

shogunate, attacked shogunal offices

Go-Daigo re-established direct

Ashikaga Takauji traitor to the

brother

in Kyoto

Yoritomos sons:

Yoriie

against the shogunate and destroyed

Sanetomo

base in Kamakura

Nitta Yoshisada rebelled

Hojo Masako

Yorotimos wife

Nun-shogun

1568)

Institution of shogunal

regent

Shogun

The Muromachi Period(1333Takauji- wanted a title of

Go-Toba installed emperor

From family branch Komyo

after Antokus death

Mongol Invasion- 1274-1281

allies

Kublai Khan- sent letter to

Japan

military tale

November 1274- first attack

in Kyushu

shogun, Takaujis grandson

Yoshisada- killed by Takaujis

Taiheiki- mid-fourteenth-century
Yoshimitsu- third Ashikaga

June 1281- Hakata

Reunited dual courts

Shinpu/ Kamikaze- divine

retired shogun

wind

built the Kinakakuji (Golden

Shoen- estates

Jodo Sect (pure land)

Daimyo- feudal lords

Onin Civil War of 1467-77

Aesthetic ideals:

Founded by priest Honen

o

Amida Buddha

Jodo Shin (Tyre Pure Land) Sect

Pavillion)

Sengoku warring states era

Wabi- subdued taste

Kare- withered, dry

Nobutaka

Sabi- elegant simplicity

Nobutada

Yugen- elegant and tranquill

Nobokatsu

otherworldliness

Appearance of Westerners

1543- Chinese junk

Christianity by Francis Xavier

Confiscation of peasant
weapons (sword hunt)

(Sengoku era)

Sons of Nobunaga:

Edict of Christianity
Expulsion 1587

Sen no Rikyu

The Azuchi-Momoyama Period)

Marco Polos Jippingu- Japan

Oda Nobunaga

great elders)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

ceremony
Japans greatest daimyo (five

Tokugawa Ieyasu
o

Tokugawa Ieyasu
Daimyo from Owari Province

Victory over Imagawa

Yoshimoto at the Battle of
Okehazama

Yoshiaki- shogun

Takdeda- enemies of Oda

Massacring Buddhist priest

June 1575- defeat Takeda

Katsuyori

Battle of Nagashimo

First use of firearms

Construction of castle at
Azuchi

Tenka Fubu- A Unified Realm

under Military Rule

His plans were carried out by

Hideyoshi

Monkey (saru)

Defeated Akechi Mutsuhide

Battle of Sekigahara
Ieyasus triumph in

Nobunaga

Great master of tea

Hideyori