The first settlers of Japan are supposed to be the "Ainous", hunters and fisherman coming from Siberia in 13000 b.c.. A few of their descendants are still living in Hokkaido.
A second wave of immigration took place in 300 b.c. People arrived from the corean peninsula and settled in the Yamato region. Those immigrants are the main ancestors of the japanese.
The Yamato culture very likely brought forth the emperor dynasty. The emperor (Tenno) and his family are said to be direct descendants of Amaretasu (the goddess of sun and the universe). The japanese emperor dynasty is the oldest dynasty in the world and derives its legitimacy from the connection of these goddess, as Amaretasu is also a part of the japanese myth cycle and also a major deity of the Shinto religion.
The shinto religion is less about moral instructions as about ritual immaculateness, ancestor worship and worshipping of elements of nature. The temple of Ise is Japan's most important shinto temple. Shintuism has little doctrines and has evolved little over time.
China started to influence Japan significantly from 600 a.c onwards. Japaneses travelers were extremely impressed by Chinas power, wealth and technological innovations, which lead to a period of exchange with and immigration from China. From that time stemms the buddhist influence on Japan, which can be witnessed in Nara (Kansai Region), the first capital of Japan with its many buddhist temples.
Also during that time the japanese adopted the chinese script (Kanji). But not only did the japanese adopt chinese chartacters and religion. They also adopted ground plans, (from confucionism influenced) statute books and chinese paintings and poetry. Especially art and poetry granted the japanese dynasty the prestige of from china stemming culture. Finally, one can say that it was China who contributed significantly to Japan's unification.
In 794 a.c. the Tenno instructed to build a new capital city, Heian-kyō (the present day city of Kyoto). It used to be the emperor's residence till 1868. Life was very developed at the emperor's palace in terms of fine arts (calligraphy, poetry), but it also was becoming more and more escapist.
In the 12th century Japan adopted the Zen buddhism, which had its origins in China. The result was a stronger linkage between religion and political power. Zen is less a religion than an attitude, a kind of philosophy. Japan started to fuse its shinto divinities with the philosophy of the Zen buddhism.
In the 13th. century the mongolians (who already had conquered almost whole Asia) tried to conquer Japan from the south. Two times Kublai Khan failed because of strong storms. Since then the japanese are convinced of the holiness and invincibility of their country. The gods sent the Taifun (the wholy wind) which means Kamikaze in japanese.
Around the middle of the 16th century other foreigners, mainly portuguese, set foot on japanese soil (coming via Formosa, which is today known as Taiwan). They introduced christanity to the japanese.
A very important japanese personality during that time used to be Toyotomi Hideyoshi who took control of Japan in 1590. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a preeminent daimyo (= powerful territorial Lord), warrior, general and politician of the Sengoku period who is regarded as Japan's second "great unifier."
Hideyoshi was also the one who decreed the first edict against the christians in the country, who had gained considerable influence in Japan after the portuguese arrived.
Between 1592-1597 Hideyoshi tried to conquer Corea without success. It was the first time Japan tried to capture territory.
When Hideyoshi died another dynasty took over the shogunate, the Tokugawa. The Tokugawa transferred the capital. Edo, now known as Tokyo, became the new capital city.
After the commotion in the past, the Tokugawa were convinced that stricter rules were necessary. They decreed to seal off the country from the rest of the world and life within Japan was organized more uniformely. The "chained country" (Sakoku) was established.
Sakoku was basically the foreign relations policy of Japan under which (almost) no foreigner could enter nor could any Japanese leave the country on penalty of death (Sounds familiar anlo- saxon corporate raiders?). The only exception was a little outpost (Djerma) of the dutch east india company infront of Nagasaki.
The Tokugawa Shogunate had the real power and the emperor had almost nothing to say. Only civil servants were allowed to travel within the country.
Christianity was more and more seen as a threat, as rebellion of the peasants was mainly instigated by missionaries. Missionaries were expelled out of the country by 1614. In 1638 30´000 christians were slaughtered on the island of Kyushu.
But not all was bad under the absolutism of the Tokugawa. It is regarded as the longest period of peacetime in Japan. Agriculatural production increased significantly and the cities, trade and the guild of merchants flourished. The Tokugawa dynasty lasted for roughly 250 years.
In the middle of the 19th century Japan, still sealed off to the rest of the world, observed anxiously the development of maritime trade. England and North America (among other western nations) increasingly dominated the maritime trade in east- and south-east Asia. Russia established Vladiwostock. And all nations were eager getting access to japaneses ports. The shogunate rejected all demands of opening up its harbours and the unfair contracts enforced on China by the western nations reassured the Shogunate of the potentially detrimental effect of opening its country to foreign powers.
But militarialy Japan wasn't able to maintain the compartmentilisation. Peasants lived in poverty and famines were a permanent threat. The power of the shogunate was dwindling.
In 1853 the american commodore Perry forced the japanese to open up its ports for foreign trade. The shogunate caved in the demands and finally collapsed in 1868.
){kind=link}
No comments:
Post a Comment