week 13 (with footnote)

Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) was a retainer shōgun, who had strict control/ intimidating tactics and gained power during a time of political instability in Japan, by being chosen as one of the five to balance out the lack of a new emperor (since the son next in line was too young) and as he had tried to restore unity and order in Japan. For example on how achieved intimidating authority and control was the succession of The Battle of Sekigahara, where trained musketeers used firearms in a strategic lined formation one after the other. After this win, he banned and hid away these weapons, in order for there to be no way they can be used against him. Terrified and paranoid of assassination and loosing his power, Tokugawa retreated and hid away, essentially, to the tower of Edo Castle that he created, making it impenetrable. His design incorporated very few entry points and various waterways surrounding the inner areas; the country was made up of a network of strictly confined and lightly populated provinces (Mikawa, Tōtōmi, Suruga, Shinano, and Kai), managed and controlled by lords and samurai. This was his idea of controlling people and preventing attacks and rebels (making sure they cannot organize against him), while also restricting when and where people can go, which made it difficult to gather resources to fight back. There was also no marriages or relations with other provinces, thwarting any possibly of alliances nor time to even think about rebelling; every six months everyone in the provinces were forced to spend half of their year performing service at the palace. Each province travelled to the castle, in order to handle their affairs, in a specific way, according to their status; the wife/children stayed at Edo castle and went their separate ways from the rest of their family, having to live apart and wait for service to end. The journey to the castle consisted of various parades of samurai and people traveling back and forth ( but no matter what, there was always someone at Edo to make sure everyone was behaving and doing their tasks) and if someone tried to rebel, they would be killed, along with the wife and children waiting in the castle. Created a road and bridges network of five. Tokugawa’s rule was characterized by extreme strict control and a strong desire to maintain his power. He was worried and paranoid about assassination and rebellion, which led him to take extreme measures to prevent anyone from challenging him. While his tactics were effective in maintaining stability, they also restricted people’s freedom and prevented the development of more democratic forms of government, which had many negative effects on Japan. Although it prevented civil war and rebellion, his tactics were highly restrictive and controlling, limiting freedom and opportunities for a sense of control and meaning in people’s lives (and pursuing their own goals and career paths). This led to a lack of cultural and economic growth; the lack of social mobility and limited opportunities for people in the lower classes prompted Japan to have a slow lack of progress and contributing to the global economy, compared to other nations. The fear the Japanese felt toward Christianity is reflected in the renunciation of the Christian faith reproduced in Document 16.

Regarding incoming foreigners, who have dangerous weapons and christian faith overwhelmed Tokugawa and he forced to get rid of any sense of these things. Christians used to be okay because it was new to them, but now things became gruesome, as they were thrown in pits of fire and their ashes were scattered in the sea. Christians became very disliked and this led to murder and the sea even needed to be purified. Not all foreigners were banned (mostly christian’s); the Dutch stayed because they disliked the british and christian’s, and said they were interested in making money. One head man was appointed to be held accountable for the Dutch as a whole. They reported to the shogun in Edo once a year and everyone else has to stay on the island. During this time, no japanese were allowed off of islands to travel until the 1850’s, although things were still imported: phrase books to learn dutch, anatomy, medicine, and astronomy . The decision to close the country was set in place in order to gain stability and peace that Tokugawa sought. The prohibition of Japanese ships to trade overseas in Document 13 eliminated competition against the Dutch trade. The policy of seclusion1 (closed country) from 1633 to 1853 was mainly driven by the fear of Christianity and the desire to monopolize all the benefits from foreign trade (which the Dutch then took advantage of this by monopolizing trade).

Xavier and the Western Princes on Horseback, two-panel detail of a four-panel byobu screen painting, colour and gold leaf on paper; in the Kōbe City Museum, Kōbe, Japan. Black and White.

Xavier and the Western Princes on Horseback [an example of how westerners were depicted by the Japanese] — I also touched upon this in my show and tell 4

Policy of Seclusion, or ‘sakoku’ is the Japanese term for closed country. The Japanese policy consisted of a series of directives implemented over several years during the Edo Period, or ‘Tokugawa period’ during 1603–1867, that enforced self-isolation from foreign powers in the early 17th century. Munez, Everett. “sakoku”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/topic/sakoku. Accessed 23 April 2023.

“Control of Vassals.” In David John Lu. Japan: A Documentary History, 203-208. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1997.

“Closing the Country.” In David John Lu. Japan: A Documentary History, 220-228. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1997.

Japan Emerging: Premodern History to 1850.”, edited by Karl F. Friday. New York, NY: Routledge, 2018.

show and tell 4

my art piece of a foreigner referenced from how the Japanese stereotyped them.

For my show and tell project I wanted to represent the stereotypical depiction of “southern barbarians”. For some context, during the 17th century, the Edict of 1635 was ordered as a law to follow. This was the closing of Japan from the rest of the world (meaning, no one can leave nor enter) and this edict had an exception for Dutch and Chinese traders (until 1853). This policy of seclusion was prompted by the fear and misunderstanding of the spread of Christianity, which was an act of desire for the monopolization of foreign trade and a gruesome act against Christians. There was also another law, Completion of the Exclusion in 1639, which Tokugawa then excluded foreign influences from Japan to preserve their culture/political stability. The Fate of the Embassy from Macoa in 1640 by Antonio Cardin S.J. was sent by the Portuguese, in hope of regaining the ability to trade (the representatives were all put to death), which just further presents the aggressive fear Tokugawa felt towards Christians and the terrifying force and power he is willing to use to prevent them from entering Japan. During the time of foreign trade, there were traditional Japanese art pieces, defined as Nanban, or “southern foreigners”, that depict the way the Japanese viewed the foreigners. Many of these artworks are extremely stereotypical, with physical features: mustaches, small beards, long noses, hats, ruffles, and large pants. There was also an exaggeration of height, wearing capes, or having “exotic” creatures i.e. birds, elephants, peacocks, tigers, etc. I recreated this portrayal of the foreigners by including all of these features shown above. I chose to draw a man with baggy clothing, ruffles, a cape and hat, facial hair, a long nose, and a bird.

Hoakley. “From Silk to Canvas: 2 Saints and Namban Screens.” The Eclectic Light Company, 18 Aug. 2015, https://eclecticlight.co/2015/08/18/from-silk-to-canvas-2-saints-and-namban-screens/. 

“Closing the Country.” In David John Lu. Japan: A Documentary History, 220-228. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 1997.

week 12

Hid­eyoshi is a powerful warlord in Japan during the late 16th century and received a Korean embassy in Kyoto on December 3, 1590. They presented him with a letter of state congratulating him on having unified Japan. But, he then responded to the letter (very arrogant) implying that the Korean delegates had brought him a message of submission from their ruler, even though it was a message of congratulations. The delegates objected to his tributes, but their complaints were brushed under the rug. Hideyoshi announced his plan to invade Ming China, Korea’s suzerain, and also hinted that Korea was expected to play a significant part. Hideyoshi used legends to mystify his origins, like he is some kind of transcendency mighty lineage). He also expressed his desire to spread his fame throughout the ‘Three Countries’ – Japan, China, and India. Hideyoshi said that he wants to invade the Great Ming and introduce Japanese customs and values to the provinces of that country (basically having imperial rule and culture for years and years). He also warned that people who don’t offer homage would not be granted pardon (even if they were from islands in the sea). He said that his mother had dreamt that the wheel of the sun had entered her womb at the time of his conception and now, (because of this miracle) anyone who turned against him was automatically doomed. He never lost battles, and wherever he attacked, he always conquered. He claimed that he had conquered the rebels and took down the bandits within the span of three-four years, which made everyone calmer. The citizens lived well and wealth produced by the land increased. Hideyoshi’s response to the Korean delegates led him to bragging about his achievements/ambitions and intimidated them of his military strength. You see how arrogant he is and how he just disregards diplomatic respect.

There are descriptions of traumatic experiences of a person and their family during the Japanese invasion of Korea in the late 16th century. The father had a boat (hoping to find and use it to escape from the Japanese ships), but they were discovered and captured. They all jumped into the sea in an attempt to escape, but were caught and tied up by the Japanese. The family lost their father, the spirit tablets of their deceased mother and eldest brother, and their children. I think this was to describe the trauma and loss experienced by the Korean community, during the Japanese invasion. The family was not alone in their suffering, as dead bodies were piled high on the coast in all directions. The way this is written, you can see the despair from the loss of life; “What was life; for what crime were people dying?” Fate and destiny are intertwined within this writing as well; everything in life is destined even if you don’t know that. The dream of a dragon child led to the naming of their son “Dragon”, interestingly expresses the belief in Korean culture that dreams can foretell the future, but the son’s drowning shows that even with the belief in destiny, you can still be affected by fate. This really describes the trauma and devastation experienced by the Korean people during the Japanese invasion very well, and fate and destiny , their cultural beliefs of the time. This was also about a Korean family captured by the Japanese; the family was separated, with the legal wives being taken onto a Japanese ship and the remaining members being placed on separate boats. They are hungry, mistreated, and there were many deaths during this captivity. I found it intriguing the resilience of the family, as they survived for nine days without food and extreme hardship. There is also a lot of poetry expressing the emotions of the narrator. The author uses this to show grief/sorrow over the loss of family members and the suffering that they endure. I think this allows him to process his emotions and make sense of his experiences. It explains the brutality of war and the toll that it takes on innocent civilians. The family was mistreated and abused by their captors, and several members were killed or died as a result of the captivity, so it shows the human cost of conflict and the need for peace and understanding between nations. This was a vivid and emotional telling of the experiences of a Korean family during a time of war and captivity, which is a powerful reminder of the strength of the human spirit and how we need compassion/empathy when we are in suffering. 

hideyoshi in late 16th century

traditional japanese art style

source

Oda Nobunaga. “Letter to the King of Korea”. In Sources of Japanese Tradition, Vol. 1: From Earliest Times to 1600, compiled by Wm. Th. de Bary, Donald Keene, George Tanabe, and Paul Varley, 465-67. Second edition. Introduction to Asian Civilizations. New York: Columbia Univ. Press, 2001.

week 11

I really enjoyed reading about Zen. It brings one to realize the importance of the attainment of enlightenment through meditation and interaction with a Zen teacher. Zen originated from the Sanskrit word ‘dhyana’ or meditation, and it is the Japanese term of the Chinese Ch’an, which is a blend of Buddhism and Daoist naturalism. The practice is culturally significant in the West and influenced the traditional arts in Japan. Zen was developed in China by teachers: Hongren and Shenziu, who believed that sudden enlightenment was brought about with enigmatic stories and questions, or koans. The persecution of Buddhism by the Tang Dynasty in 845 led to the destruction of many great monasteries, but Ch’an was disregarded. As a result, monastic Buddhism in China and priesthood was almost entirely Ch’an, although popular religion favored ‘Pure Land Buddhism’. In the 12th and 13th centuries, Ch’an was introduced as Zen Buddhism in Japan, during the Kamakura era. Eisai went to China to bring back the Rinzai school of Zen and Dogen did the same for the Soto school. Rinzai taught intense interaction between roshi and disciple, using a lot of koans, while Soto taught a quieter type of Zen, where realization is attained little by little doing zazen and daily work. The Ashikaga or Muromachi period was the golden age of Zen in Japan. Under support by the shoguns of the Ashikaga house, Zen architecture, gardens, flower arrangement, the ‘tea ceremony’, and Noh plays, flourished. Zen’s monastic discipline and its art appealed to many warriors, who needed to prepare to face death in battle. Martial arts like kendo, the ‘way of the sword’, and Zen’s kind of indifference to life or death and its focus on the present moment (where you have to act spontaneously, without overthinking) became popular. The foundational Zen practice is zazen, or ‘sitting meditation’. Traditionally, it is done in the ‘lotus posture’, with your legs crossed, each foot on the opposite thigh, your back and head erect, and eyes focused ahead; the breathing needs to be slow and deep. In the Rinzai tradition, someome learning has to hold a koan in their mind during the zazen, and later needs to explain the meaning of the koan to the roshi, not by actually saying an explanation, but through a gesture/cry showing that they’re a part of the universe in some way. Zen is a form of Buddhism originated in China and is a combination of Buddhist ideals (monastic discipline and enlightenment) and Daoist naturalism. Zen is the attainment of enlightenment through meditation, focusing on being in the present moment, naturalness of medium and movement, harmony with nature, and simplicity. I also found the Ryōanji rock garden so beautiful. I admire how strong the earthen wall is, as it withstands all the seasons and weather, with just being made up of rapeseed oil and clay. The amount of thought that was needed to have the specific perspective, small incline, and intricate and detailed placement of the stones amazes me (and the way that it’s all a mystery who came up with these ideas). It would be really cool if it was designed to read as a koan and I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of people meditated there. The additional material also peaked my interest, in particular the concepts of “wabi” and “sabi.” Wabi considers beauty as threefold: simple beauty, unpretentious beauty, and austere beauty. I found this interesting because when talking about Buddhism and Zen, the idea of beauty is never really explored (it’s primary focus “enlightenment”). “Wabi” compared to “sabi” also interested me; “sabi” is defined as loneliness in an aesthetic sense. At first this concept did not make sense, but I think it is how on the path to enlightenment is solitary and personal. It seemed to me before to the reading that aesthetics and beauty are antithetical to Buddhism, because I was under the assumption that material goods and the material world should be discarded when attempting to reach enlightenment. Zen Buddhism embraces beauty— and distinguishes beauty into different sects.

painted silk portrait of Kukai/Kobo Daishi (scholar, poet, and monk who founded Shingon Buddhism in Japan)

source

Ellwood, Robert, and Ellwood. “Zen Buddhism.” In Encyclopedia of Global Religions, by Wade Roof, and Mark Juergensmeyer. Sage Publications, 2011.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/10nb8SsHNLh-E2xdBi49A9DDudSoj8Bdaypmgfhdg5vc/edit?usp=share_link

week 10

The Kenmu Code is a set of laws set in place in Japan in the 14th century during the Kenmu Restoration by the emperor to restore imperial rule, as there was political turmoil and the government was unstable. The reading consists of Articles 1 through 17 of the Kenmu Code. Articles 1 and 2 of the Kenmu Code establish the position of the emperor as the highest authority in the land and prohibit any attempts to undermine his authority. Article 3 sets out the duties of the shogun, who is responsible for defending the country and carrying out the emperor’s orders. Articles 4 through 7 address the appointment of government officials and their duties. The code establishes a system of appointments based on merit, rather than social status or political connections. Officials are expected to be honest, hardworking, and loyal to the emperor. Article 8 sets out the rules for the military, requiring soldiers to be disciplined and obedient, and to follow the orders of their superiors. Article 9 prohibits the carrying of weapons by anyone other than authorized military personnel. Articles 10 through 14 deal with the administration of justice, including the appointment of judges and the rules for conducting trials. The code emphasizes the importance of fairness and impartiality in the administration of justice. Articles 15 through 17 address taxation and the collection of revenue. The system of taxation is based on the amount of land owned by individuals, and requires the government to use tax revenue to support the military and maintain public works. Articles 1 through 17 of the Kenmu Code set out the basic principles for a stable and effective government and insist on the importance of loyalty to the emperor, fair administration of justice, and responsible use of public resources. These codes reveal the state of affairs in the capital at that time, as they reflect the political, economic, and social changes brought about by the restoration. It highlights the importance of loyalty to the emperor, the need to maintain social order, and the protection of private property. In comparison though, the Seventeen Article “constitution” of Prince Shotoku, written in the 7th century, focused more on moral and ethical principles that should guide rulers and their subjects. It significantly explains the importance of having benevolence, justice, and harmony, and having rulers to act in the best interest of their people. It reflects the ideals from Buddhism and Confucianism, as it mentions education and the pursuit of knowledge, which is key in life. I feel like the Kenmu codes focus more on specific legal issues, while the Seventeen Article “constitution” was more philosophical and aimed to provide a sense of structure for rulers. Similarly, I think they both have give insight into the values and beliefs of the eras they were written in.

portrait of Go-Daigo (emperor at the time of kenmu codes)

source

“The Kenmu Code.” In Sources of Japanese Tradition, Vol. 1: From Earliest Times to 1600, compiled by Wm. Th. de Bary, Donald Keene, George Tanabe, and Paul Varley, 419-420. Second edition. Introduction to Asian Civilizations. New York: Columbia Univ. Press, 2001.

The Bakuhan System, https://www.britannica.com/place/Japan/The-bakuhan-system, Encyclopedia Britannica March 29, 2023. 

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