Notes on Korea

JAPAN & FEUDAL AGE

Unique Geography:

  * Archipelago- a chain of islands
  * 4 islands- Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu
  * 4/5 is barren land- bad (mountains too)
Have to live on the sea- seaweed/ fish
rain helps some farming
  * Fish industry
  * Far enough to not be invaded.
Close enough to trade/ be influenced/ take ideas
  * Ring of Fire- surrounded by volcanoes
Earthquakes cause Tsunamis
= Feared Nature

Ainu-     people before Japan was established
  * pushed out to Hokkaido
Uji     -     clans
  * own chief & ancestral god
  * can be women

Yamato Clan:   (ONLY DYNASTY IN THE WHOLE OF JAPAN)
  * Conquered corner of Honshu (1000yrs)
  * Set up 1st and only dynasty
  * Rising sun- flag/ symbol (yellow)
  * Ancestors- sun goddess Amasterasu

Shinto:
  * Kami- superior power in nature
  * Shinto = “the way of kami”
  * Temples:
  * Located in beautiful naturesque places/ pas de fancy buildings

Korea influences Japan:
  * Language- Japanese is related to Korean- but not to Chinese at all!
  * Migration- Korean metal workers/ artisans went to Japan
  * Fought sea wars all the time
  * Korea gave Buddhism to Japan
  * Chinese language  
  * Curiosity about China to Japan
(even though its not something to give -.-)

China influences Japan:

  1. Japanese students study in China- bring back culture (tech)
  2. Government:
  *

‘Heavenly Emperor’- rules w/ absolute power
  * Bureaucracy- only for royals, not small clans
  * Similar Law Code
  3. Capitol Nara- designed after Chang’an of the Tangs
  * Chinese fashion, food, music, dance, and tea parties
  4. Officials wrote imp. documents in Chinese
  5. Buddhism
  6. Confucianism (feudalism/ hunger for learning)
  7. Pagoda architecture

Selective Borrowing:
  * Borrowed some from Chinese and left out/ modified others
  * Ex 1. In china, anyone could take test & become an official (earned)...