Transcript The Influences of Neighboring Cultures on Japan

Nara Period
Review:
1. Name the religion founded in Japan.
2. This religion believes that everything has
___________.
Preview:
3. Name the large empire closest to Japan.
4. Name the moral, belief system popular
founded in China.
5. Name a religion that was popular in China
for a while (not the same answer as #4 above).
The Mirror Game
 Raise right hand
 Touch left shoulder
 Raise left hand
 Lift right knee
 Touch right ear
 Touch left ear
 Touch nose
 Touch chin with right
 Raise both hands
hand
 Touch right cheek with
left hand
 Comb hair with right
hand
 Make imaginary circle
with left hand.
 Touch left ear
Today’s Topic
 Just like the song at the beginning of class “Just Like
Me,” and the Mirror Game; we will be studying a
time period in Japan when they were modeling
themselves after China.
 Time period is called the “Nara Period”
Textbook and Comp Book
 Textbook page 222
 Comp Book Title: “The Nara Period and
Buddhism”
 Read “Prince Shotoku” and “The Nara Period” pg 223
 Notes:
Japan’s History
Prior to 7th century (600s) Japan was ruled by
individual clans. The clan leader practiced Shinto
to protect clan.
The Nara Period: Adapting Chinese Ideas
The capital city of Nara.
Designed just like
China’s capital city.
 Nara period – A time period in Japan
from 700-794 heavily influenced by
Chinese civilization and
culture. Capital city was located in
Nara.
Cultural Diffusion Reaches Japan
Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism
Cultural Diffusion Reaches Japan
Buddhism
Confucianism
Buddhism
Buddhism
Writing: Applying Chinese Characters to Japanese
 Writing is borrowed from China.
 Ancient Japanese is not a written language.
 Japan learns to write in Chinese characters.
 Then, Japanese adapt Chinese writing to their own
language.
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Kanji, or ‘Chinese writing’. Characters based on Chinese
characters.
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Difficult to write some Japanese words and ideas in kanji.
Kana, or ‘borrowed letters’. Kana represent syllables in
Japanese.

Kana lets people spell out Japanese words in writing.
Literature: Adapting Chinese Poetic Forms
 Earliest written Japanese
literature from 7th and 8th
centuries.
 Poets write in Japanese,
using Chinese characters.
 Develop a form of poetry
called a tanka, based on
songs from Japan’s oral
tradition.
 31 syllables
 Five lines of 5, 7, 5, 7, 7
syllables.
A tanka by Fujiwara no
Shunzei
1114 – 1204
To one who rarely comes
here
The wind through the
pines
Sounds sad at night time.
Does she hear it always
Beneath the moss?
Sculpture
 Earliest Japanese sculptures are clay, probably
meant to accompany or protect the dead.
 Buddhist sculpture:
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First Buddhist sculptures in Japan made by Chinese and
Korean craftsmen.
Japanese craftsmen learn technique from them, and develop
their own style.
Wood is commonly used for sculpture in Japan.
Architecture
 Buddhists also bring new
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styles of architecture to
Japan.
Japanese architects
borrow the pagoda style
from China.
Shrines and temples are
built all over Japan.
Pagodas have 3, 5, 7 or 9
layers of roof.
Shinto shrines are also
built in this style.
Music: Adopting New Music and Instruments
 Native Japanese music is chanted,
using just a few notes.

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War songs
Folk songs
Shinto prayers
 Later on, the Japanese began to
import musical styles and
instruments from China. These
included:
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Gagaku, a kind of music popular at
the Chinese court.
The sheng, which the Japanese call a
sho. This is a type of mouth organ
made of bamboo sections. It is
supposed to sound like the call of a
phoenix.
China’s influence in the Nara Period
China
China’s culture in
Japan
 All powerful emperor
 All powerful emperor
 Confucianism
 Confucianism
 Buddhism
 Buddhism + Shinto
 Writing
 Writing
 Architecture
 Architecture
 Poetry
 Poetry
 Musical Styles and
 Musical Styles and
instruments
instruments
Two Religions Coexist
 Buddhism does not
replace Shinto.
 Instead, the two
religions both continue,
and even blend with
each other.
 Each religion satisfies
different needs for
worshippers.
 A saying: “Born Shinto,
die Buddhist.”
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Weddings and birth
ceremonies tend to be
Shinto.
Funerals tend to be
Buddhist.
Buddhism + Shinto
 Japanese people practiced both Shinto and
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Buddhism
Many worshipped at Shinto shrines and
Buddhist temples
Each religion met different needs.
Shinto was for their daily life.
Buddhism was for their afterlife.
Shinto rituals in wedding ceremonies, births,
etc..
Buddhist funerals.
Conclusion
Japan was influenced by Korea and China because
A. They are all near each other
B. they once all had the same rulers
C. through the Chinese and Koreans fighting on
Japanese land
Conclusion
The idea of nature being sacred (special or holy) with
spirits belongs to which religion?
A. Buddhism
B. Hinduism
C. Islam
D. Shinto
Conclusion
 Which of the following is the traditional religion of
Japan?
A.Shinto
B.Buddhism
C. Christianity
D.Islam
Conclusion
 Do you agree with the following sentence and why?
Most Japanese practiced both Shinto and Buddhism.
A.Yes, the Japanese believe that all of their needs can
be met by practicing both.
B.Yes, but only because Shinto does not talk about
nature.
C.No, if you practice Buddhism you cannot practice
anything else.
D. No, Shinto does not allow its followers to practice
another religion.
Conclusion
 (7.27) A difference between the religions of
Buddhism and Shinto is that Shinto:
A. believes in the afterlife for good behavior
B. connects man to nature and their homeland
C. is practiced by martial arts
D. came to Japan from China
Conclusion
 (7.29) Which of the following describes Japan
during the Nara period?
A. Japan was heavily influenced by China: an all
powerful emperor, officials were appointed by the
emperor to help him govern smaller districts
B. Japan was ruled by shoguns and samurais
protected the nobles and fought for more land.
C. Mongols captured Japan during the Nara period
and ruled for almost 90 years.