Transcript Ancient Japan, to 645 AD

Ancient Japan, to 645 AD
“Three Patriarchs”: Confucius (in hat),
Buddha (curled hair), Lao Tzu (white
haired elder)
Libertyville HS – World History
Japanese Geography
• Over 3000 islands,
separated from mainland
by Sea of Japan
– 600 inhabited islands
– Four main islands: Honshu,
Kyushu, Shikoku, and
Hokkaido
• Very mountainous terrain
– Internal isolation
Ancient Japan
• First humans arrived
30,000 years ago
– About same time Bering land
bridge existed
– Land bridge between Japan,
Korea and Japan and Russia
(Siberia)
– Jomon Culture formed
around 10,000 BC
Jomon Culture (10,000-200 BC)
• Stone age people
– Hunter gatherers, fishing
– Lived in small tribal groups
– Made pottery (first ever –
surprising; shaped by hand)
• Around 5-2500 BC, Jomon
developed towns, sculpted
figurines
• By 2000 BC, developed
agriculture, artwork
• By 1000 BC, developed
religion (goddess figurines)
Jomon to Yayoi Culture (300200 AD)
• Around 300 BC, Jomon
displaced by wave of
Chinese immigrants, from
Korea
– Explains why Japanese,
Chinese language are in
same family of languages
– Japanese argue Jomon
absorbed Yayoi into their
culture (politics in history)
Spread of Yayoi culture
Yayoi Culture
• Yayoi technologies
– Agriculture (rice cultivation)
– Bronze & iron metallurgy
– Religion to become Shinto
• Modern Japanese
language, culture, social
structure & religion date
from Yayoi immigrants
– Lived in clans (uji)
– Each clan had own god, to
whom chieftain led all prayers
Kofun (300-500 AD)
• Around 300 AD, new
culture emerged in SW part
of Honshu
• These people built giant
tomb mounds, called kofun
(similar practice in Korea)
Various
Kofun
– Tombs filled with armor,
weapons
Kofun, to
scale (400
meters in
length!)
Yamato State (500-645 AD)
• Earliest Japanese state,
ruled by a “Great King”
– Yamato Plain is the richest
agricultural region in Japan
– Yamato nobility based on
Korean models (titles)
– Military nobility became
Japanese constant, until 1868
• Yamato even held lands in
Korea
Yamato State
Japanese Emperor
• In 513 AD, Korean king
sent a Chinese Confucian
scholar to Japan
• Resulted in Chinese
culture being imported
into Japan
– Written language
– Confucianism
– Buddhism
• Long term profound
impact on Japanese
culture, history
Yamato State
• In late 500s, alliance between
Korea, Japan broke down
– Mass Korean immigration
– Yamato military aristocracy
rebelled, too
• Central government
responded with Chinese style
government
– Sent envoys to China to
observe its government
– Adopted 17 Article Constitution
• Combined Confucian, Buddhist
principles
• Created office of Emperor