Transcript Chinese and Japanese Cultures

Chinese and Japanese
Cultures
World History
Mr. Simmons
Ming Dynasty
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Began in 1326 in China with an overthrow of the
Mongols
Confucianism was the religion
Lasted until 1644, expanding into Mongolia,
central Asia and even Vietnam.
Ming Rulers ran Government which was
bureaucracy with officials taking civil service
exams
Began greatness in China
Ming Dynasty
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Emperor Yong Le began construction of Imperial
City(1406), known today as the Forbidden City, home to
China’s emperors for the next 500 years
Chinese rulers thought of foreign rulers as younger
brothers (emperor was seen as son of heaven)
Dynasty declined due to corruption, high taxes, low crop
yields, weak rulers, peasant unrest.
The Manchus (people from Manchuria) conquered
Beijing. Created the Qing (pure) dynasty remained in
power until 1911.
Qing Dynasty
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Martial arts – arts of combat and self-defense.
Started in Han Dynasty in 495, continued by Zen
Buddhist monks as they developed Kung Fu.
Manchu required all men to shave forehead and
braid hair into pigtail (queue)
Kangxi was China’s greatest ruler (1661-1722)
tolerant of Christians but resisted other reforms
of foreign influence in China
Daily life in China
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Population grew from 80 to 300 million between
1390 and 1700.
Commercial capitalism did not develop because
government controlled trade this led to
shortages of land and social unrest
Confucian emphasis on family, elderly were
highly respected, and clans were groups of
families.
Women were considered inferior to men
(practice of foot binding)
Discussion Questions
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Why do you think the Chinese resisted
outside influence so much?
What is one difference and similarity
between Confucianism and Christianity?
Does America have the same focus on
family as China does?
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Japanese
Culture
Daimyo are heads of noble families, often
warred with each other.
The Three Unifiers
Oda Nobunaga seized capital and placed
shogun under his control in the 1540’s.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi moved capital to Osaka
around 1580.
Tokugawa Ieyasu a powerful daimyo from Edo
seized power in 1598 took title of shogun in
1603. These rulers kept power until 1868. and
unified Japan in what is called the “Great
Peace”
Japan under Tokugawa
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Europeans were welcome until Jesuit
missionaries destroyed shrines. After these acts
Christians were expelled or persecuted.
Feudal system was controlled by Tokugawa
rulers, land was divided into over 250 hans. A
daimyo controlled each and the shogunate
controlled the daimyo by a hostage system.
The hostage system the daimyo had to maintain
two residences. One in their own lands another
in Edo where the shogun resides. (family or
daimyo)
Economic and Social Changes
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Trade and manufacturing started to prosper as
Confucian barriers started to break down.
In 1750 Edo was the world’s largest city of over
1 million people. Merchant class evolved which
led to banking system and paper currency.
This helped many but also hurt many over 7000
peasant revolts occurred under the Tokugawa
rule.
Class system became rigid, four classes evolved:
warriors, peasants, artisans, and merchants.
Intermarriage was forbidden
Japanese Class System
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The Emperor and court were at top
Next was the warrior class – shogun,
daimyo, samurai, and ronin
Next was farmers and artisans (trade
workers)
Last were the merchants because they
profited from the labor of others.
Korea: The Hermit Kingdom
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Yi Dynasty remained in power from 14th Century
until 17th Century
Capitol was in Hanyang (Seoul)
“Hermit Kingdom” because rulers tried to isolate
from outside world.
Korea eventually succumbed to the Manchu
army in 1630’s and came into Chinese control.
Largely untouched by European merchants and
Christian missionaries.
Discussion Questions
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What American Political figures can be
compared to the three unifiers of Japan?
How would you react to missionaries from a
foreign culture destroying religious shrines?
What was the main reason for rigidifying the
class system?
China, Japan, and Korea all tied to keep out
Western influence. Of these three which one
remains isolated today?