Emergence of Japan

Ring of Fire-frequent earthquakes and volcanoes-tsunami; tidal waves caused by underwater quakes

Heian Period-794-1185-Elegant court, fantasy world for nobles-Strict traditions-Elaborate fashions-Women were not suppose to learn kana-Women had most significant literature contributions -Novels and poems provided details of the court-Lady Muraski, The Tale of Genji-Poems, stories don't have happy ending, theme-Outside fantasyland civil war and peasant unrest

Geography-archipelago; chain of islands -4 main islands-size of Montana-both isolated and protected by seas-valleys, little farmable land-coastal plains-hard at first to unite-fishing and trade-able to decide how much Chinese influence

The Emergence of Japan

Early traditions -Society split into clans, uji-Each had chief God/goddess original ancestor-Yamato clan, AD 500-First and only dynasty -Direct descent from sun god-Honored, nature spirits, kami-Worship of spirits, Shinto-Tradition still popular-Shrines throughout, natural surroundings-Usually dedicated to something special in nature-Japan and Korea exchange ideas and technology-also fought each other-Korea introduced Buddhism about AD 500-Japanese interested in China

Importing from China-Nobles head to China to learn-Govt, tchnology, art-Absolute rule, strengthened central govt-Developed govt bureaucracy -Law code-Countryside was still controlled by old clans-New capital and court after Chinese-New traditions from China, dress and tea-Buddhism and pagoda-Confucian ideas-Slowed, selective borrowing; kept some, discarded or modified others-Later, tried to regain Japanese identity-Kana; system of writing, phonetic symbols representing syllables