Download Beginning of History - and US History NFA Mr Joyce Dr J

N005
Ancient China, Japan,& Korea
6/28/2017
CHINA:
460,000 BC ... Peking man ... prehistoric man known to live
5500 BC ... rice growing culture in Yellow (Hwang He) River Valley
2200 BC (circa) ... earliest known Chinese Dynasty
1760 BC ... SHANG DYNASTY … Yellow /Hwang He River Valley
- writing system: Oracle bones
- use of Bronze ... vessels
- agrarian ... agriculture ... subsistence
- known "class" structure ... with "upper" class
- ancestor worship/veneration
1027 BC ... ZHOU DYNASTY
- located in Yangtze River Valley
- Feudal society
- decentralized ... delegated authority
- Manorialism ... economic system
- local ... village level ... self-sufficient
500 BC ... CONFUCIUS
- Confucian philosophy
- everyone has a place / role in society - self-sacrifice for the group
- competitive examination system
- Mandate of Heaven
- brings order to Chinese society
200 BC - - ->220 AD ... "the GREAT WALL" built ... in sections
- goal: keep out invaders from North (Mongols) … example of Chinese ethnocentrism
- 1500 miles long
- 25 feet high
- 30 feet wide
- fortifications every so meet feet
200 BC - - -> 8 AD ... HAN DYNASTY
- Imperial rule ... monarchy
- laissez-faire ... economic system
- government lets people control own economy
- fewer rules / regulations & taxes
- Confucianism formally adopted
- 1st university established
600 AD ... SUI DYNASTY
- Buddhism introduced
- government is centralized
- bookkeeping made accurate
- Great Wall repaired
700 - 900 AD ... TANG DYNASTY
- Block printing
.... some 600 - 800 years before it occurs in Europe
- Silk Road trade begins
- actually "several" trade routes
- cultural diffusion between Asia & Europe
- silk, ivory, glass vs furs & bronze
1200 AD
- Mongols invade China from North
- Page
1 -
N005
Ancient China, Japan,& Korea
6/28/2017
JAPAN:
- Climate & geography:
archipelago - the geographic term used to describe Japan “a chain of volcanic islands”
- as a result of this Japan:
- has few natural resources
- it still, & has historically has had to import things like oil [from the Persian Gulf]
- between 1894 [the late 1800s] ---> 1945 Japan became imperialistic {IMPERIALISM-taking over an area for your gain/benefit}
- China was seen as having large supplies of coal & thus became an
target of Japan
- a long term effect was the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
[Dec. 7,1941]
*** the resources were used by the Japanese industries
[factories] & Japanese industries
- there isn’t much land
- land is extremely expensive
- many things must be imported
- this reflects in the price of food
- a dozen strawberries cost $35
- a steak dinner is around $125
- being surrounded by the Pacific Ocean & being made up of volcanic islands ARCHIPELAGO
*** JAPAN, like China, has been historically isolated from the West
[Great Britain, France & the United States]
+ the coastline is tricky, there are many reefs, the water depth changes quickly
- the ocean is also a major source of food
- Japan has often been accused of hunting whales, now considered in danger of extinction
climate - Japan covers an area about as long as the U.S. east coast [from Maine to Florida]
- as a result it has a wide variety of climates
- in the north [on the island of Hokkaido] people have cold, snowy winters
- in the south [down by the island of Okinawa] it is warm year-round
- typhoons [hurricanes in the Pacific often strike Japan with devastating results]
- mudslides
- earthquakes: Japan, like California, lies on the Pacific Rim, where some of the plates of the earth meet
People, religion & society
Shintoism - a religion stressing reverence [respect for] the land {this is similar to animism},
it also stresses respect for the country {unlike animism}
- Mt. Fuji, like Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya [Africa], is said to have spiritual powers
Buddhism - practiced in eastern Asia [India, China, Japan, South Korea, Cambodia, Vietnam] - people believe that a
person’s
sufferings/pain is often caused because he/she wants things [money, jewelry, a large house, a big car, an
important, high level job] - the way to stop this pain is to pray and think about what is really good & give up your riches [its good
not to have a lot of things] - people often pray to statues of Buddha for wisdom & knowledge - the statues are often built in
nature, where there is peace & quiet - there are 2 sets of guidelines: the Eightfold Path & the Four Noble Truths
Confucianism - adapted [taken from the Chinese via the Korean Peninsula]
- it has taught the Japanese to know their place in society
- elders [old people: grandparents, are respected & honored]
- sacrifice yourself for the betterment of the group
- if 1 person commits a crime it brings shame on the entire family
- Page
2 -
N005
Ancient China, Japan,& Korea
6/28/2017
- school/education
- the Japanese have adapted the Civil Service Examination System from China
- educational standards are high
- students go to school 240 days a year [including a 1/2 day on Saturday]
- students are divided into 2 groups beginning with the 9th grade
- academic high school: 4 years preparing them for college
- students are expected to do well [COMPETITIVE]
- tremendous pressure is put on them
to do well on National College Entrance Examinations
- like our SATs
- getting into the right college just about guarantees
them a good job as universities have direct links
to companies like Mitsubishi & SONY
*** not passing them means bringing
shame to the family name
- this results at times in suicide
- trade school: 2 years preparing them for the work force
Life in Japan
Traditional - patriarchal extended family system [the eldest male rules]; women are subservient [obey the men]
- strong military influence
- feudalistic society in Japan from 1180 A.D. ---> 1600 A.D.
- based on land rights & loyalty
{see notes on Feudalism in the history section}
- boys learned the trade of the fathers
- girls learned to cook, clean & keep house
- arranged marriages: a go between [miai] was used to set up the CORRECT marriage
- an astrologer was also consulted
- elders [grandparents] were looked up to, respected & taken care of
Modern - patriarchal nuclear family
- still male dominant
- females are expected to stay & keep house
- job opportunities & schooling are limited
- her duty to insure the children do well in school
- husband works long hours
- family breadwinner
- rarely sees children
- family often takes group vacations with the fathers employer [company]
- living costs [the high price] has forced grandparents to fend for themselves
- they no longer live with the eldest son
- society:
- very homogeneous, largely only 1 ethnic race “Japanese”;
- there some other races “Koreans” imported & used/abused especially
around World War II
- very rigid: work-like, every knows there place, an orderly society,
no one would think of J-walking unless everyone did, crime is low
[it is not uncommon/unusual for jewelry to be displayed in open display cases near
store entrances, subways are immaculate [very clean]
- things are expected to go off on time, trains, busses etc. [a highly efficient society]
- Page
3 -
N005
Ancient China, Japan,& Korea
6/28/2017
culture
- landscape gardening: respect for nature, even small gardens seem large; a place for meditation
[influence of Buddhism & Shintoism]
- tea ceremony: appreciation of simple things [simplicity], tranquillity [peace]
- haiku - 17 syllable Japanese poem, create pictures of filled with world meaning [the idea of a peaceful sea
& everything involved in it/that pertains to it]
theater:
kabuki - drama/play that uses male actors wearing white wigs, realistic scenery, long speeches
No Drama - songs & dances, roles passed down from generation to generation, little scenery,
actors wear wooden masks
JAPAN:
- archipelago - chain of volcanic islands
- land limited in size
- prone to natural disasters:
- earthquakes, Tsunamis & typhoons
- island off the coast of Asian mainland
- climate varies due to stretch of latitude ... islands
- cold in north with snow
- warm, tropical in south
- land bridge ... Korean peninsula
- Chinese culture brought to Japan
- Japanese "adapt" it
- writing system
- language
- goverment: monarchy
- Buddhism
- Government starts out as rule by emperor (monarchy)
History
Legend has it that 2 Gods created Japan by dipping their spears into the ocean
- the drops of water became the Japanese islands [the idea of reverence/respect for the land]
- Emperor is said to have descended [come from the sun: also the sign “red circle
on the Japanese flag] & gets his power from it
- he can do no wrong
300 A.D. - Japanese borrow elements of culture from China via the Korean Peninsula
- borrowed Confucianism [philosophy]
- adapted [borrowed & made some changes in] Chinese writing [ideographs: symbol writing]
- this is similar in a way to Egyptian hieroglyphics [symbols/pictures represent words/thoughts]
- later on Buddhism also brought to Japan from Korea
790 - 1200 AD ... HEIAN PERIOD ... Japan's … "Golden Age" …
- Japanese culture
- focus on nature ... & taking time & finding pleasure in simple things
- landscape painting
- gardening
- tea ceremony
- flower arranging
- Haiku ... 17 syllable Japanese poem
- government transitions from monarchy to feudal society
- in house fighting ... 2 families in monarchy
- rise in power of nobility
(aristocracy ... nobility... gentry ... landowners)
+ leads to power being held by SHOGUN ... military general
- Page
4 -
N005
Ancient China, Japan,& Korea
6/28/2017
1180 A.D. - 1600 A.D. - Feudal Period
- Feudalism: a social, political, and economic system based on personal loyalties, class distinctions
& the granting of land rights
- land is given in return for coming to the aid of the person who gave it to you when he goes to war
JAPANESE FEUDAL SOCIETY
emperor - a figurehead [little or no power]
Shogun - military leader [general] holds real power
Daimyo - lord [rich landowners]
Samurai - soldiers
Peasants - work the land
*** unlike Chinese society scholars /educators were not looked up to in Japan ***
*** Japanese feudal society is similar to that found in Europe in Medieval times
[knights in shining armor]***
1274 A.D. - Mongols tried to invade Japan but driven away by
[divine/an act of God]winds in the Sea of Japan called “kamikaze”
- this is where the name of the World War II kamikaze warriors came from
[protector of the homeland]
1639 A.D. - 1867 A.D. - Japan is isolated from the Western world [like China]
- also known as the “Tokugawa Period”
- rule of the Tokugawa Shogun family
- in the 1500’s Christian missionaries arrive in Japan & try to convert the Japanese but are thrown out
- it went against feudal loyalties [outside “foreign influence was rejected”]
- birth of Japanese culture
- 1800’s - peasants are unhappy
- merchants & samurai owe $$$ [yen]
- shogun government is inefficient [doesn’t run smoothly]
KOREA:
- 1st Korea has appeared on the State Regents examination
- Facts to know:
- Korea is a peninsula
- Korea is located between China and Japan
- Korea has been used as a "land bridge" to carry ideas between China and Japan
- Korea was taken over by Japan in 1910
- Japan committed a lot of atrocities (human rights violations) against the Korean people
- Korea is freed from Japanese control after Japan's defeat in 1945
- Page
5 -
N005
Ancient China, Japan,& Korea
6/28/2017
NOTE: The chart at the bottom of this page
has appeared on several State Regents Exams ! ! !
- Page
6 -
N005
Ancient China, Japan,& Korea
6/28/2017
CONFUCIANISM- Philosophy
- founded by Confucius ... circa 500 BC
- Beliefs/Teachings
- everyone has a role, place, job & duty in society
- Mandate of Heaven
- emperor's power to rule comes from Creator
- with it comes responsibility ... set the GOOD example
- if not ... the people have the right to overthrow him
- Filial Piety
- honor & respect your parents / elders
- Five Relationships
- organized social structure ... based on respect & obedience
within the family ... male oriented
- self-sacrifice for the good of society
- written texts:
- the Analects
+ brought order to China
- Competitive Examination System
- people advance in government jobs by taking tests
- highest scores get the grades
DAOISM / TAOISM
- Philosophy in China
- founder Lao Tse
- based on respect for nature
+ nature helps bring peace & unity
- belief in "good" & "evil" .... yin & yang ... constantly in flow / flux
- people often meditate ... martial arts exercises
- ANCESTOR VENERATION
- honoring & respecting the spirits of your departed relatives
LEGALISM
- strict following of the law
+ severe/harsh punishment if you violate the law
- human behavior needs to be controlled
SHINTOISM
- unique to Japan
- nature based philosophy
- respect for the environment
- things in nature have spirits ... kami
- in 1800s ... becomes "nationalistic"
- respect & honor
- nature
- Japan as a nation/country
- belief in self-sacrifice for the glory of the nation
- martydom .... kamikazes
- emperor treated like a god
- after World War II
- Shinto separated from the government
- returns to simple ... nature-based belief system
- Page
7 -