Download Chinese Influence in Japan

Chinese Influence in
Japan
You are learning about China’s
influence on culture, politics, and
economics in Japan.
Japan’s Geography
• Chain of islands
– Isolated from rest of
Asia
• Like CHINA, Japan is
covered by mountains
– Earthquake prone
• 20% of land is
farmable
• Made living on and
from the sea
• Fiercely independent
society
Early Japan
• Jomon – “cord marks”, earliest group,
made living from fishing
• Yayoi – intro. Farming to Japan, prob.
learned skills from CHINESE and Koreans
• Yamato – claim to be descendants of the
sun goddess, Japan’s present emperor is
a Yamato!!
Yamato Period: 300-710
Began promoting the adoption of
CHINESE culture (sent officials to
study in China):
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Confucianism.
Language (kanji characters).
Buddhist sects.
Chinese art & architecture.
Government structure.
“Great Kings” era
Prince Shotoku: 573-621
 Adopted CHINESE
culture and
Confucianism.
 Buddhist sects
allowed to develop.
 Created a new
government
structure
Created a
constitution
SHINTO
• Shinto- “way of the spirits”
– Animism- believe that all natural things (mountains, water, etc.)
have spirits.
– Kami- nature spirits
– Shrines- holy places were spirits are worshiped.
• There are "Four Affirmations"in Shinto:
– Tradition and the family: Their main celebrations relate to birth
and marriage.
– Love of nature: Nature is sacred; to be in contact with nature is
to be close to the Gods.
– Physical cleanliness: Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their
hands, and rinse out their mouth often.
– "Matsuri": The worship and honor given to the Kami and
ancestral spirits.
ORIGAMI
• Origami ("Paper of the spirits"): This is a
Japanese folk art in which paper is folded
into beautiful shapes. They are often seen
around Shinto shrines. Out of respect for
the tree spirit that gave its life to make the
paper, origami paper is never cut.
• Get ready to make a flapping bird.
• GOOD LUCK!! 