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AnonymousProfessor Yamashita's presentation and delivery of material on Classical Japan further dispel myths about Japanese fabled origins descending from a singular genetic stock. His information revealed possible ramifications on how the archipelago early inhabitants may have traveled across vast land masses and in the process, come in contact with other groups gathering a variety of genetic traits. It appears that, the early period of Japanese historical background continues to be open for ongoing research as new evidence is uncover and technology established with exactitude its place in the Japanese historical timeline. The lecture was interesting, the eloquent narrative of Japanese geography and its peoples, religious practices and beliefs, development of distinct social classes, education, achievements in the arts, poetry, architecture, burial rituals and monuments. Prior to this lecture, I was unaware of the Japanese ethnic and cultural diversity.
AnonymousOnce again, I appreciated great lecture on classical Japan by Professor Yamashita. I often find historians of particular ethnic group more bias, but professor Yamashita was fair and objective, clarifying origin and historical connections between China, Japan and Korea. I will look forward for next lecture.
AnonymousPrior to Professor Yamashita and this lecture on the origins of Japan and classical Japan I was unaware of the five pre-historical evidence. The prehistorical evidence helps us further look into and understand the ethnic and cultural diversity of Japan. I was amazed by the research on fingerprints and blood types based on the northern and southern part of Japan. Another interesting point was the Ural-Altaic language family. It was all over the place including Cambodia. I would have never thought that this many dialects and languages were a part of the Japanese language. There was also a physical difference in stature with the Jomon and Yayoi people. In my class I try to teach cultural appreciation and awareness. I love looking for similarities to share with the children to help them understand that there are similarities than they think.
Anonymousagree with you! An effective historian/presenter is convincing in his/her delivery when they set aside their personal bias and present/facilitate the information with fidelity to the historical subject based on research and historical evidence. I like his professional demeanor while delivering the lecture and his awareness on keeping current with revisionist history. Given that, new discoveries are continuously springing into history annals. Consequently historical facts are corroborated by the community at large. I particular like the way he made a distinction comparing the old and the new using humor, and present day examples so the audience could relate to the material. I could see using his technique of making personal connections when trying to teach difficult subjects, such as ancient history to my middle school students.
AnonymousI became very interested in the Shinto religion. To be honest, I am quite uninformed as to what the (semi-[per the readings]) indigenous belief systems/traditions/rituals from East Asia involve, but the fact that the Shinto religion has survived the onslaught of foreign belief systems is remarkable. At the same time, I am left to wonder what the extent is (if any) to which these belief systems may have been used in order to establish social control and/or economic/political manipulation of the communities that practiced it. It has been believed, for example, that some of the beliefs of the Aztecs were strongly upheld by the aristocracy in order to instill a sense of fear into (and henceforth facilitate manipulation of) the lower classes. Besides, it would be interesting to find out if there is some extent of continuity in this regard among the indigenous of this continent who crossed the Bering Strait, and those who did not. Excellent lecture!
AnonymousThe lecture was informative and interesting. I especially enjoyed the pictures of the pottery, and te uses for them. In addition, I learned about the largest Buddhist Temple taking 50 years to build. Amazing. Looking forward to the next lecture.
AnonymousThe visuals were spectacular. I was particularly interested in the pictures and discussion about the pottery since the 6th grade curriculum deals with ancient civilizations and the artifacts from the various time periods. Students connect more to the information about the culture and the people when they have a visual to observe and ponder over. It was very helpful to draw the distinctions between the two pieces of pottery and what those pieces indicated about the time periods in which they were developed.
AnonymousWhat intrigued me most about this bird’s eye history of Japan are the many parallels I could draw to the history of the British Isles. Even going as far back to there being a land bridge to connect the islands to the mainland, enabling the arrival of early settlers, followed by invasions of sea-faring peoples, the evolution of agrarian and economic developments, the emergence of a feudalistic society and onwards to the establishment of a rigid class hierarchy, the many similarities are quite uncanny. The British and Japanese both show the same zeal in affirming their national identity and character, fiercely proud of their cultural heritage and independence, and an innate sense of superiority. Both countries have had their episodes of colonial conquest and sent out prolific tentacles of economic exploitation. They have both experienced massive and rapid industrialization and a significant population shift from country to town. The two martial cultures would clash in World War II, both exhibiting a special brand of stubborn loyalty to a national code of ethics as exemplified in David Lean’s film: “The Bridge over the River Kwai” (1957). The influence of both countries on the world-stage has since been eclipsed by the United States and China, yet the national character, built upon so many centuries of history, has not been phased.
AnonymousAfter learning about the Jomon and Yayoi peoples, I think it would be interesting to write up a lesson, in which students compare the differences and similarities of ancient pottery around the world. Maybe have them compare Chinese, Japanese, Greek, Roman and Native American (U.S. and Mexico) pottery. They would analyze the pottery, not just to make comparisons, but also to discover more about the people who created them. Using just the pottery, they must draw conclusions about the beliefs and lifestyle of the people who created the pottery. Aside from this lesson plan idea, I got the feeling that Seu Shonagon, who wrote The Pillow Book, sounds a bit like an ancient version of Paris Hilton, albeit a cleverer version. I know Professor Yamashita would probably frown at the comparison, but I cannot help think of her lists of likes and dislikes as snobby and self-indulgent. Despite this belief, I do think having the kids read selected excerpts of both The Pillow Book and the Tales of Genji will provide them with a valuable look at aristocratic culture in ancient Japan as well as provide them a glimpse into the lives of women in Japanese society.
AnonymousThe following are my notes from the session for all who may find them useful.
Samuel H. Yamashita
Dept. of History
Pomona College
Origins of Japan and Classical Japan
Who were the first Japanese and where did they come from?
Famous passage in History of the Kingdom of Wei - first description of the Japanese - in readings for today. Japanese are called the dwarfs. SE of Taifung (Chinese commandery in Korea). 30 communities maintain relations with Chinese. People eat with their hands. Social stratification but no bowing. Men and women seem more equal.
State of Chu in China invented Law for China.
What were the Japanese before the 3rd Cen CE?
Kinds of evidence
Geological - Islands emerged millions of years ago
During last period of glacial recession seas rose resulting in land bridges connecting Japan to the land mass. Japan became and island 12 - 15 K years ago.
North/South division of Japan. Blood type B dominant in North but A in South. Also difference in finger prints. People in North had finger print patterns that looked like loops and arches. People in South had finger print patters that look like circles.
Linguistic evidence - Japanese is part of two language families - the Ural Altaic language family that extends into Manchuria to Turkish and Finnish. Also part of Malay Polynesian family like Khmer, Indonesian, Korean. Parts of the body come out of this family.
In Chinese the word order is Subject Verb Object. While Japanese and Korean is Subject Object Verb.
Ural Altaic languages are found up through Central Asia. The Malay Polynesian languages are found through the south. These resonates with North South pattern.
Written language comes from China through Korea in 4th cen.
Two Myths - one has a vertical cosmology. The other has a horizontal cosmology. This also resonates with N-S distinction.
Thus scholars believe that Japanese came from two directions - from Siberia and from the Phillipines.
Kennowick man found in the Columbia River in U.S. has characteristics like Japan.
Ainu are caucasian and hairy with mythology like Native Americans. They might be the original inhabitants of Japan. The Ainu were beaten back by the Japanese and now only survive in the Northern most part of the islands (Hokkaido).
DNA analysis links the Koreans and Japanese.
Jomun Pot 7500 - 5000 BCE similar to pot from Korean neolithic. Korea and Japan had very similar material culture in early days.
Torii at Ise Shrine
Shinto - has six elements
-There are gods called Kami. They are like Native American gods, trees, waterfalls, humans can become gods. Ancestor worship is common. Often the patriarch will go to the clan shrine and clap and bow to summon the ancestor. [clap like the Wei document]
Land of High Plains, Earth and underworld - a dark place.
Rituals of Thanksgiving where you thank the spirits
Japanese use water to purify themselves. People wash their hands and put water in the mouth to cleanse themselves before they enter the shrine. Japanese obsessed with bathing.
Purify yourself with fire and smoke.
Purify by abstaining from eating or by sexual abstinence.
Many fertility rituals in Shinto.
There are female shamans. Virgins who serve as Shinto priestesses.
Shinto is highly localized. It is national in modern times but traditionally local.
Cyclical time is dominant idea in Shinto.
Shinto and Korean shamanism is very similar. Vertical cosmologies, spirits moving through space, female shamans.
The way the shamans look talk and dance is different but their roots seem very similar. Animism or shamanism is the world's oldest religion.
Koreans and Japanese both use the same character for shaman which is a pictograph for a dance pattern and hands reaching up to the sky.
Okinawan shamanism survives today as well.
Thus the answer to who were the first Japanese.
*******
The Jomon
Jomon pot that is typical of the people and a Yayoi people who succeeded the Jomon. Jomon pot is part of oldest pottery tradition in the world. Yayoi pot was spun on a wheel but the Jomon was a coil pot. Both were fired in similar ways. The two pots represent different styles of life and two different economies.
The Jomon were hunters and gatherers. They hunted for game - boar, deer, bears. Boar and deer were most common. Also fish close to shore and those farther out. Also shellfish. We know this from their garbage dumps. We know they grew in groups of 50 to 180. They lived in pit dwellings with conical thatched roofs. Hearth on stone floor. In Korea there is a similar pit dwelling. Jomon society was highly egalitarian. Men and women hunted and fished. There wasn't the specialization of labor. The people were animists. They used to think that they moved every two years but new theory is Jomon sedentism. Harvested acorns. Some of the Jomon food ways survived into the 20th ways to store nuts survives from the Jomon period even today.
Jomon and Yayoi made fermented berry drinks. They would chew raw rice and spit it into a bowl and let it ferment. Fermented saliva rice.
Yayoi People
Rice cultivation
1 million people from Han Dynasty era China
Larger villages, graineries.
Joman had rice like mountain rice in SE Asia.
Early rice paddies failed. Rice paddy cultivation is from China.
Bronzes from China. Two bronze traditions - Korean connected to Central Asian Scythain and the Chinese tradition.
***
Emperoro Nintoku's tomb
The inner moat is about 100 yard wide. Keyhole tombs.
Imperial tombs.
Haniwa are located on the edge of the tombs. They are small statues. Many animals Monkeys and dogs. Haniwa house. L.A. county museum has a good haniwa. Chanters, shaman, military man, hunter with a hawk, horse, horse with bells.
Tomb goods gogok.
Bronze crown. National museum in Seoul has a very similar crown. Deer and horses can fly to heaven. Buryats 8 legged horses. Flying deer and tree of life (Reindeer and Christmas Tree)
Japan conquered by a horse riding people in 400s.
Egami (scholar) proposed the horse rider hypothesis. Horse riding people came through Korea and conquered Japan. These became the Yamato clan. Gary Ledgered. Wrote "Galloping along with the Horse riders: Puyo people from Manchuria lost battles with Han and then crossed into Japan.
Conventional view is that the Yamato had ties with Korean Kaya kingdom. Continental military technology came into the area to allow the Yamato to conquer Japan.
In 600 CE, the Korean state of Paekche is defeated and many officials come to Japan. They bring Chinese theories of statecraft and economics. They bring a writing culture to Japan. Cheese is introduced at this time to Japan. The tradition of cheese making was carried along the Silk Road. Cheese and dairy products were presented to the Emperor until about the 11th cen. The Soga were from Paekche and their name is related to cheese. These states had 6 ministries as did the Han state.
Asuka- 562-610 the first Chinese style state. New kingship or emperor.
Nara - second Chinse style state based upon Sui and Tang dynasty. Re affirms the idea of emperor and economic organization.
Equal field system. All the the land was public. Every male in Tang was give 13.7 acres to farm and they had to pay taxes in kind.
Buddhism was introduced.
Sui emperor called himself the Buddhist emperor of China (theocratic)
Buddhism was part of the Chinese package of statecraft.
Buddhist priest said they would protect your reign.
The three kingdoms in Korea
Problem in equal field system was that exceptions were given to many different kinds.
In early 400s when Wani introduces the Chinese writing system, the bring Confucian ideas as well.
Confucian style histories or correct histories were written after the dynasty falls and justify the current dynasty at the expense of the previous dynasty.
Earliest Japanese histories that were written were destroyed. Earliest survival was written in 712 and 720. These were written to affirm the rule of the Yamato clan. Allies of the Yamato are featured. Other powerful clans are given tax exemptions.
Heijo-kyo
City of Nara Todaiji temple. First you notice the deer. They watch for children and the children feed the deer crackers to the deer. The deer at the shinto shrine were sacred. You cannot kill deer or would be executed until 1637.
*Indian town with rats* comment from student
Main hall at Todaiji is largest wooden structure in the world 50 m high. Original was built around 800. It was burned down many times. Current version built in 1709.
Vairocana sun Buddha.
Horns at top of buidling represent shoe shape OR they may be dolphin tails.
Todaiji was built to support the Nara state in the 8th century. It is 50m high.
When someone was sick Shinto priests and Buddhist priests were called.
Shotoku Taishi -
****
Two pariah classes in Japan
Eta and Heinin
Heinin were a penal category
Eta - anything with blood - slaughtering, tanning, and such.
Eta and Koreans live together -- (study of Eta in U.S.)
The marks of class distinction in Japan are very sharp.
The Chinese style state broke down in Japan because there were too many tax exemptions were given to certain clans. The tax base was eroded from base then people began to commend their land to these tax exempt estates. Enriches the aristocracy at the expense of the Imperial government.
Han dynasty created exam system which the Sui and Tang continued. In Japan administrative offices were held on a hereditary basis. Aristocrats had a great and active social life and they seemed to not be very serious about their work. Therefore a second shadow government emerged to actually do the work. The family that dominated the shadow government were the norther Fujiwara clan. The power of the Emperor was compromised when Fujiwara Yoshifusa married his daughter to the emperor and becomes regent.
This means that the emperor was essentially a Fujiwara. Beatiful daughters of the Fujiwara clan were married to the emperors.
Fujiwara Michinaga represents the high point of Fujiwara domination. The Yamato state breaks down. Why didn't the Fujiwara kill the emperor. Because the emperor was descendant of the Sun Goddess. Unlike China where you have dramatic dynastic change in Japan you do not. It was created in 600s and fell apart in 800s but has survived until the present. Revolutions do not occur because institutions can be hollowed out and survive.
The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon.
Sei Shonagon served Empress Sadako during Fujiwara Michinaga.
Japanese create their own writing system called hiragana in the 900's possibly based upon Sanskrit.
This was an acid tongued smart woman. Things I like and things I don't like.
Here is what I dislike
ugly handwriting on red paper
snow the houses on common people
handsome men with ugly wives
like
Chinese brocade
long flowering wisteria around a pine tree
chamberlains of the 5th rank
Man: Slim, visits lady friends regularly, never get drunk.
Carpenters and how they eat.
30,000 aristocrats in a population of millions
.5% were aristocrats
10 ranks of court.
1/5 to 1/3 of Heian aristocracy was foreign mostly Korean from Paekche. Many references to families in Korea that raise horses.
Emperor Kammu had a Korean mistress.
Current emperor announced that his ancestors had Korean blood.
Commoners
Free clansmen who received equal fields land
Free guildmen names that ended in "be" Mononobe "armorers"
unfree people.
Heian government fights the Ainu and pushes them farther and farther north so that by 1100 they are only in the farthest north.
In the Heian period among the aristocrats there are two cultures: Classical Chinese and much of the language was in Chinese. Chinese is a learnable language. Culture of the brain. Focused on morality and propriety. Do the right thing in the right way. Li - right way.
The culture of the heart monopolized by women that used the new Japanese syllaberrry. The first was Manyoshu 765 poetry. The Kokinshu 905 poetry.
Quality called "mono no aware" emotional quality inherent in objects, people, nature and art. Moved by something cool. You could not be socially successful unless you mastered the heart.
If you were a male outside of the office you had to use the culture of the heart.
- You write a poem. You show that you know the Manyoshu and Kokinshu as well as your own words.
The quality of the handwriting is important as well as the color of the paper and calligraphy. Attach a branch. Send handsome man to deliver the poem. She looks at the poem and decides to reply. She writes her poem.
Another woman serving in court was Murisaki who wrote the Tale of Genji - the world's first novel. It has a plot and characters and written in
Edward G. Seidensticker translation of the Tale of Genji.
As Murasaki wrote the Tale of Genji they would guess who was who. Fujiwara Michinaga was Genji.
Pedigree, wealth, rank and cultural mastery. Also where you lived. If you lived in the capital you were a good person as opposed to a mere person. To be sent to the provinces you were in exile.
Description of general.
Taika reforms.
Japan becomes a tributary state to China in early 800s.
Buddist priests going to China and bringing tea and soy sauce, paper.
Japanese Pirates emerge in middle ages from islands in inland sea.
When they weren't farming they maruaded Korea, China, and SE Asia. They had international crews. It was a form of business. Caused great havoc on Chinese port towns
Wako were pirates Until 1600.
Do Japanese kids read Tale of Genji now? - It is read like we might read Chaucer.
AnonymousWhat I found most helpful from Professor Yamashita’s lecture were the great uses of primary sources. I teach AP World History where students write Document Based Essays. The artifacts shown will be a great tool for getting students to examine perspective. He also did a wonderful job of bringing the Pillow Book alive. The lists of likes and dislikes were hysterical and I think my students can really relate.
AnonymousI agree with this post and the value of using primary sources. In teaching world literature, I also feel the book Pillow Talk and The Tale of Genji are literature that would deepen my student's understanding of Japanese culture. I wonder if Professor Yamashita would be interested in coming to speak to my class!
AnonymousMr. Covvarrubias' post on comparing pottery to learn about other cultures was inspiring. I imagine presenting pictures, or better yet, clay representations of the different clay pots for students to explore. I would allow students to consider what about these art works attracts them, and to consider what questions they have in wanting to know more about them, who made them, and the lifestyle of these cultures. These questions and first impressions we could post around the room to refer to throughout this unit of study. In other words, the clay pots and the questions the students have about them would be the window through which we would explore these cultures.
AnonymousAs a "mutt", I am familiar with what my parents believe to be their ethnicities but there is a lot of confusion with percentages and even with the ethnicities themselves. I was fascinated that a Japanese person could trace back the area from which their ancestors came from through the use of fingerprints and blood types. The entire session was very interesting as well but this point was one that I shared with my colleagues at school. I wish that I had the opportunity and ability to trace my ancestors as many Japanese can, even to this day, as Professor Yamashita can.
AnonymousOne of the aspects of the Shinto religion that seems to remain in Japanese culture today is their love and appreciation for nature. This is beautifully portrayed in a recent documentary called The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom. As in the Shinto religion, the Japanese find peace in making connections between nature and their own lives. Great lecture!