Session 5A: Classical and Warrior Japan 8-1-08

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Please reply here with your thoughts and comments on Professor Samuel Yamashita's presentation on "Classical and Warrior Japan."

[Anonymous]

I found the information on the Shoen quite interesting. A system put in place through a Buddhist temple that would help them avoid paying taxes. Of course we can see this today with different schemes businesses and organizations concoct in order to also avoid paying taxes. I have also seen individuals actually claiming their own homes as churches in order to avoid paying as well; I would love to see statistics on this if they were available. Once people start learning there is a loophole that will save them money, more and more people will start doing it, and as it seems this is what helped weaken Japan's central government at that time. Wow, history has so many lessons, will we learn? I am not a big fan of paying taxes, but claiming your own home as a church seems a bit of a stretch.

[Anonymous]

Today's session was interesting. I do not have any previous knowledge about Japan other than the legend of Qin ShiHuang from China sent some people over for his attempt to find the wonder drug that will allow him to live for ever. I appreciate the opportunity to learn about the history of Japan along with the insightful visuals. Being a Chinese-American and having born and raised in Korea before coming to the States, I have a unique opportunity to compare the cultures in my own unique way. Although I never lived in China or Taiwan, my knowledge about China is only through reading, perhaps even in fragments. Due to the animosity of Japan-China and Korea-Japan relationship, I don't think I ever exposed to Japanese history at all. After this session, I am very curious about Japan's history and culture, and I think I will pursue more in learning about Japan.

[Anonymous]

Classical Japan

I very much appreciated Dr. Yamashita’s use of cultural artifacts to center his presentation on Classical Japan. My poor brain cells are inundated with a flood of new information, but his images were like rafts upon which I could adhere yet more Asian history. I would have been lost if I had not read the background texts in our binders.

But first reading last night, then listening to Dr. Yamashita, and then listening to Dr. Miyake, was an excellent progression to help me feel as if I have a rich impression of Japanese culture and history, even if I cannot name the major periods or leaders. The images Dr. Yamashita projected of the lofty temples and tombs against the stunning background of clouds, pines, and water formed a graceful link in my mind to the screen paintings that are such a ubiquitous cultural icon for Japan. His combination of lecture, discussion, and visual examples helped me form that sense of Japanese culture.

I’ve also always wondered what the links were between the Japanese, Chinese, and Korean peoples, and Dr. Yamashita’s geographic, linguistic, and genetic (Is that the right term for fingerprints and blood types?) connections cleared that up for me.

This was a fantastic presentation!

[Anonymous]

When I was reading the selections last night, I was struck by the way the Japanese history evolved, and was unsure what to think of the literature. Since we had just finished reading Chinese poetry and prose that all seemed to address the political climate in one way or another, I was surprised at the seemingly trivial nature of the Japanese prose and poetry regarding looks and dating, etc. As I listened to Prof. Yamashita speak, however, I had an “a-ha! Moment” and it all became clear: it IS political and it IS social commentary. I just did not fully grasp the poetry because I did not know all of the history, and since the Japanese authors did not want to insult their readers’ intelligence by telling them something they already know, there were some big gaps. Within three short hours, though, it became very clear to me the impact and gravity these writings hold. I have reread the writings and now I understand that these women were writing about their experiences and their opinions of society, but were restricted by rules of censorship and form. I have an even greater respect for these early writers than I did before we entered this lecture because it takes a brilliant mind to write something that is not only beautiful, but is subversive and holds great meaning on many levels.

[Anonymous]

Whoa, this lecture had tons of information! Professor Yamashita had a great presentation on a topic I was mostly unfamiliar with. I think there many ways to make this topic interesting to students: making language booklets, reading the first account of a Japanese by a Chinese (talk about stereotypes), comparing myths across different cultures, etc. I agree with Rebecca on the point that you really need the history to appreciate the literature. Then again, that brings in the whole literary theory debate, but that's another thread...

[Anonymous]

Unlike a previous poster, I found the reading to be extremely difficult to follow, but after the presentation, I became much more engaged in the reading. I guess it's a teaching style-- for I make my students read first, then I give them a PowerPoint about the reading, and I always thought that was an effective way of presenting information, but this seminar is beginning to make me feel the opposite way. It is very hard to follow the primary sources, when one has no clue who the Nara or the Haien are...

In any case, after the presentation, I was more interested in the setting down of rules, borrowing heavily from the Chinese traditions. I especially enjoyed "THE SEVENTEEN-ARTICLE CONSTITUTION OF PRINCE SHOTOKU," and I'm thinking of adapting these rules for classroom use! My favorite: "If the superiors do not behave with decorum, the inferiors are disorderly [...] when the people behave with decorum, the goverance of the state proceeds of itself" (51-52). This is especially relevant to me as I'm thinking about how to present myself those first few weeks of school, laying down ground rules, etc. Just last night, I had another school anxiety dream about a student spraying me with mace! Oh, thank you, subconscious for playing out the weirdness of my fears.

I wish we had more time to delve into the samurai. I was fascinated by the idea that samurai were just local officials who tried to maintain order in their provinces. I had this idea that they had come from a mystical and ancient tradition of warriors, but when talking with my husband last night, he called them the local "neighborhood watch," which I thought was amusing. He also was bugging me if we learned about "ronin," masterless samurai who wandered the land looking for work.

If we were to do a Japanese movie night, I would love to see a Kurosawa flick (of course!). I recently saw Yojimbo for the first time, and would highly recommend it to anyone who is curious about the culture of this time period. One of the female characters even blackens her teeth, which led me to Wiki black teeth, so even small cultural elements are represented in this clever and engaging movie, which you don't have to be a martial arts fan to enjoy (a) Kurosawa's bio on imdb

[Anonymous]

Fri 5A
I have to begin by saying that all the information in every session has been overwhelming and yet the information provided in text, dittos and lecture have been wonderful. I have been able to return to my notes and connected them with the large binder and dittos every time. That is not easy to do. I am sitting here looking at the Classical Japanese information and I love the (prehistory-1185) all on a few pieces of paper. It gives me a great time-line and I now am able to go to the web and connect the missing pieces and fill in the blanks with information I need for my subject.

The things I have never thought of were finger prints, or how Japan was started. I was also told the story of the 100 women and the 100 sent to look for the fountain of youth. I was just told this story in October of 08. Many of American folk tails and children’s stories are from so many other countries and cultures, so when you think about he East Asian stories how are they connected, or not. I am not a literature teacher so this is a bit of a hole in my education, and I am left with many questions. Gives me something to do in my spare time!?

[Anonymous]

Ok. Now I get it. The islands we call Japan were once connected to the mainland. Duh! It seems quite obvious now. All these beautiful, dark haired people with black eyes would have to be related. Blood types of A an B. Related to Ural-Altaic (sp?), but not related to Sino-Tibetian? OK, not in the way it is related to them as in the Malay-Polynesian. But, still related? Has to be. Look at the faces and eyes. Vertical myths...just like ours (Christian): a three layer cake of heaven, earth and underworld (hell). Not like ours in that the hell is not as mean...more of a purgatory from which eventual release will be granted. The Puritan hell is for all eternity. Nice guys, the Puritans. And they (the vertical Asian myths) let animals fly. We have no flying animals in Christianity, except where penetrated by non-Christian myths. Horizontal myths: the gods are "out there," across the horizon, across the sea. Over the rainbow?

What about the Jamon? Is it true that in hunting-gathering cultures that women were more on an equal par with men? I understand that it was the plow that turned this upside down. A woman cannot stand behind a plow with oxen drawing it when she is pregnant. But, in a slash and burn agriculture, she can poke a hole in the ground with a stick and drop a seed. When the male is in charge of agriculture, he is now in a position to dominate and stratification of society is the inevitable outcome. Is this why in the Yayoi culture we get surplus and conflict. Men need to hunt. If we don't let them, the hyper-males will find a way to use that extra, waiting testosterone. They used to hunt the wooly mammoth; now, they drag the mouse. Or, at my school, they play football. The mammoth having been shrunk to the size of a pigskin football.

Ashikaga: power moves from the capital to the provinces. The daimyo emerge. Like Afganistan now? Each lord has his samurai. All hills have castles. Yes, you are lord over your mound of dirt! But, it's not over yet. There is a shift to the flatlands. A move back to the centralization of power. Easier to collect taxes. Next move is shoen, and eventually, two systems of govt.: shoen and centralization? Not quite sure I understand what the two systems were.

[Anonymous]

Professor Yamashita's lecture was fascinating. I particularly liked how far back he went into different ages of the earth, the fingerprint differences, the "dwarf people" information,and the vertical cosmology myths vs. the horizontal cosmology myths.
Also, I enjoyed the graphic showing the size and detail of Emperor Nintoku's tomb. In my class I can easily get my students interested in this topic by showing them this tomb graphic and then describing how large it is by comparing it to other things that they know. Also, I actually liked the study of Japanese economics at different periods (who knew) and of course the 1000 plus castles in central Japan.

[Anonymous]

Creation
Here, there, what is true?
Distance, so what!
I stand, I see, I have arrived

[Edit by="mburditt on Aug 9, 1:42:29 PM"][/Edit]

[Anonymous]

Once again all the postings thus far are reminders of our readings and the great presentation from Professor Yamashita. One thing this class has drilled in my head is the number of local scholars that we have in Southern California whose knowledge and love of Asia are vast. I somehow, maybe incorrectly believe that there are real individuals who I could contact for support and clarity. This in itself is beneficial.

As I have said, my students are very low. However, the five kinds of pre-historical evidence would engage them. Especially blood type and fingerprint patterns. My students might use the their own fingerprints to write a short compare/contrast essay (comparing to that of a peer). This of course, would be after discussion and whole class modeled writing.

As far as Prof. Yamashita's puzzle's 5 through 7 are concerned There is a scholarly novel by Stephen Turnbull, SAMURAI The World of the Warrior. This novel is filled with pictures of artifacts, modern photo's, some maps, and other various illustrations. It may have been used as a textbook. This will take you and your students from the 11th century and end with the term and photo of 'kamikaze'. I will attempt to insert this into the book postings - maybe where I should have placed it to begin with. I love the colored illustrations because they will excite my students and release some creative written/oral topics.

[Anonymous]

Again Mary S. I have to respond to your post because I think that's another great idea and maybe we can somehow coordinate pre-historical evidence lessons. I love the Warrior period and the Samarai and Shoguns, but I don't usually get to that in ancient world history. I think it would enliven my program if I start my Japanese studies with something about the warrior houses. Maybe if I catch their attention with the Samurai I can hold it through the rest of our studies. I am so excited about putting some new life in my curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Enlightening fact how some people came to Japan from the south pacific islands as a result of the black currents. Of the three states in the Classical Japan, Heian being the most prosperous. The rise of the aristocrats, political life free of violence and the prevalence of the Buddha teachings. Fujiwara era being the golden age of the court and the rise of literature and poetry. Later, the last decade things start to deteriorate in the Heian period, thus the Warrior Japan with the rise of the Samurai to put down local rebellion and consolidation of economic power.
This was a wealth of information artfully presented by professor Yamashita. As part of front loading to Chinese literature in my classroom I could use the compare/contrast model to Classical and Warrior Japan.

[Anonymous]

After seeing some uncountable number of Samurai movies and never really understanding them, this lecture helped to put the Samurai culture into perspective for me. Maybe I can now view them with more appreciation. It was fasinating to learn about the aesthetics of the Samurai, their dress and grooming and preparations for a good appearance even after death. Also the idea that the Samurai took time to write poetry, will be I am sure a revelation for my students that think poetry is for the un-cool only. I know my students have an interest in Samurai. I think I can incorporate some of this history, culture and aesthetics into both lanuage arts and visual arts. [Edit by="lgates on Aug 3, 11:17:12 PM"][/Edit]

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