Thoughts on Session #7 (Warrior Japan, May 7)

[Anonymous]

Thank You Dr. Yamashita for dedicating your time for our class. I was fascinated with the art clips that were presented especially the Heiji Uprising, the paintings of the Samurais, and also about the Warrior class in Japan.

[Anonymous]

I've been having fun trying to write the Chinese/Japanese characters for the various words used. I also ordered the Pillow Book and the Tao of Pooh from Dr. Yamashita's recommendations to add to my summer reading list. Thanks for opening a new world for us. I have officially added Japanese castles to my "bucket list" of places to travel.

[Anonymous]

It was very helpful to hear about the creation of Japan's feudal system and in particular how that feudal system had a centralized government structure superimposed on top of it......

[Anonymous]

SKCraig
RE: Hinduism and Buddhism and Japan and rnuranen
The point I was trying to make was that the teachings of Buddha are cited in most textbooks as having gotten to China via the Silk Road. I wonder why Hinduism; Buddha's birth religion did not also follow the Silk Road. The difference between Buddhist thought and Hinduism is massive. Buddha, whether intentionally or accidentally, conducted a war on the Hindu caste system. Now, Japan had its own version of social stratification; but nothing as severe as India's. I don't see Japanese literature absorbing that of Hinduism. However, I am speculating and not drawing conclusions

[Anonymous]

Thanks you for such wonderful lectures. I mean, to cover such length of time in two days, that was an incredible task. I wish we would have had more time though, I wanted to hear more details about the samurai warriors. Also, I was soo intrigued by the importance of the tea ceremony, I wanted to know more about it. Anyhow, I think I see things a lot more clearer now as far as Modern Japan goes, the past tells so much about the present. Again, thank you for the wonderful lectures. My mind is trying to figure out ways of incorporating all this in my curriculum.

[Anonymous]

Thank you Dr. Yamashita for teaching Japan to us from your heart.Appreciate your taking time out to summarize the Tokugawa Order for us.You have opened a new door for me to learn more about Japan. You are a great professor and a great tour guide, I am looking forward to travel to Japan to see the flatland and the mountain castles.. What impressed me most was how everything both physical and emotional needs have containment for physical and emotional needs, by issuing vendettas, and registering quarters to hire prostitues. I was shocked to hear that the Tokugawa warriors killed 100,000 Christians to wipe them out.

[Anonymous]

I wish we had more time! Clearly we just scratched the surface of what Dr. Yamashita knows. Thank you for sharing your deep understanding of Japanese history with us. I especially appreciate your conclusions about the characteristics that drove/drive how the political and social systems are established. It must take a tremendous amount of study to pull a complex history into a few succinct ideas. Lucky me! I got to hear them from the expert.

[Anonymous]

One of the primary strengths of Buddhism has been its malleability in the hands/minds of different populations that it has come in contact with. There are vast differences between some of the different schools of Buddhism. It's not surprising that it made inroads into Japan while Hinduism (with its very specific roots and results) did not, especially when placed in the warrior context. What they called mushin can now be approximated by our understanding of alpha state and "flow."

[Anonymous]

Glad to see that I wasn't the only one who had similar thoughts. Again thanks to Professor Yamashita for your insights, great stuff in a short amount of time.

[Anonymous]

Re: feudalism. It seems as if the system as it came to be implemented would be the victim of its own success. So much strict stratification and control from the top combined with an eroding tax base seemed to create a social bubble that couldn't be sustained. What's curious is to try and see if there are any economic parallels between the present day economic crisis in Japan and what the country faced towards the end of the last Shogunate.

[Anonymous]

I have added an art assignment with my students of writing Chinese Characters. I had them use various art tools like acrylic and water color to write out the Chinese Characters. At the end, not only did they learn to paint/write the Chinese Characters but also learn to compare and contrast the various art tools (paints) being used during the process. I agree with you that it's fun having to try to write some Chinese Characters.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for this suggested resource. Albeit I teach English I have a World Map in my room but sometimes an Atlas will prove more useful, especially as I introduce students to more literature from Asia. I found a used copy of Atlas of World History on Amazon.

[Anonymous]

I found the discussion of the castles quite fascinating as I have always been drawn to them. Mostly I am familiar with European castles in form and function and generally believed that all castles had to be positioned atop a mountain both to demonstrate power as closer ascension to heaven and to ward off potential invaders. Learning about the transition to flatland castles in 1560 helped to understand how Tokyo became established as the capital of Japan, by the ingenious use of vast networks of concentric moats to detract invasion while maintaining closer proximity to the population as the city's center.

[Anonymous]

There was so much information in this session - all of it interesting and fascinating. I particulary enjoyed the lectures samurai warriors, Tokugawa order, and the differences in Buddhism and Hinduism. Learning about the two religions was enlightening and eye opening. Thanks for all the great info.

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

Dear Colleagues,

Please share you thoughts with Professor Yamashita and Clay on Warrior Japan.

Best,
Ying Jia

[Author]

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