Shintoism

1
Shintoism Tokugawa Japan

• The rise and fall of the samurai dominance

2
The Geographic Settings

• The Land
• 4 main islands
• Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, Kyushu
• Some 1000 small islands in the Pacific
• 145,834 square miles (the size of Montana)
• 72 of it is of hills and mountains, 14 land
  arable, with a population of 123 million
• The Climate
• Two weather makers
• Monsoon air Japan Current from the south
• Siberia air Okhotsk Current from the north
• Variations between 31 and 45 parallels
• Central populous area around 35 parallel (ref.
  36.30 parallel) in which four seasons are
  distinct, with 215 growing days plenty rainfall

3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
Rice Culture Mainland Connection

• Rice as main staple food 55 of cereal acreage
  is rice paddies, labor intensive group identity
• Seafood as main source for protein sushi as
  typical Japanese food
• Two main plains Kanto (Tokyo) Kinai (Kyoto,
  Osaka)
• Tsushima Strait 115 miles to Korea (Dover, 21
  miles)
• The borrowing culture

8
(No Transcript)
9
Environment and Psyche

• 500 plus volcanoes, which produce 1500
  earthquakes per year
• Cause submarine trench of 6 miles below water
  mountains of 2 miles above water
• 21 major earthquakes since 1596 (above 1000
  casualties in each)
• Typhoons from the ocean
• The psychological impact attitude toward nature,
  death, and each other -gt Shintoism

10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
Shintoism Japans Native Religion

• The earliest Japanese written records
• Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) 712 AD
• Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan) 720 AD
• The creation myth
• The separation of heaven earth
• The couple, Izanagi Izanami, descending from
  sky and the creation of the islands
• The birth of Fire God and the death of the mother
• Yomi is not hell, but a place of darkness and
  putrefaction.
• Izanagis visit to Yomi, coming back to purify
  himself by bathing,
• The birth of a host of gods Sun Goddess
  (Amaterasu), Storm God (Susa-no-O), etc.
• Amaterasus grandson (Ninigi) descended to Kyushu
  to rule, whose great-grandson unified Japan to
  become Emperor Jimmu in 660 BC (?)

13
The Nature Influence of Shintoism

• Animism the vital principle of organic
  development is immaterial objects, such as
  spirits, the Kami, which lives forever.
• The absence of moral/ethical regulation of
  behavior, defilement in life is physical,
  correctable by ritual purification (bathing)
• Combined with Confucianism Buddhism, it
  emphasizes spiritual development (Zen and tea
  ceremony)
• The attitude toward death suicide romanticized
• Absence of theological elaboration rigidity
  flexible absorbing

14
The Rise and Fall of Chinese Influence in Japan

• The influx of mainlanders and Chinese
  civilization via Korea
• The Chinese writing system and Confucian
  literature officially adopted in the 400s
• Buddhism officially adopted in 587 AD
• Embassies sent to China to study and Chinese-like
  capitals established in Nara and Heian
• Reforms attempted to reinforce emperors central
  power in a Chinese-like government
• The imperial power and Chinese influence declined
  in 12-14th centuries

15
The Rise and Fall of Shogun Daimyo

• Shogun, the Generalissimo, the overlord of Japan,
  established Bakufu, the tent government, at the
  expense of the imperial power, turning provincial
  leaders, the daimyo, into his vassals
  centralized feudalism
• The decline of Shoguns power in the wake of
  failed Mongol invasions in the 14th century
• The rise of daimyo de-centralized feudalism and
  civil wars in the 15-16th centuries

16
The Process of Unification The Three Heroes

• Oda Nobunaga, assassinated in 1582
• Toyotomi Hideyoshi, died in Korea in 1590s
• Tokugawa Ieyasu, won the battle of Sekigahara in
  1600, thus controlling Bakufu in Edo (Tokyo)
• Building on his predecessors achievements,
  Tokugawas rule lasted 250 years, until the
  Americans appeared in Tokyo Bay in 1860s

17
Economic Social Changes

• Arable land doubled, cash crops commerce
  developed
• Castle-towns and highway networks facilitated the
  market
• The emergence of a wealthy chonin class
  (townsmen, merchants) in urban areas, while
  peasants polarized, many left the land
• The loser was the lower-ranking samurai, whose
  stipends were cut rice devalued
• The floating world in the gay quarters that
  became the source of Japanese culture Kabuki and
  woodblock print http//www.bahnhof.se/secutor/uk
  iyo-e/edonoiki.html
• Bakufus sumptuary laws to no effect, other than
  onnagata, female impersonator in Kabuki
• Peasant uprisings, urban riots, and samurai
  discontent leading toward the Meiji Restoration
  in the 1860s

18
(No Transcript)
19
(No Transcript)