Japan's Feudal History: Buddhism, Shogunates, and Marxism

The Masculinization of Japanese Culture

Early in the development of Japan's feudal society, the culture was defined by "the central figure of the aristocratic fighting man on horseback" (Reischauer 45). This focus on the knight, and the politics that arose from this form of protection, created a male-centered culture during the Kamakura Shogunate period. This happened for two primary reasons. First, Japanese families needed protection due to many ongoing clashes and small-scale wars. Second, the shogunate government resulted from "a simple organization designed to control the relatively small bands of knights who owed personal allegiance to the Minamoto" (Reischauer 50). Bonding these knights together were family ties and long-standing friendships built on loyalty. It is because of these bonds that the shogunate's influence and its male-centered attributes became deeply engrained in Japanese culture. As Reischauer explains, the shogunate produced a situation in which "the man behind the throne had become a series of men, each one in turn controlled by the man behind him" (52).

John Langone writes that "a Korean ambassador brought over a statue of Buddha and copies of his sacred books around the year 550 A.D." (23). This event marked the beginning of the changing roles and relationships between Buddhism and Shinto in Japan, from the Nara period through the Kamakura period. It also demonstrates Japan's growing relationship with outside lands. Until that point, the Japanese had practiced Shinto, or the Way of the Gods. As a result, Buddhism spread slowly due to strong opposition. Another factor contributing to this slow spread was the powerful influence that shogunate knights held over the people. John W. Hall explains that "the shogun and daimyo became ordained rulers of the people" (182), making the transition to Buddhism cumbersome and difficult to sustain.

Buddhism and Shinto in Japan

It was not until approximately forty years later that Buddhism was recognized as the state religion, and only after the emperor formally adopted it (Langone 23). This development commenced a period of great progress and cultural change in Japan — encompassing art, education, language, medicine, and civil service — largely driven by the emperor's relationship with China.

Given Japan's geographical location, one might assume the country remained isolated until the 1600s. In fact, the opposite is true. China exerted considerable influence on the islands because "Chinese was the main fare of scholars, production of poetry, the inspiration of arts and literature" (Jansen 320). This influence produced a wide range of reactions among the Japanese, from resentment to admiration — emotions that would eventually contribute to the formation of a distinct national identity.

Korea's Relationship with China and Japan

During the 1600s, Japan exported a large volume of goods to Korea and China. One product that gained particular popularity in Korea was the Japanese curved sword (Reischauer 74). Japan's relationship with Korea was largely economic and commerce-based. However, Japan's growing dominance of trade in the surrounding seas generated significant hostility. As Reischauer notes, "Koreans were the chief mariners and traders in the waters between Japan and the continent" (74), and they did not welcome Japan's encroachment on commerce in the East China Sea. This hostility eventually drove Japanese warrior-merchants to sea, and "pirates became a menace to the very existence of the kingdom of Korea" (Reischauer 75).

Conclusion

Hall, John W., and Marius B. Jansen, eds. Studies in the International History of Early Modern Japan. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1968.

Langone, John. In the Shogun's Shadow. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1994.

Reischauer, Edwin. Japan: The Story of a Nation. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1970.