Yamato Period: 300-710
Began promoting the adoption
of Chinese culture:





Confucianism.
Language (kanji characters).
Buddhist sects.
Chinese art & architecture.
Government structure.
“Great Kings” era
Prince Shotoku: 573-621
 Adopted Chinese
culture and
Confucianism.
 Buddhist sects
allowed to develop.
 Created a new
government
structure:
 17 Article
Constitution
in 604. 
Heian Period: 794-1156
Characteristics:
 Growth of large landed estates.
 Arts & literature of China
flourished.
 Elaborate court life [highly refined]
 ETIQUETTE. 
 Personal diaries
 The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon [10c]
 Great novel
 The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki
Shikibu [1000 pgs.+] 
 Moving away from Chinese models in
religion, the arts, and government. 
Heian Period:
Cultural Borrowing
1.Chinese writing.
2.Chinese artistic styles.
3.Buddhism [in the form of
ZEN].
4.BUT, not the Chinese civil
service system! 
The Pillow Book
by Sei Shonagon (diary)
Tale of Genji (first novel)
Tale of Genji Scroll
(first novel)
Lady Murasaki Shikibu
She contributed much to the Japanese
script known as kana, while men wrote
with Chinese characters, kanji.
Minamoto Yoritomo
Founded the Kamakura Shogunate:
1185-1333
The emperor
reigned, but did
not always rule!
Feudal
Society
Feudalism
A political, economic, and social
system based on loyalty, the
holding of land, and military
service.
Japan:
Shogun
Land - Shoen
Land - Shoen
Protection
Samurai
Peasant
Daimyo
Loyalty
Daimyo
Samurai
Peasant
Loyalty
Samurai
Peasant
Food
Peasant
Code of Bushido
* Fidelity
* Politeness
* Virility
* Simplicity
Seppuku:
Ritual Suicide
It is honorable to
die in this way.
Kaishaku – his
“seconds”
Samurai Charging
Zen Buddhism
 A Japanese
variation of the
Mahayana form
of Buddhism,
which came from
India through
China.
 It reinforced the
Bushido values of
mental and
self-discipline.
Ashikaga Age:
1338-1573
► Shoguns fought for power.
 Laws are unclear.
 Less efficient than the
Kamakura.
 Armies of samurai protected
the country. 
C
A
S
T
L
E
S
Compare and Contrast
Japanese and European
Feudalism
Time Periods
• 400 – 1500 CE
• Early Middle Ages –
to 1000 CE
• High Middle Ages
1000-1200
• Late Middle Ages
1200 -- 1500
• 794-1853
• Heian Period (7941185)
• Kamakura Shogunate
(1185 to 1333)
• Tokogawa Shogunate
(1603 – 1868)
POLITICAL
EUROPE
FORM OF STATE
• Decentralized
“feudalistic”
relationship
(vassalage & fiefdom)
• Holy Roman Empire
• Hereditary Vassalage
JAPAN
FORM OF STATE
• Somewhat
decentralized -Bakufu government
headed by Shogun
(w/ Vassalage &
fiefdom)
• Shogunate
POLITICAL (CONT)
EUROPE
HIERARCHY:
• Kings
• Lords
• Knights
• Peasants
JAPAN
HIERARCHY:
• Shogun (military dictator)
• Daimyo (lords)
• Samurai (~ %7 of pop.)
• Ronin
• Farmers
• Merchants & Craftsmen
(except sword makers)
ECONOMIC
EUROPE
JAPAN
• FORM OF ECONOMY
• Barter economy w/
• Agricultural Base
• FORM OF ECONOMY
• Barter economy w/
• Agricultural Base
INFRASTRUCTURE
• Little infrastructure, poor
roads; “local” focus due to
unsafe roads, etc.
INFRASTRUCTURE
• Excellent infrastructure
(esp. roads) but
prohibited to use wheeled
vehicles
ECONOMIC
JAPAN
EUROPE
TRADE & CRAFTSMANSHIP
• --Some widespread trade
goods, e.g. Wool from
Flanders
WEALTH
• Wealth measured in land
• Land distributed to vassals by
lords or kings
CITIES
• Independent Italian city-states
TRADE & CRAFTSMANSHIP
• Little trade; Sword masters
highly valued
WEALTH
• Wealth measured in “Koku”
(rice to feed one person one
year)
• Shogun distributed Koku, took
20%
CITIES
• Few major cities, e.g.
Nagasaki
RELIGIOUS
EUROPE
•
•
•
•
EXCLUSIVE
Christianity with
Paganism among
peasants
Judaism – minority
religion
Schismatics & Church
Reform (e.g. Clunaic
reforms)
CHIVALRY (Key)
JAPAN
SYNCRETIC
• Shintoism – animistic
religion of state (also
Totemistic) ;Emperor as
descendant of Sun
Goddess
• Zen Buddhism – ideas
about the “void”, illusory
nature of existence
• BUSHIDO (Key)
MILITARY
EUROPE
JAPAN
• Knighthood: focus on
cavalry
• Vassals sent sons to
be trained as knights
• Metallurgy relatively
unsophisticated
Samurai Warriors –
allowed katana
• Kashin (vassals)
provided samurai for
• daimyos (overlords)
• Advanced metallurgy,
esp. swords
SOCIAL
EUROPE
JAPAN
ETHICAL
SYSTEMS
• Chivalry: Code
of behavior for
nobles
• Christianity
ETHICAL SYSTEMS
• Bushido (after 1600)
• Confucianism, Zen
Buddhism, Shintoism
SOCIAL
HIERARCHY
• Serfdom
• Little – no
upward mobility
SOCIAL HIERARCHY
• Caste system- Eta as
outcastes
• Serfdom
• No upward mobility
SOCIAL
EUROPE
JAPAN
LAW
• Three legal systems: Dane
law, Roman Law, Canon Law
• Different legal rights for
different classes (Dane Law)
LAW
• Single legal system based on
judgment of Shogun,
Confucian ideals, and Zen
Buddhism
LANGUAGE
• Language: Latin (academic
and church), vernacular
(Germanic, Slavic, Romantic)
LANGUAGE
• Single language.
Development of Japanese
script from Chinese characters
SOCIAL
EUROPE
JAPAN
DIET
• Mostly Vegetarian
(not by choice or
religion), meat for
wealthy or special
occasions
DIET
• Mostly Vegetarian
(Buddhist influences)
w/ fish. Meat for eta
caste only.