Entry#3 (Week 4):
Reading: Hall, John W. ‘Kyoto as Historical background.’ In J. W. Hall and J. P. Mass, eds. Medieval Japan: Essays in Institutional History, Stanford U. P. (1974, 1988): 3-38.
This reading looks at the rise and fall of Heian aristocracy in Kyoto, which served as a primary base for the old court nobility, the kuge. As of 794, Heian-kyo marked the culmination of a style of city design which fit in with the political changes of the noble families whom the city was built around. Government was decentralized and power was diffused through the network of family relationships which made up the rulers of Yamato.
By the 7th century, Asuka began attracting aristocratic residents, Buddhist temples and Shino shrines which brought the need for political and religious institutions. Through the increase of aristocracy came a concentration for a more centralised government and in the coup d’état of 645 led to a turnover in Yamato leadership and the adoption of Chinese institutions of statecraft. Heian-kyo was supposed to encompass the classical idea of an imperial capital and for the first three centuries all previous political and religious struggles were put on hold. This was not because of imperial rule, but because of the dominant presence of the Fujiwara family. This led to a shift back to rule through the noble families and the government was once again decentralised; the court was not destroyed just bypassed and continued to be used to legitimate the bushi (warrior) control.
Entry#4 (Week 5):
Reading: Mc Culloch, ‘Heike Monogatari’. University of Tokyo Press, 1979.
Heike Monogatari is an epic Japanese war tale which tells the story of the Rise and fall of the House of Tiara. This tale shows off samurai military values and ethics. Yoshitsune, with the honour of an imperial edict of Go-Shirakawa, leaves Kyoto to attack the Taira at their stronghold at a place called ‘Yashima’.
One example of the value of bravery is shown, as before launching the boats for the crossing, Yoshitsune and Kagetoki are about how to outfit the boats. Kagetoki wants them to be capable of quick retreat; Yoshitsune believes a warrior should think only of attacking. Yoshitsune is delighted to make a successful beach landing at a place providentially called "Victory Beach." They catch the Tiara off-guard. The Taira take to their boats in a panic. Thus begins the battle at Yashima.
One example of the value honour which is seen in the text is through the confusion of the mid-water fighting, a Minamoto warrior drops his bow into the sea. He risks his life to recover it. Other warriors think he is foolish until they hear him explain that it was a bow strung for weak archers and that if it had been found by the Taira it would have damaged Minamoto honour.
The value of strong leadership and military capabilities is also shown through the text when The Tiara retreat by boat from Yashima, first to a camp nearby in Shikoku called Shido. But Yoshitsune's pursuit forces them to leave Shikoku altogether. At last Kajiwara Kagetoki arrives at Yashima, but the Shikoku battles are entirely finished. Delayed by refitting his boats perhaps or he fails to show his military capabilities. Basically, this tale illustrates the ethics and values of the samurai and isolates the military values of honour, loyalty, bravery, and strong leadership.
Entry#5 (Week 6):
Reading: Collcutt, Martin, ‘The Zen Monastery in Kamakura Society’, J. Mass, ed., Court and Bakufu in Japan, Yale U. P., 1982, 191-220.
This paper looks at the rapid growth of the Zen Buddhist monastic institutions. During this time no one realised the extent of which the Zen movement would take root and branch out in Japan. By 1333, several hundred Zen monasteries had been built. Throughout history, the acceptance of Zen in Japan was attributed to the spiritual appeal of Zen on the Japanese warriors. Although now historians admit that this is not the only reason for its success in Japan they still cannot entirely discount the spiritual appeal to the Japanese warriors (Collcutt, p.192).
Another idea which has now come to account for the rapid growth of Zen Buddhism, focuses on, the principal sponsors of Rinzai Zen were the Hojo regents and their provincial agents the shugo. Without this sponsorship, historians find it hard to believe that Zen could have withstood the attacks from Enryakuji and the Buddhist establishment in Kyoto and Nara; and many more (Collcutt, pg.193). Having said that, their interest in Zen was determined by the continuing patronage of the Nara temples and Ritsu masters who visited Kamakura (Collcutt, pg.193).
Entry#6 (Week 7):
Reading: Brown, Kendall H. ‘the Politics of Reclusion: Painting and Power in Momoyama Japan’.
This reading explores aspects of politics and culture in the Momoyama period which influenced and determined the “creation and reception of paintings of the Seven Sages and the Four Graybeards” (Brown, 1997, p. 33).
The chapter discusses the institutionalisation of the aesthetic recluse in the Kitayama Epoch wherein Tonseisha is described as the element that “foreshadows the role of tea in the subsequent Momoyama age” (p.55). Tonseisha is a practice in which men either reject their social status or belong to the lower class and had no training in the arts. The reason for this was because the aim of the Tonseisha was to work with a Samurai who were more superior thus being able to “claim a status outside the conventional social structure” (p.55). Thus Tonseisha rejected the stereotypical societal norms and values associated with political power. In the Momoyama culture the tradition of tea was seen as “politically potent” (p.58) because it allowed for the patron’s “professed dedication to Confucian virtues” to be depicted. Tea was used as a means for “political manipulation” (p.61) that allowed for civilized meeting and occurrences to occur in a society that was brutal and uncivilised. The significance of tea was apparent in the transformation of tea from an “aesthetic reclusion” (p. 61) to a ritual practice. The formation of tea into a ritual practice is a characteristic of what Turner refers to as existential or spontaneous communities. In this instance certain types of people formalise an activity thus becoming a ritual.
Entry #7 (Week 9):
Reading: Lamers, Jereon, ‘Oda Nobunaga: A Japanese Tyrant’, IIAS Newsletter, 13 (Summer, 1997): 36-37.
Nobunaga dominated the political scene between 1568 and 1582 and eventually set up the process of “military and political unification” (p.36). Even though Nobunaga was described as a savage and a cruel brute, one George Elison likened him to the Machiavellian Prince.
This paper examines the applicability of such a comparison between these two historical figures. It examines looks at the political and military aspects of their reins and in short allows for a more relevant and rational light on Nobunaga. Through this paper we see that Nobunaga was just as “crafty, calculating and cruel” (p.37) as Machiavelli’s idea of a prince. You can even see similarities in the policies that Nobunaga adopted and Machiavelli spoke about. Nobunaga was seen to be acting on Machiavelli’s advice of rational cruelty for “the service of the government” (p.36) and applies to Machiavelli that cruelty is “a question of how one uses it; it can be used well or badly” (p.36).
It can be said that through Machiavelli’s IL Princep is a good tool for studying the reign and power of Nobunaga. Nobunaga’s actions during his reign embodied many of Machiavelli’s ideologies for a ruling prince and shows readers that Nobunaga was essentially practicing what Machiavelli was preaching in Europe.
Bibliography:
Bock, F. ‘The Rites of Renewal at Ise’, Monumental Nipponica, 29 (1974); 55-68.
Brown, Kendall H. ‘the Politics of Reclusion: Painting and Power in Momoyama Japan’.
Collcutt, Martin, ‘The Zen Monastery in Kamakura Society’, J. Mass, ed., Court and Bakufu in Japan, Yale U. P., 1982, 191-220.
Hall, John W. ‘Kyoto as Historical background.’ In J. W. Hall and J. P. Mass, eds. Medieval Japan: Essays in Institutional History, Stanford U. P. (1974, 1988): 3-38.
Lamers, Jereon, ‘Oda Nobunaga: A Japanese Tyrant’, IIAS Newsletter, 13 (Summer, 1997): 36-37.
Mc Culloch, ‘Heike Monogatari’. University of Tokyo Press, 1979.
Piggott, Joan. ‘Shōmu Tennō, Servant of the Buddha.’ Emergence of Japanese Kingship, Stanford U. P. 1997, 236-279.
