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Ancient Japan. Outside Influences. Many ideas and practices borrowed from China and Korea Korea : metal work, rice, Buddhism China : philosophy, writing, calendar, gov. Golden age –time of learning, discovery, and gaining riches, Prince Shotoku –sent people to learn from Korea and Japan.
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Outside Influences • Many ideas and practices borrowed from China and Korea • Korea: metal work, rice, Buddhism • China: philosophy, writing, calendar, gov. • Golden age –time of learning, discovery, and gaining riches, Prince Shotoku –sent people to learn from Korea and Japan
Buddhism • Buddha –born Siddhartha Gautama, could walk and talk at birth, “I am here to free humans from suffering” • Grew up in luxury and sheltered from all bad parts of the world, high caste in N. India • Sneaks out of palace, witnesses suffering, abandons his rich life, lives with ascetics for years
Tries to find meaning of life and suffering—sits under Bodhi tree and gets enlightened—becomes Buddha • Finds the “Middle Way” –moderation of things in life • Suffering caused by desire
No caste system, thoughts and actions are what matter • Reincarnation is not reward or punishment • Zen Buddhism –reach enlightenment suddenly through focus on koans (riddles, puzzles) –mostly in Japan
Feudal Japan • Country controlled by lords –a lot like medieval England • Lords hire warriors to protect their land –Samurai • Eventually a military government –ruled by a Shogun –very powerful, like a general of the samurai • Japan holds off the Mongols but it weakens the country
Europeans in Japan • Explorers from Europe arrive and convert many to the Catholic Faith • Shogun worries about western influence • Orders all Christians to leave Japan and bans trade with Europe and west • Japan isolates itself from the world for nearly 200 years