JAPAN

Historical Religious Socio-Political

Background Traditions Concepts

Poetry Prose Drama

 Historical Background
Early Japan borrowed much from Chinese culture but evolved its
own character over time. Early Japan’s political structure was
based on clan, or family. Each clan developed a hierarchy of
classes with aristocrats, warriors, and priests at the top and peasants
and workers at the bottom. During the 4th century A.D. the Yamato
grew to be most powerful and imposed the Chinese imperial
system on Japan creating an emperor, an imperial bureaucracy, and
a grand capital city.
 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

01 Heian Age 02 Feudal Era

Tokugawa
03 Shogonate
 Heian Age
was the period of peace and
prosperity, of aesthetic refinement and
artificial manners. The emperor
began to diminish in power but
continued to be a respected figure.
Since the Japanese court had few
official responsibilities, they were
able to turn their attention to art,
music, and literature.
 
 Feudal Era
was dominated by the samurai class
which included the militaristic lords,
the daimyo and the band of warriors,
the samurai who adhered to a strict
code of conduct the emphasized
bravery, loyalty, and honor. In 1192
Yorimoto became the shogun or chief
general one of a series of shoguns who
ruled Japan for over 500 years.
 
 
 Tokugawa
Shogonate
in the late 1500s crushed the warring feudal
lords and controlled all of Japan from a new
capital at Edo, now Tokyo. By 1630 and for
two centuries, Japan was a closed society: all
foreigners were expelled, Japanese
Christians were persecuted, and foreign
travel was forbidden under penalty of death.
 Tokugawa
Shogonate
The shogonate was ended in 1868 when
Japan began to trade with the Western
powers. Under a more powerful emperor,
Japan rapidly acquired the latest
technological knowledge, introduced
universal education, and created an
impressive industrial economy.
 Religious Traditions
Shintoism or ‘ the way of the gods,’ is the
ancient religion that reveres in dwelling
divine spirits called kami, found in natural
places and objects. For this reason natural
scenes, such as waterfall, a gnarled tree, or a
full moon, inspired reverence in the Japanese
people.
 Religious Traditions
Zen Buddhism emphasized the importance of
meditation, concentration, and self-discipline as
the way to enlightenment. Zen rejects the notion
that salvation is attained outside of this life and
this world. Instead, Zen disciples believe that one
can attain personal tranquility and insights into the
true meaning of life through rigorous physical and
mental discipline.
 Socio-political concepts
Japan has integrated Confucian ethics and Buddhist morality which
India implanted in China. The concepts of giri and on explain why
the average Japanese is patriotic, sometimes ultra-nationalistic,
law-abiding. Even seppuku or ritual disembowelment exemplify to
what extent these two socio-political concepts could be morally
followed.
 Giri On
connotes duty, justice, honor,
suggests a sense of obligation or
face, decency, respectability,
indebtedness which propels a Japanese
courtesy, charity, humanity, love,
to act, as it binds the person perpetually
gratitude, claim. Its sanctions
to other individuals to the group, to
are found in mores, customs,
parents, teachers, superiors, and the
folkways. For example, in
emperor.
feudal Japan ‘loss of face’ is
 
saved by suicide or vendetta, if
.
not renouncing the world in the
 
monastery.
 Poetry
○ is one of the oldest and most popular means of expression and
communication in the Japanese culture. It was an integral part
of daily life in ancient Japanese society, serving as a means
through which anyone could chronicle experiences and express
emotions
There are different poems according to set forms or
structures:
Choka are poems that consist of alternate lines of five
and seven syllables with an additional seven-syllable
line at the end. There is no limit to the number of lines
which end with envoys, or pithy summations. These
envoys consist of 5-7-5-7-7 syllables that elaborate on
or summarize the theme or central idea of the main
poem.
There are different poems according to set forms or
structures:
● tanka is the most prevalent verse form in traditional
Japanese literature. It consists of five lines of 5-7-5-
7-7 syllables including at least one caesura, or pause.
Used as a means of communication in ancient
Japanese society, the tanka often tell a brief story or
express a single thought or insight and the common
subjects are love and nature.
Every Single Thing How Helpless My Heart!
(by Priest Saigyo) (by Ono Komachi)
   
Every single thing How helpless my heart!
Changes and is changing Were the stream to tempt,
Always in this world. My body, like a reed
Yet with the same light Severed at the roots,
The moon goes on shining. Would drift along, I think.
There are different poems according to set forms or
structures:
renga is a chain of interlocking tanka. Each tanka
within a renga was divided into verses of 17 and 14
syllables composed by different poets as it was
fashionable for groups of poets to work together during
the age of Japanese feudalism
There are different poems according to set forms or
structures:
hokku was the opening verse of a renga which
developed into a distinct literary form known as the
haiku. The haiku consist of 3 lines of 5-7-5 syllable
characterized by precision, simplicity, and
suggestiveness. Almost all haiku include a kigo or
seasonal words such as snow or cherry blossoms that
indicates the time of year being described.
There are different poems according to set forms or
structures:
hokku was the opening verse of a renga which
developed into a distinct literary form known as the
haiku. The haiku consist of 3 lines of 5-7-5 syllable
characterized by precision, simplicity, and
suggestiveness. Almost all haiku include a kigo or
seasonal words such as snow or cherry blossoms that
indicates the time of year being described.
There are different poems according to set forms or
structures:
Buson Sokan
Blossoms on the pear; If to the moon
and a woman in the moonlight one puts a handle – what
reads a letter there… a splendid fan!

 
Onitsura
Even stones in streams
of mountain water compose
songs to wild cherries.
 Prose
○ appeared in the early part of the 8th century focusing on Japanese
history. During the Heian Age, the members of the Imperial
court, having few administrative or political duties, kept lengthy
diaries and experimented with writing fiction.
The Tale of Genji by Lady
Murasaki Shikibu

a work of tremendous length and

complexity, is considered to be the
world’s first true novel. It traces the
life of a gifted and charming prince.
Lady Murasaki was an extraordinary
woman far more educated than most
upper-class men of her generation. She
was appointed to serve in the royal
court of the emperor.
The Tale of Haike

written by an anonymous author during

the 13th century was the most famous
early Japanese novel. It presents a
striking portrait of war-torn Japan
during the early stages of the age of
feudalism.
Essays in Idleness by
Yoshida Kenko

was written during the age of

feudalism. It is a loosely organized
collection of insights, reflections, and
observations, written during the 14th
century. Kenko was born into a high-
ranking Shinto family and became a
Buddhist priest.
 Drama
Kabuki Jorori
involves lively, melodramatic acting (now called Bunraku) is staged using
and is staged using elaborate and puppets and was a great influence on the
colorful costumes and sets. development of the Kabuki.

Nō Kyogen
the plays are performed on an is a farce traditionally performed
almost bare stage by a small but between the Nō tragedies.
elaborately costumed cast of actors
wearing masks.
Novels and
Short Stories