East Asia: A Cultural, Social, and Political History

(The Park School of Baltimore) 5th Grade Subjects taught: Literature, Writing, History, Mathematics, Science, Poetry, Architecture, (The Medieval World)
1. My knowledge of the early modern (Tokugawa) and modern (1868-present) Japan was quite limited. I teach a yearlong course about the entire medieval world from the conversion of Constantine in the 4th C to the later part of the 15th C. Thus, my focus is on the Classical Period 500-700 CE Early Historic, 700-794 Nara Period, and 794-1185 CE Heian Period, and the Shogunate that includes the Kamakura Period 1185-1333 CE and the Ashikaga Period 1333-1573 CE.
2. An idea I found of interest was to follow the “Thread of Government” and the “Thread of Religion” from earlier times to throughout the Edo Period, the final period of traditional Japan. During this time there was internal peace, political stability and economic growth under the shogunate. There was a strong belief in Neo-Confucianism. Superiors ruled by example and had the moral duty to treat subordinates correctly. Morality was a focus as was education and a strict hierarchical class structure in government and society. The emperors ruled symbolically in Kyoto while the real power was exerted by the shoguns in Edo. There was a rice based economy and a complex form of feudalism. The Hierarchy was as follows: Warriors, Farmers, artisans, merchants (at the bottom because they didn’t produce anything). Existing outside of the rule of the regular feudal government were the Shinto/Buddhist priests and monks, doctors and the outcasts.
The Shogunal Power had 3 key strategies: divine power in the name of the Emperor to maintain legitimate authority that was beyond question (though Emperor was little more than a puppet), complete control of the Daimyo (feudal lords), and isolation from the West especially China. The stability gained during this period doubled the population, increased and urbanized the merchant class, and expanded village industries such as silk production, textile weaving, sake brewing, etc.
How does a society establish stability? Military lords? (Daimyo) With the rise of the warrior class that provided protection, Japan experienced considerable growth.
I was surprised how closely the system in Edo mirrored that of Medieval Europe. In the shogunal and domainal governments, class lines were firmly fixed, men born of guards stayed guards. There were decrees to regulate behavior similar to the code of chivalry in Europe. The powers in charge forbade Christianity and set up a national system of temple registration to ensure compliance. Taking advantage of technological advances in fortifications, the shogun’s castle was enclosed behind multiple stone walls (concentric walled castles) surrounded by moats. There was a rise of towns and a merchant class.
I found it interesting to see the rise of capitalistic tendencies. Japanese society experienced an unprecedented increase in urban growth, and consumption centers appeared. There was a tendency towards the purchase of processed food and cloth that previous generations had made themselves. Labor and leisure were oriented toward the market. Purchasing finished products saved time.
RELIGION
Shinto means “the way of the gods” and the spirits or “kami” were located in the sky, islands, waterfalls, mountains, and trees. Mount Fuji is sacred. Some animals are also sacred because they are messengers of Kami. There are no rules or scriptures in Shinto. People gave offering to Kami for good harvest and in order to protect you from bad luck.
I was able to deepen my knowledge of the spread of Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan in 552 AD and where it became the official court religion in 770 AD. It was during this time that the power centered on the court (putting Buddhism close to the seat of influence. At this time, the Japanese were beginning to produce a culture that was truly Japanese, not Chinese. (Muraski Shikibu wrote the Tale of Genji.) During the Medieval period, a remarkable religious tolerance was usual among Japanese. The Buddhist monk, Gyogi, went to Shinto Sun Goddess, Amaterasu and asked for her opinion of Buddhism. By 8th C Buddhism had become so naturalized that it started to blend with the native beliefs. People learned that deities and Buddhas supported each other and both needed festivals and ceremonies. Important Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples entered into a symbiotic relationship; the shrines provided a place so that deities might hear sutra recitations and deities protected the Buddhist temples.
My first thoughts rest on the power of religion. What would a society be like if, in fact, it could be governed by the teachings of Buddha and Confucius? If people are not born good, but must be taught to be good and to self –regulate, what would a societal structure resemble that had these ideas as its foundation?
I have a clearer sense of the timeline of significant events such as when a powerful clan in the Yamato region, near Nara, began expanding its domain around 400 CE. The Yamato rulers took the title of “emperor” and claimed to be of divine origin, directly descended from the Shinto sun goddess, Amatersu. This direct link enabled a certain succession of rulers to dominate Japanese society. (I would have liked the text to tell the story of Amatersu and her influence over Japanese culture. According to legend—the imperial family was founded in 660 B.C. The Emperors descended from the Sun Goddess. Many times during history the Emperors had no political power. The Shoguns ruled Japan from 1190 AD onward. It was, however, the Emperor who interceded with the gods—he is the only one who can. Emperors have come of the same unbroken line since 600 A D and are still treated with the same respect and reverence.
What enables a society to support the practice of different religions in one place as it occurred in the 15C in Spain? Christianity, Judaism and Islam experienced a peaceful co-existence until the Inquisition.
Always of interest are the following essential questions:
How does geography dictates culture?
How do individuals manage their environment?
What influence does technology play in shaping a culture?
What are the basic needs of culture? (Art, Music, Stories, Myth, Religion, Food,
Traditions/Celebrations, Architecture, Government, Housing, etc.)
What are the effects of trade between cultures?
To what extent can a culture be open to the flow of ideas and yet retain its uniqueness?
3. I characteristically don’t use a textbook. Instead, I read from a variety of sources. For example, if studying the Silk Road, I would read books such as The Silk Roads: Highways of Culture and Commerce by V. Elisseef, The Potter’s Art by Glassie, The Book of Silk by Scott, Life along the Silk Road by Whitefield, The Poems of Basho, and Atlases of Sacred Places. A text that I have found particularly useful for studying Japan is entitled, What Life Was Like Among Samurai and Shoguns (Japan AD 1000- 1700) Time Life Books. Student books such as The Silk Route: 7000 Miles of History, Calliope booklets have been helpful as well.
It has been helpful to have a comprehensive text, such as Ebrey that spanned the pre-history through the 16 C of China, Korea and Japan. I do, however, feel so strongly about the sense of story –the place that narrative plays in the teaching of history. So much about a society is revealed in the stories they tell and the art they produce. I view history as a story and am therefore most interested when there is a strong narrative presented. I find the works of Will and Ariel Durant quite engaging. In Heroes and History: A Brief History of Civilization they talk about social order promoting cultural creation. The story is richly detailed. Therefore, in the Ebrey text, I especially liked the document sections (containing primary sources and quotes) I found these clearly written and informative. The “Connections” sections, the “Material Culture” sections, “Making Comparisons” sections and the “Biography” sections held my interest as well. I did find the text a bit dry and dense. The actual wording of the sentences sometimes made it difficult to access the information. Statements could have been made and followed up by examples or specifics that would have conveyed the information more clearly. A statement could have been made and then the text could have been interrupted at that point by a story that explained in further detail the particulars.
If I taught High School, I would focus on topics from the sections I listed above and seek out other sources that could expand on the information given. For example—Suppose a lecture on a particular topic were to be “visually” based. I’d take the ideas presented in the Ebrey text and pose the question “What do we know about a society through its arts, products, architecture, religion, textiles, etc.?” I’d go to http://afe.easia.columbia.edu/ website given us during the seminar and construct a PowerPoint that conveyed this information visually. I’d have the students observe and analyze the visuals. In addition to being instructive, this analysis would excite them to dig more deeply.

Destinee Logan
Wilson High School
Secondary Gifted Support Teacher (7-12)
Prior to reading this text, I knew only the basics about Tokugawa and Modern Japan. Having a social studies background, I knew enough to teach about both of those time periods, specifically how they interacted with the United States.
However, after reading the East Asia text, I grew to understand significantly more about Japanese history. One topic that was most interesting was the samurai. This topic is consistently sensationalized in popular movies and books. I found the samurai’s upward mobility even more important. To know and understand that this group of people was revered for not only their fighting capabilities, but also for their attention to education, is extremely interesting.
Another fascinating topic was the turn of the 20th century. The parallels to the United State’s own happenings were surprising. Like the US, Japan saw imperialism, economic development, mass migrations, women embarking on social reform and a rise in the urban cultural. Furthermore, much like the US, Japan saw each of these thoughts areas peak in the mid to late 1920’s.
The primary documents included throughout the chapters about Japan were essential. Using these documents added a voice and personal ideas to the topics being discussed in the chapters. My personal favorite was the “Excerpts from the Diary of Hayashi Toshimasa.” This diary about a man embarking on a suicide mission was emotional. Although the topic of kamikaze airmen is often wrote about, it is a completely different perspective hearing it firsthand. Most of the primary documents included give way to the same types of feeling and make the ideas written about that much more consequential.
To use this text with high school student would be a great benefit to them. I would use this text as is for my students, as I think it is readable and well researched.

Kelly Shaw
Brandywine Heights High School, Pennsylvania
AP US History – grade 10
AP World History – grade 11
Modern World Cultures – grade 11
As an AP world history teacher I am familiar with the big picture history of Japan in both of these time periods from their industrialization movements to their struggle and success to find their place on the world stage to their determination in two world wars and to their emergence as a force in world economics.
This text showed me the Tokugawa period in much more detail. This two hundred year period holds the fewest details for me but through this text I could more clearly understand society. Samurai are still at their height but over time are decreasing in power due to the significant changes in Japanese political structure. Japan goes through cycles in this time similar to China with agriculture poverty and prosperity all while in a dance to see which style of governing works best. Should local leaders have to live at court or should they live in their villages? And even though this is changing the family structure is staying the same with clearly set rules on who was in and who was out. There is one exception here and that is the merchant class that struggles at the beginning of this time period but slowly strengthens itself as Japan decided on whether they would become a world trade partner. It is also interesting to know that when Christianity is making such inroads in other parts of the world at this time, specifically the Americas due to the ability to sail across oceans with increasing ease, Japan is accepting all the trade but rejecting the new religion. This text also references the on again off again relationship that Japan has with China and their continual dance to see who will dominate their corner of the map.
I have found in textbook research that it is easy to find a text that does a great job with Europe at any time period. It is challenging to find a text that does a great job at Asia in every time period and so equally across Asia. China usually gets the most attention, Japan is wedged in the middle and Korea gets forgotten. This text treats them all pretty equally. This text also makes it easy for high school teachers to compare what is happening in other parts of the world at each time period with what is happening in Asia. It is easy to read and a great supplement to a more traditional textbook. My juniors in AP have found it very accessible and enjoyable to read. I also appreciate that culture takes the front seat as well. Too often “history” textbooks are strong in politics, military campaigns and economics. There is usually little religion, social class, gender issues, art and technology but this book marries culture with history and shows how they form a perfect relationship.