Well ladies and gentlemen, as I mentioned in class today, Japan has arrived in our little drama called world history. As I also mentioned today, Japan will play a major role in this class from this point forward. Japan is unique in the fact that a single imperial dynasty has reigned over the land and its people for the past 1,700 years. This family, known as the Sun Line, claims descent from the sun goddess Ameterasu through her great-great-grandson Jimmu Tennu (Divine Warrior), the mythic first emperor of Japan who, according to legend, began to rule in 660 B.C.E. The historical truth is less grand. The Yamato clan, which became the Sun Line, seems to have established its dominance in western Japan no earlier than the third century C.E. Whatever the origins of their dynasty, the range of the Yamato clan's authority grew in the course of its first several centuries of state-building, thanks to fortunate alliances, conquests, and the development of a literate bureaucracy. By the sixth century, the Yamato emperors and empresses had become living symbols of Japanese religious and cultural unity. However, even though it claimed divine origins, the Yamato family could not control several of Japan's powerful clan chieftains. Indeed, the opposite was more the case. Several powerful clans vied to control the imperial family.One of the most powerful of Japan's late-sixth-century clans was the Soga family headed by Soga no Umako, who supported the policy of actively welcoming Chinese influences on a massive scale into Japan as a way of extending the authority of the imperial family that it controlled and increasing the overall prosperity and power of this island empire.
After engineering the assassination of one emperor, Soga no Umako chose a woman, Empress Suiko as nominal ruler. To guide her along lines that he considered correct, Soga designated an imperial prince to serve as regent. Under the direction of this crown prince, known as Shotoku (literally, "Sovereign Moral Power"), Japan embarked on a course of deliberate cultural borrowing that was unprecedented in history. In 604, Prince Shotoku issued the Constitution of Seventeen Articles, which laid out the ideological basis for the reforms (essentially the Taika Reforms) that he, Empress Suiko, and Soga no Umako were championing.
Our knowledge of Shotoku's constitution comes from the Nihongi or Chronicles of Japan, one Japan's two oldest collections of legend and history. Composed in its final form in 720, the Nihongi traces the history of Japan back to the age of the gods. By the time the Nihongi reaches the sixth century C.E., its narrative has largely left the realm of myth and become more reliable history. Please click on the following link (Chronicles of Japan) to read Prince Shotoku's constitution that can found in the Nihongi. When you are finished reading, I would like you to think about and discuss the following: What kind of constitution is this? Is it a code of institutional rules and regulations, or is it something else? What does you answer suggest? What does this constitution allow you to infer about Shotoku's ideals and goals? What Confucian principles do you find in this document? Can you find any Daoist ideas? What about Legalist elements? What native, or non-Chinese, elements do you find in this document? What do they suggest about Japanese society? Your thoughts...
21 comments:
The main thing I notice is a strong sense of patriarchy with quotes such as "All men, Let every man, seek the man". This displays the male dominent ideals that Japan aquired from China. Another ideal, Buddhism, was aquired as illustrated in statment 2 "Sincerely reverence the three treasures. The three treasures: the Buddha, the Law, and the Priesthood, [The Buddha, the Law of Dharma, and the Sangha, or order of male and female monks, are the three treasures, or key elements, of Buddhism] are the final refuge . . . and are the supreme objects of faith in all countries. What man in what age can fail to reverence this law? Few men are utterly bad. They may be taught to follow it. But if they do not go to the three treasures, how shall their crookedness be made straight?"
"Chastise that which is evil and encourage that which is good" has a hint of Legalistic views but is not the hardcore legalism of China's Qin and Sui dynastys maybe due to its lack of effectivness in creating a lasting state.
"Give clear appreciation to merit and demerit, and deal out to each its sure reward or punishment. In these days, reward does not attend upon merit, nor punishment upon crime. You high functionaries who have charge of public affairs, let it be your task to make clear rewards and punishments" This shows that the Japanese did not want to adopt the system of marit but remain on a system based on birth, which ultimately leads up to their fuedal society.
I did't really understand how different Japan was from china! For example, their whole way of thinking about the world is different. Japan's constitution says that "for each man has a heart, and each heart has it's own leanings". They don't want "angry looks" to foreigners, which is extremely different from the, China doesn't need the world and the world needs China thinking. China is very prejudiced against other areas that differ from it, like Vietnam. It seems like in this constitution, Japan is much more kind and less hostile to foreign people. They do have many simialar things too. It talks about how decisions should not be made by one person alone, the buracreacy idea, and it even talks about the new waves of agriculture and labor forces. There are so many more, but those were only a few that stuck out.
I think this document was mainly just a set of regulations. They don't seem like they could be complete rules. You can see that Buddhism is very important in this doc. It was mentioned in the "three treasures." Obviously it was something they borrowed from China. Another borrowed idea is the whole thing about "All men, Let every man, seek the man." It shows the patriarchal ideas taken from the very patriarchal soceity of China.
Rather than a set of laws or rules, it is guidelines reinforcing Chinese style beuracracy and new ideas. Shhotoku probably wanted a united Japan; Japan was ruled by many clans.
Confucian Ideas
-If the superiors do not behave with decorum, the inferiors are disorderly
This reflects the idea that rulers should be "good" and that if they are, commoners will follow.
-To turn away from that which is private, and to set our faces toward chat which is public - this is the path of a Minister
This reinforces the idea that the rulers must lead the people by example, they can not do that if secrets are held and they are not liked.
-For if they do not attend to agriculture, what will they have to eat?
Confucius greatly honored the peasants, and thought that they were the backbone of China. The peasants of Japan are not employed during harvesting season, reflecting this Confucian idea.
Daoist:
-But when those above are harmonious and those below are friendly, and there is concord in the discussion of business, right views of things spontaneously gain acceptance. Then what is there which cannot be accomplished!
It is different from Daoist thought in that there are clases and does not state that people should lead ascetic life styles.
Buddhism:
-Sincerely reverence the three treasures. The three treasures: the Buddha, the Law, and the Priesthood, [The Buddha, the Law of Dharma, and the Sangha, or order of male and female monks, are the three treasures, or key elements, of Buddhism] are the final refuge . . . and are the supreme objects of faith in all countries. What man in what age can fail to reverence this law? Few men are utterly bad. They may be taught to follow it. But if they do not go to the three treasures, how shall their crookedness be made straight?
self explanatory...
Legalist
-When you receive the Imperial commands, fail not scrupulously to obey them.
reflects legalist strict ruling
Chinese Beuracracy Ideas:
Mr. Prill. Is the Chinese beuracracy a Confucian idea, or is it a Chinese idea, which implements Confucianism?
If it is the latter then,
-Let every man have his own charge, and let not the spheres of duty be confused.
The idea that beuracrats should have specific duties to make the state more prosperous and organized.
-Decisions on important matters should not be made by one person alone. may miscarry, that one should arrange They should be discussed with many.
Gives the pro of Beuracracy; many people can be consulted for decisions. The con: disagreement can lead to nothing being done.
Native Ideas:
-But when those above are harmonious and those below are friendly
Reflects the concept of being born into higher positions.
-The lord is Heaven, the vassal is Earth. Heaven overspreads, and Earth upbears.
Reflects the idea of concept of the Sun Line.
great post... to answer your question mr. livaditis, bureaucracy is a chinese idea that implemented confucian thought (at the time they really had little else to go with)
The document resembles holy texts on ways to live your life. It doesn't seem at all like a constitution that we know of today. The ones we have tell actual laws that are suppose to be followed, and how a government needs to be governed(which it does mention) etc. Daoism is represented in the first one as Harmony. Daoism is all about oneness with nature and each other. The document shows how Religion effects the region. In this one for instance, treating family with respect and Harmony are written to guide people to make a steady society.
The way I see it, this document pushes strongly to conforming. "To turn away from that which is private, and to set our faces toward chat which is public - this is the path of a Minister. Now if a man is influenced by private motives, he will assuredly feel resentments, and if he is influenced by resentful feelings, he will assuredly fail to act harmoniously with others. If he fails to act harmoniously with others, he will assuredly sacrifice the public interests to his private feelings. When resentment arises, it interferes with order, and is subversive of law. . ."
This basically is saying to not be influenced by your own personal feelings, because you as a person should want to act harmonously, and hamony is not acting on your "private feelings"
Thsi document also talks about Buddhism a lot, which shows the influence that the Chinese.
It also mentions the man (One Man's duty, the Man's interests, etc.)a lot, which shows the Patriarchical view of this society.
I find it really funny that the first 5 words are "Harmony is to be valued", and Japan is so split up at the time! Then again, this family didn't influence that many other people at the time. I found it very surprising that it mentioned Buddhism as something to be valued and practiced. Amazing how fast something can go wrong. But Mr. Prill why weren't these people very influential? Why did they only rule a very small portion of Japan? Wouldn't they want to expand?
expansion calls for organization, which the japanese lacked at the time.
It is quite interesting that in the very first section, it is saying that all the peasantry are stupid and if their overlords are smart, they will be happy. This would show how Japan did not adopt the Civil Service Exams for their own government. In the third section, it says in a law code that if the peasants do not follow orders, the country will fall apart. The country falls apart anyway, through the greediness of the nobility and no amount of pleasant farmers is going to change that. It also states that the ministers must put on a great show for the people, as the superiors must act like they are meant to be there. They say in section 7, that intelligence and knowledge are genetic almost, so that would explain the thought that nobility must be wise. But it also says that there is a connection between wise leaders and a prosperous country, and a bad leader and chaos. It is just luck that the wise people come into control. In section 11, it sounds similar to Hammurabi's code, an eye for an eye, what you do will have an equal consequence. In section 16, it states that forced labor should be used during the leisure time of the peasants, would that not make the peasants angry that their only time of rest is being taken away?
this document sounded to me more like a bible or a holy book more than anything else. Or jsut a set of rules to follow kind of like the ten commandments. It said that those who were in submission to the lords must follow the lords and the lords not to be mean to the peasants. It was all about how everything should work out nicely...it didn't seem realistic. There were no real things saying what to do in case of a bad situation, there were only guidelines to follow.
Sorry to get off subject again Mr. Prill but...for the DBQ for tomorrow... What do you mean by PATTERNS of trade??...like once disease has died down from Han china and classical AFro-Eurasia then trade begins to pick up again. Or like when a society comes up with new innovations for distance trade..or what??
by patterns i mean what are the trends? who is trade taking place between? how is trade connecting the entire afro-eurasian region? who is involved?
The constitution was like confucianism in the way it talked about relationships between people. Shotoku writes how important it is for every one to respect people of higher and lower ranks, like relationships in confucianism.
I didn't understand what he was saying in number 10 when it said "one man's right is another wrong...". Could you explain tht? Maybe I'm missing something.
The Soga constitution is a fairly good set of rules... the major exceptions being that peasants and women obviously don't play a huge role in the society at all and are not valued, which is a lot like China. I definitely agree that China has a more ethnocentric way of thinking than Japan.
The confusing thing is that it says "When wise men are entrusted with office, the sound of praise arises. If unprincipled men hold office, disasters and tumults are multiplied." Which means that they want the best people holding high positions. Yet they still consider every peasant an imbecile and don't apply the Civil Service Exam and whatnot.
I personally just saw this document as a set of regulations or a holy book. I stated that those in submission to the lord must follow the lord. also buddhism was very prominent in the Constitution. it seemed like this would only occur in a perfect world and wasn't suit to be used in the real world.
This constitution is more or less a set of rules or a guide to daily life. Maybe also, to a person's entire life. It does not really state clearly defined rules and regulations, including punishment. It sounds quite Confucian and Buddhist by speaking much of harmony and of being a good, respectful person. Number 16 sounds more Confucian because it is speaking of labor and how to provide for yourself by doing your job as the peasants do.
--------------Woah. Alec. Your post is insanly helpful! That is a great one!--------
I did not really notice all the "men" statements until I began to read a few posts. I guess it is so common in my mind as the way constutitions are written, becuase of ours being written this way, that I will probably only notice the difference when I read one that states women specifically. Speaking of that, are women technically supposed to follow the same codes in here as are stated for men? Are they even considered citizens? I would assume they would have to follow just as we women do in our own...
I think that this constitution is more like a code of rules; It talks about what one SHOULD do rather than what one must do.This constitution mentions the connection to Buddhism which in this case was Zen Buddism because it refers to harmonization with nature, human, and time. For example, "The lord is Heaven, the vassal is Earth. Heaven overspreads, and Earth upbears. When this is so, the four seasons follow their due course, and the powers of Nature obtain their efficacy. If the Earth attempted to overspread, Heaven would simply fall in ruin. " Explains the mixture between humans and nature. Also, this passage infers about the existance in Shintoism because it mentions the lord as heaven. These kind of Zen Buddism-ish rules are somewhat similar to Daoism because of its harmonization.
I really could not find any Legalism ideas because none of these are strict and YOU-MUST-DO-THIS type of rules;however, i found some Confucian ideas: This constitution talks about honoring the emperor and one's father.
I really could not find any not- sinofied laws because i think that all of these were little bit infuenced by either Confucianism, Legalism, Daoism, and Buddism. i think this was a philosophical code of law for Shotoku to have influences(mostly religional) on the people to obey the lords and respect them.
In this set of guidelines of behavior, religions such as Confucianism and Daoism are mentioned. The farmers were pretty high on the food chain in the Confucian religion. In these guidelines, farmers and the production of food was mentioned. Without them, people would be concerned about their food sources. Doaism was incorporated by the harmony and peace that the Japanese wanted to attain. If this were anything like a set of laws, there would be harsh consequences for disobeying one. No consequences were really mentioned besides things like if you didn't cultivate food, you'd suffer because of your action. Not like you didn't grow food, so you're in a jail of some sort. With all the religious views tied into this, it'd be hard to make it actual laws rather than just the code of ethics.
The big thing that I saw in these documents is the adopted philosophy of Buddhism. Buddhism was spread through Japan via merchants and missionaries. Document three i found to be interesting. In document three it shows the mix of Buddhism and their native religon, Shintoism. Shintoism incorporates nature and nature gods.
I think the constitiution was a set of regulations to imitate Chinese style of governmetn. IT shows selective borrowing because although many ideas of the constitution are from China, the 3rd statement shows that Japanese class was inherited, and therefore rejected meritocracy.
Legalist element shown in the constitution is punishment and reward, which is also mentioned in the samurai document in the post above. It shows that Legalist ideas were effective in organizing warrors.
It also has some Daoist and Confucian ideas such as harmony and turning away from private motives.
Post a Comment