Chapter 13 Reading Guide

Spread of Chinese Civilization: Japan

Chapter Summary. The peoples on China’s borders naturally emulated their great neighbor. Japan borrowed heavily from China during the 5th and 6th centuries when it began forming its own civilization. To the north and west of China, nomadic peoples and Tibet also received influence. Vietnam and Korea were part of the Chinese sphere by the last centuries b.c.e. The agrarian societies of Japan, Korea, and Vietnam blended Chinese influences with their indigenous cultures to produce distinctive patterns of civilized development. In all three regions, Buddhism was a key force in transmitting Chinese civilization.

1) How are Japan and Korea different than Vietnam in relation to trade?

JAPAN THE IMPERIAL AGE
2) When did Japan’s contact with China peak? Why?

3) What is Japan’s native religion?

4) In 646, what did the Taika reforms try to do?

5) How did the Japanese use/or look to Buddhism?

6) What was the result of the failed Taika reforms and led by who?

CRISIS AT NARA & THE SHIFT TO HEIN (Kyoto)
7) Who became so bold to try to influence the Japanese government?

8) How did the emperor, Koken’s husband, handle the new threats toward the government?

ULTRACIVILIZED: COURT LIFE IN THE HEIAN ERA
9)What was life like for the aristocratic classes?

10) How did women’s roles compare to men?

THE DECLINE OF IMPERIAL POWER
11) In the mid 9th century, who became the power family at court? How?

12)What Buddhist practices were the court aristocrats participating in?

THE RISE OF THE PROVINCIAL WARRIOR ELITE
14) What kind of estates did various families carve out? Why?

15) Who’s rule did the estates fall under? How was it administered?

16) What was the job description of the warrior?

17) Describe the life of peasants. How similar to western Europe?

18) What was life like for artisans?

THE ERA OF WARRIOR DOMINANCE
19) Whose power was growing into the 11th century? And what positions did they seek?

20) Which of the two families gained the upper hand in the 1180s, after the Gempei Wars? How? What age did this usher in?

THE DECLINING INFLUENCE OF CHINA
21) Why did the Japanese decide to discontinue its embassy at the Tang court?

THE BREAKDOWN OF BAKUFU DOMINANCE THE AGE OF THE WARLORDS
22) What did Yoritomo do/not do to cause the Minamoto families’ influence to decline?

23) Explain the three-tiered government system.

23) How did the Ashikaga Tukuaji (1336-1573) establish themselves as the new ruling group?

24) As a result, how many kingdoms were established and who had the power?

TOWARD BARBARISM? MILITARY DIVISION AND SOCIAL CHANGE
25) What aspect of the bushi era declined in the 15th-16th century?

26) What was the rule of the day?

27) How did combat change?

28) How was the behavior of the commoners/peasants similar to western Europeans?

29) How did the roles of women change in the warrior age?

ARTISTIC SOLACE FOR A TROUBLED AGE
30) What influenced art? List examples of art, especially unique to Japan.

Spread of Chinese Civilization: Korea

1) To what degree did China influence Korea?

2) Who are the Koreans descended from?

3) When did they first settle in the Korean Peninsula?

4) What was the earliest Korean dynasty, formed in 109 BCE?

TANG ALLIANCES & THE CONQUEST OF KOREA

5) Who did the Tang ally with? When did they become vassals of the Tang?

SINIFICATION: THE TRIBUTARY LINK
6) By what means did the Koreans learn of Chinese culture under the Silla?

7) What did the Koreans have to do to show their vassal status to the Chinese (besides pay tribute)? What positive gains came with the symbolic gesture?

THE SINIFICATION OF KOREAN ELITE CULTURE
8) Where was the Silla capital? How did reflect Chinese influence?

9) Who dominated the imperial government?

10) What social group did the Koreans have that the Chinese didn’t traditionally?

11) What did the Koreans do better than the Chinese? Explain or describe.

CIVILIZATION OF THE FEW
12) Describe the aristocratic class.

13) What was their export and role in trade with China and Japan?

KORYO COLLAPSE, DYNASTIC RENEWAL
14) Which class led the revolt against the Korean dynasties?

15) How did the revolts affect the aristocratic class?

Spread of Chinese Civilization: Vietnam

1) Where did the Vietnamese settle and when?

2) What was their staple crop?

3) What did the Vietnamese recognize they could gain from the Chinese?

4) How did the Chinese refer to them?

5) What dynasty first came in contact with them?

6) What did the Vietnamese trade in order to gain silk from China?

7) What were the differences they exhibited to the Chinese? (don’t forget women)

CONQUEST AND SINIFICATION

8) What was needed to make Vietnam the most productive agriculture area?

9) What was the result of its increased agricultural potential?

ROOTS OF RESISTENCE
10) What were the groups that weren’t happy with their vassal agreement? Why?

11) In 39 CE, who led a revolt against the Chinese? What else can we learn about the Vietnamese from the revolt-ers?

WINNING INDEPENDENCE
12) What made fight for independence so strong and successful?

13) What did geography have to do with it?

14) What was dividing the Chinese attention from reconquering the Vietnamese?

15) When did the Vietnamese achieve independence?

16) What groups tried to regain them and who did and when?

VIETNAMESE DRIVE TO THE SOUTH
17) How did the Chinese give the Vietnamese and edge over the people to the south?

18) Why didn’t they want to settle in the highlands?

EXPANSION AND DIVISION
19) Where is the capital?

20) What differences developed with the southern expansion? Why?