Life in Medieval Japan Daily Lesson and Discussion Notes: 5-3 Objectives: Discuss how religion shaped Japanese culture Describe how Japanese men prospered while women lived restricted lives Objective 1: Discuss how religion shaped Japanese culture ReligionCulture I. Japanese Religion and Culture (pages ) Middle Shinto Buddhism A. During the Middle Ages, Japanese people practiced both Shinto and Buddhism. Pure Land happy death C. Pure Land Buddhism was a sect of Mahayana Buddhism. Its message is about a happy life after death. sects B. By the time it reached Japan, Buddhism had divided into different sects, or smaller religious groups. Zen ChinaZen innerself-control simpleMartialmeditation D. Zen Buddhism is another important sect of Buddhism brought to Japan from China. Zen teaches that people can find inner peace through self-control and a simple way of life. Martial arts and meditation are practiced in Zen Buddhism. art beauty simplicity lacquerlandscape origamitea E. Japanese art reveals the peoples love of beauty and simplicity. Art in the Middle Ages included wooden items coated in lacquer, landscape paintings, folded paper called origami, and tea ceremonies. Chinese ShintoJapanese BuddhistChinese F. Japanese buildings were influenced by Chinese or Japanese styles. Shinto shrines followed the Japanese style; Buddhist temples followed the Chinese style. Chinese Calligraphy G. The Japanese borrowed and adapted the Chinese style of writing using characters. Calligraphy, the art of writing beautifully, was important in Japan. tanka poetry H. The tanka is Japans oldest form of poetry. Murasaki Shikibu I. Lady Murasaki Shikibu wrote The Tale of Genji, the story of a Japanese prince. Noh Buddhist masks J. Noh plays taught Buddhist ideas and were performed on a bare stage by actors in robes and masks. Objective 1: Discuss how religion shaped Japanese culture In medieval Japan, several forms of Buddhism, along with Shinto, were practiced. These religions affected Japanese art, architecture, novels, and plays. Objective 2: Describe how Japanese men prospered while women lived restricted lives EconomySociety II. Economy and Society (pages ) benefited poor A. Very few people benefited from Japans wealth under the shoguns. Most people in Japan remained poor. rice wheatmilletbarley irrigationcrops B. Japanese farmers worked hard to grow rice, wheat, millet, and barley. In the 1100s, advances in irrigation and crops allowed them to grow more food and their lives improved. weaponsarmortools potterypapertextileslacquered C. Artisans made weapons, armor, and tools for merchants to sell. As trade increased, artisans began making pottery, paper, textiles, and lacquered items. Kyoto guilds D. Kyoto, the capital of Japan, was a major center of production and trade. Many guilds, or groups, of artisans and merchants were located there. extended parentsman father husbandsons E. Japanese extended families included grandparents, parents, and children, with a man heading the family. Women were expected to obey their father, their husband, and their sons. Japanese courtiers Heian nobles at the Kyoto court led a life focused on beauty and manners, guided by an intense courtly code called miyabi. Miyabi stressed appearance, restraint, and decorum. It was thought horribly rude to laugh with ones mouth open. While eating, court nobles never touched food with their hands and avoided ever letting another diner see their mouths. Perfume Men made their own perfume, and the famous nobles were known by their individual scents. Peer Pressure Rules of clothing were so closely followed that a woman would be shamed and ostracized if one of the 12 layers of thin silk gowns she wore had a sleeve 1 inch longer than the customary length. The perfect face Round and white with a tiny mouth was the ideal. Both sexes applied liberal amounts of white powder to their faces. Women used lipstick in an attempt to make their mouths look smaller. Black teeth were in All women and many men blackened their teeth with an iron substance. Women shaved their eyebrows and painted two small black artificial eyebrows high on their foreheads. Men wore pointy beards on the tips of their chin, and sometimes mustaches Hair styles Women grew their hair as long as possible, with the ideal being to have locks that were longer than the person was tall. No Sleeping Beauty People were advised to sleep only at night so no one would see them asleep because they were believed to be uglier when lying down. Heian calligraphy Sometimes letters would be returned unread if the paper had been folded improperly or if the handwriting was considered unrefined. Pastimes at court go board game Kick ball (a.k.a. hackey sack) Influenced by Chinese culture Memorization of Chinese poetry Writing poetry was a favorite form of writing (especially about the fragile beauty in nature). Landscape painting was popular freedom rulersproperty samuraidaimyo F. Despite their lack of freedom, some women made important contributions to Japanese culture. During the time of Shotoku, wealthy women could be rulers and own property, but women lost these freedoms after the samurai and daimyo took control. Marriages farming married G. Marriages were arranged by parents, but in farming families women had more control over whom they married. Objective 2: Describe how Japanese men prospered while women lived restricted lives During the time of the shoguns, Japans economy grew stronger. In the family, women lost some of their freedoms as Japan became a warrior society.