1. Cultures of East Asia
Japan and Korea
Preview
•
Main Idea / Reading Focus
•
Early Japanese Civilization
•
Map: Japan
•
Foreign Influences on Japan
•
The Heian Period
•
Korea
•
Map: Korea
Section 3

2. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Japan and Korea
Main Idea
Geography and cultural borrowing from China shaped the early
civilizations of Japan and Korea.
Reading Focus
• What factors shaped early Japanese civilization?
• How did foreign influences shape life in early Japan?
• What characteristics defined Japan’s Heian period?
• What were the main events in the history of early Korea?

3. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Early Japanese Civilization
1. The Japanese call their country Nippon, meaning “Land of the Rising
Sun.” Japan sits on the eastern edge of the Pacific Ocean, at what
feels like the origin of the sunrise in the east. This location and the
geography of Japan has shaped life there since the earliest times.
The Land
• The nation of Japan consists of
some 3,000 islands
• Largest four islands form an
archipelago, large island chain
• Chain extends more than 1,500
miles and lies on Ring of Fire—
zone of volcanoes, earthquakes
The Elements
• Japan home to hundreds of
volcanoes, many active
• Experiences frequent earthquakes
• Subject to tsunamis, huge waves
from underwater earthquakes
• Typhoons also strike late in
summer, early autumn
Only a small part of Japan is suitable for farming. Most Japanese have
always lived in the river valleys and coastal plains.

4. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
The Sea
• Nearness of sea has also shaped development of Japan
• People never far from sea, even on larger islands
• Early Japanese turned to sea for food, transportation
• Sea also protected, isolated Japan during much of history
Separated from Neighbors
• Japan separated from Korea by 100 miles of water, from China by
400 miles of water—large enough distances to prevent invasions
• Only successful invasion of Japan occurred in World War II
• Early Japanese developed own culture in relative isolation
• China, Korea close enough to influence Japan’s culture later in time

5. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
Early Japan
Migration
• Scientists think first people to settle in Japan migrated from Asian mainland
• Early people hunters, gatherers; developed societies with distinct cultures
• Oldest known Japanese culture, Ainu
Ainu
• Ainu’s origin unknown, did not resemble other East Asians
• More people migrated to Japan, Ainu driven onto northernmost island
• Culture almost disappeared
Clans
• People on islands south of Ainu became the Japanese
• Clans developed, came to rule many villages
• Each clan worshipped nature spirits, kami, believed to be their ancestors

6. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Shinto Religion
Religious beliefs developed into Shinto religion
• Shinto, “way of the kami”
• Shinto religion:
– Everything in nature has a kami
– No sacred text, formal structure
• Shrines:
– Built to kami, ceremonies performed there
– Located in natural settings; red gateway, torii, marks entrance

7. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
The Yamato Clan
Powerful Clan
Emperors
• Amaterasu, the sun goddess,
was one of most revered kami
• In time Japan’s emperors
claimed to be living gods
• First Japanese emperor said to
be grandson of sun goddess
• Other clans eventually gained
power over the Yamato
• Emperor member of Yamato
clan, which lived in rich farming
region on island of Honshu
• Did not remove Yamato
emperor, but controlled him
• Did not control all Japan, but
Yamato chiefs began to call
themselves emperors of Japan
• As result, emperor often had no
real authority, served as
figurehead; this political system
continued until 1900s

8. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3

9. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Identify Supporting Details
What geographic factors have influenced
Japan’s history and culture?
Answer(s): geologically active region; steep
mountains, thick forests, limited but fertile
farmland, islands surrounded by the sea

10. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Foreign Influences on Japan
2. By the mid-500s, Japan had increased contact with its neighbors,
Korea and China. Their cultures began to influence Japan.
Korean Influences
Chinese Influences
• Korean traders, travelers
brought foreign influences;
most originated in China
• Prince Shotoku helped
spread Buddhism in Japan
• Korean scribes introduced
Chinese writing to Japan
• Korean monks introduced
religion of Buddhism
• Buddhism influenced
Japanese art, architecture
• Served as regent to Japanese
empress, his aunt
• Shotoku admired China, sent
scholars to learn from Chinese
• Knowledge from missions to
Tang dynasty changed Japan
in many ways

11. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
Changes in Japan
Tang Influences
• Chinese fashions, foods, tea
became popular in Japan
• Tang styles of art, music,
dance, gardening also popular
Government Influences
• Japanese adopted Tang ideas,
including stronger central
government, bureaucracy
• Adopted law code similar to
China’s, not civil service system
Confucian Influences
• Japanese adopted many
Confucian ideas about family
• Wives should obey husbands
• Children should obey parents
End of Influences
• 800s, Tang dynasty declined,
Japanese stopped sending
missions to China
• Transformed what they had
learned, to create own culture,
society

12. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Find the Main Idea
How did Chinese influences affect Japan
during this period?
Answer(s): gave Japan a written language;
Buddhism spread from China to Japan; Chinese
fashion and foods became popular; Japanese
adopted some Chinese ideas about government

13. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
The Heian Period
3. In 794 Japan’s emperor moved the capital to Heian, now called
Kyoto. Many nobles moved to Heian, where they developed an
elegant and stylish court society. At the Heian court, Japanese culture
flowered.
Etiquette
Women
Life in the Heian
• Rules governed all
• Women enjoyed
Period
aspects of court
writing, reading
• Heian nobles lived
behavior, dress
fictional prose
in beautiful
• Elaborate silk
• Lady Murasaki
palaces, enjoyed
gowns for women
Shikibu greatest
lives of privilege
writer; The Tale of
• Proper way to write
• So removed from
Genji, world’s first
note, an art form
common people,
full-length novel,
many called selves
• Everyone expected
describes court life
“dwellers among
to write poetry
the clouds”

14. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
The Fujiwaras
Fujiwara family controlled Japan for most of
Heian period
• Many Fujiwaras served as regent
• Fujiwaras often married daughters to heirs of throne
• Rich landowners with private armies eventually
challenged Fujiwaras, Japan’s central government

15. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
Summarize
Why was the Heian period a golden age of
culture in Japan?
Answer(s): A court culture grew; writing and art
flourished.

16. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
Korea
Korean Peninsula
• Juts from East Asian mainland, China to southwest, Japan to east
• Location made Korea bridge for passage of people, culture, ideas
• Also left region open to invasion
Geography
• Much of peninsula covered by rugged mountains, limits land for agriculture
• Mountain ranges run north and south along east coast
• Main population centers in west; land flattens to plains
Early Korea
• First Koreans nomadic peoples from northeastern Asia; formed clans
• Developed own culture; but influenced by China’s Han dynasty, 108 BC
• Adopted Confucianism, Chinese writing, political, agricultural methods

17. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3

18. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
Silla
• After China’s Han dynasty, three rival kingdoms controlled Korea
• 600s, rulers of one kingdom, Silla, allied with China, conquered rest
• Silla then turned on Chinese; ruled all Korea by 670
• Agreed to pay tribute to China to ensure harmony, good will
• Embraced many aspects of Chinese civilization, promoted Buddhism,
created central government, bureaucracy based on Tang model
The Koryo Dynasty
• 935, rebels defeated Silla Kingdom,
founded Koryo dynasty, which
lasted until 1392
• Continued to adopt Chinese ideas,
worked for distinct Korean features
• Civil service exam like China’s but
only nobles could take test
Society, Culture
• Society divided between powerful
nobility and the rest of the people
• Culture thrived, artisans created
pottery covered with celadon glaze
• Improved on Chinese woodblock
printing, created moveable type
• Printed Buddhist texts

19. Cultures of East Asia
Section 3
Mongol Occupation
1200s, Mongols of Yuan China invaded,
occupied Korea
• Forced Koryo’s rulers to pay immense tributes, enslaved
many Koreans
– Took artisans to China
– Forced men to serve in Yuan military
• 1300s, Yuan dynasty weakened
– Koreans rebelled against Yuan
– 1392, Korean general founded new dynasty

20. Section 3
Cultures of East Asia
Sequence
What were the major events and periods in
early Korean history?
Answer(s): period of Han dynasty influence;
period when Silla kingdom allied with Chinese;
Koryo dynasty