The Masculinization of Japanese Culture Paper

history of Japan. First, it will describe the masculinization of Japanese culture during the Kamakura Shogunate period and explore why masculinization happened. Second, the changing roles and relationships with each Buddhism and Shinto in Japan from Nara through the Kamakura period will be explored. Third, Korea’s relationship with China and Japan up until the 1600’s will be compared and contrasted. Fourth, the kinds of social, political and cultural climate in which early Buddhism took hold and flourished in China and Japan will be discussed. Finally, the Marxist Model of Feudalism will be defined. Reasons this model does not apply to Japan during the Kamakura and Ashikaga Shogunates will be discussed.

The Masculinization of Japanese Culture

Early on in the development of Japan’s feudal society, the culture was defined by “the central figure of the aristocratic fighting man on horseback” (Reischauer 45). This focus in the knight and politics created from this type of protection began male centered culture for the Kamakura Shogunate period. This happened mainly because of two reasons. First, Japanese families needed protection because of many ongoing clashes and small wars. Secondly this government of shogunate resulted from “a simple organization designed to control the relatively small bands of knights who owed personal allegiance to the Mimoto” (Reischauer 50). Bonding these knights together were family ties and long-standing friendships based on loyalty. It is because of these bonds, the shogunate influence and its male centered attributes became engrained in Japanese culture. Reischauer explains as a result of the shogunate “the man behind the throne had become s series of men, each one in turn controlled by the man behind him” (52).

Buddhism and Shinto in Japan

John Langone writes, “a Korean ambassador brought over a statue of Buddha and copies of his sacred books around the year 550 A.D.” (23). Thus began the changing roles and relationships of Buddhism and Shinto in Japan during the Nara period through the Kamakura period. This event demonstrates Japan’s growing relationship with outside lands. Until then the Japanese practiced the religion of Shinto or the Ways of the Gods. As a result, Buddhism spread slowly because of strong opposition. Another factor that contributed to Buddhism spreading slowly yet changing roles and relationships with Shinto was the fact the shogunate knights has a strong influence over the people. John W. Hall explains, “the shogun and daimgo became ordained rulers of the people” (182). This made the transition to Buddhism cumbersome. It also made it difficult for Buddhism to make a lasting impression. It was not until forty years later, that Buddhism became considered the state religion but only after the emperor adopted it (Langone 23). This commenced a period of great progress and change for Japan’s culture in the form of art, education, language, medicine and civil service because of the emperor’s relationship with China.

Korea’s Relationship with China and Japan

Due to Japan’s geographical location, it is simple for one to assume the country went through a period of isolation until the 1600’s. This assumption could not be further from the truth. The Chinese had a large influence on the island because “Chinese was the main fare of scholars, production of poetry, the inspiration of arts and literature” (Jansen 320). Such influence held a wide range of feelings and reactions from the Japanese. They felt anything from resentment to adoration of the Chinese culture. These emotions would later lead to a solid national identity. During the 1600’s Japan exported a large amount of goods to Korea and China. One product that gained popularity in Korea was the Japanese curved sword (Reischauer 74). Japan’s relationship with Korea was largely economic and commerce based. Still as a result of Japan’s increased trade activity upon the seas, this caused much unrest with Korea. Reischauer explains, “Koreans were the chief mariners and traders in the waters between Japan and the continent” (74). The Koreans did not care for Japan’s domination of commerce in the East China Sea. Because of such hostility, Japanese warrior merchants took to the seas and “pirates became a menace to the very existence of the kingdom of Korea” (Reischauer 75).

Social, Political and Cultural Climate

As referenced above much of Buddhism in Japan comes from the influence of Korea and China. It is because of this social framework based on commerce that the religion took hold. “Buddhist monasteries themselves led in sponsoring trading ventures to China” (Reischauer, 56). This resulted in many great architectural beauties and statues of Buddha throughout the Kamakura region. Secondly, China was not culturally open minded to the Buddhist principle of Nirvana. The Japanese went through a philosophic reorientation embracing the religion with great appeal culturally because of this idea of Nirvana. Still this period of time was presented as “a picture of increasingly political disruption and confusion” (Reischauer 67). The shogunate collapsed because the warrior class has grown too much in size. The Chinese did not have such structural political problems as they were slightly more advanced. It was also during this time Japan’s shogunates were transitioning from being knights to culturally educated men. With turmoil came social growth, as “the major monasteries became more than ever the chief havens of learning and centers of creative art” (Reischauer 70). Many of the knights became monks and adopted much Chinese influence in arts. Through the Chinese, they learned of new cultural trends such as the Zen garden and the art of playwriting. Slowly Buddhism was adopted by Shinto philosophers because of the religious intellectual vigor and impact involved (Reischauer 109).

Feudalism and the Marxist Model

Karl Marx used the term feudalism for political ends. In the 19th Century Karl Marx described feudalism as the economic situation focused on industry. coming before the inevitable rise of capitalism. For Marx, what defined feudalism was the military elite accumulating the surplus wealth of those under them by exploitation through military dominance. This was the definition of feudalism to Marx, a purely economic model.

The Marx Model of Feudalism does not apply to Japan during the Kamakura and Ashikaga Shogunates for the following reasons. Many scholars refer to Japan’s feudalism as the “ghost empire” or the “barbarian frontier” (Hall 49). What makes Japan’s feudalism different from Marx’s model are three factors: 1) universal religion, 2) open market of commerce and 3) intellectual enlightenment. These are attributes of culture Marx did not value. Also because of these influences, the Japanese existed in different social classes. Marx believed all men were the same class. As a result his model would not have worked because it remains stagnant. “Japan entered a new phase of urban development along the lines which followed the rise of new religious or military centers and the new economic requirements of a decentralized feudal society” (Hall 171) in the twelfth century. This led to increased freedoms and economic growth while the Ashikaga Shogunate was failing. Marx believed that government controlled all. The merchant (economic) community became attached to centers of feudal authority but instead of becoming isolated, the communities flourished. The key was the feudal system controlled what people valued. It was because of an open market with the mainland that Japan prospered. Reischauer writes, “Japan emerged in the sixteenth century from a prolonged period of feudal anarchy an economically advanced nation” (77).

Conclusion

This paper answered five questions about the early history of Japan. First, it described the masculinization of Japanese culture during the Kamakura Shogunate period and explored why masculinization happened. Second, the changing roles and relationships with each Buddhism and Shinto in Japan from Nara through the Kamakura period were explored. Third, Korea’s relationship with China and Japan up until the 1600’s were compared and contrasted. Fourth, the kinds of social, political and cultural climate in which early Buddhism took hold and flourished in China and Japan was discussed. Lastly, the Marxist Model of Feudalism was defined. Reasons this model does not apply to Japan during the Kamakura and Ashikaga Shogunates were discussed.

Works Cited

Hall, John W. And Marius B. Jansen, eds. Studies in the International History of Early Modern Japan. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1968.

Langone, John. In the Shogun’s Shadow. Boston: Little, Brown and Company,

1994.

Reischauer, Edwin. Japan: The Story of a Nation. New York: Alfred A. Knopf,

Inc., 1970.

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