6th Grade History Chapter 15 – Japan
clans
an extended family
Shinto
the traditional religion of Japan – nature religion
Prince Shotoku
Japanese regent, he was one of Japan’s greatest leaders. He was influential in bringing Buddhism and Chinese ideas to Japan.
regent
a person who rules a country for someone who is unable to rule alone
court
a group of nobles who live near and serve or advise a ruler.
Lady Muraskaki Shikibu
Japanese noble and writer, she wrote “The Tale of Genji”, the world’s first known novel.
Zen
a form of Buddhism that emphasizes meditation
daimyo
large landowners of feudal Japan who gave land to samurai
samurai
a trained professional warrior in feudal Japan.
figurehead
a person who appears to rule even though real power rests with someone else
shogun
a general who ruled Japan in the emperor’s name.
Who was Prince Shotoku, and what did he do?
He served as regent of Japan and was influential in bringing Chinese influences to Japan.
Why was Japan isolated from China and Korea?
It was isolated because it was a group of islands.
How did China and Korea still affect Japan?
because they were so close and influenced culture.
The importance of loyalty, honor, and discipline in Japanese society today are mainly the result of what influence in Japan’s history?
the code of samurai
Most great works of early Japanese literature were written by:
noble women
The influence of China and Korea on Japan’s history, culture, and development is found in all of the following:
Japan’s first writing system, early rules for family behavior, the practice of Buddhism
The main function of samurai in Japanese society was to:
defend lords
Early Japanese society under the clans was not a single unified country but many small states. This type of government most resembled that of:
the Roman Empire during the Pax-Romana
The nobles of Heian placed great emphasis on art and learning, just like the people of which ancient Greek city-state that you learned about earlier?
Athens
values
ideas that people hold dear
structure
the way something is set-up
What types of landforms cover most of Japan?
Mountains, only about 20% is flat land.
What new form of Buddhism developed in Japan?
Pure Land and Zen
How did Yamato ruler gain power?
They built up armies and conquered their neighbors
How did Prince Shotoku help spread Buddism?
He built Buddhist temples
Why to you think the first shogun wanted to keep the emperor as a figurehead?
to prevent a revolt
What was Bushido?
the samurai code of rules
Why did the Japanese refer to the storms as Kamikaze?
they believed the gods sent the storms to protect Japan
What were two things the samurai could NOT do?
They could NOT attend certain types of entertainment or do trade
What is Noh?
Performances that include music, speaking and dance