Japan 2 Essay Research Paper Chronicles of

Japan 2 Essay, Research Paper

Chronicles of Japan

Japan is one of the world’s leading industrial and trading nation and the first Asian nation to develop economy. Japan is the East Asian mainland to receive the stimulation of foreign ideas. There were chronicles of Japan in ancient time. One of the ruler, Shotoku, introduced to Japan various cultural element borrowed from the Chinese. He ruled briefly. Knowledge of Shotoku’s constitution came from the Nibongi and it was one of Japan’s two oldest collections of legend and history. The Nibongi traced the history of Japan back to logical age of the gods. Before he had known, there were several rulers such as Jimmu Ennu, Yamato, and Soga. Jimmu Tennu was the mythic first emperor of Japan that began to rule in 660 BCE. Yamato became the Sun Line his authority grew in the centuries of state building. However, Yamato could not control several of Japan’s powerful clan. A member of the powerful uji by Soga clan, who was a Buddhist. He worked to spread his religion and building many Buddhist temples. He chose one emperor, Suiko, after engineering. UJI designated an imperial prince to serve. And then, Shotoku was appointed regent. His codes affected in Japanese society in spiritual thinking.

Shotoku’s constitution inferred about his ideals and goals. Shotoku prepared seventeen clauses for the time. First, he wrote about human’s behavior. In that time, mostly, men were admitted as human. Men were influenced by class-feeling. He said that men shall obey and respect their Lords and fathers. If men did not, there would be feuds with the neighboring villages. But if people did right, they were friendly with other people and was concord in business. Shotoku pointed it out not to get bad environment. Second, he said basic three treasures which were Buddha, Law, and Priesthood. It was the final refuge that had faith in all countries. Third, the Lord and the vassal had a big gap. The Lord is Heaven, the vassal is Earth. When person got the imperial commands, he shall fail not to obey it. If Earth was overspread, Heaven would fall in ruin. In fourth, ministers and functionaries shall behave with each other. If the superiors did not behave with decorum, the inferiors are disordered. If inferiors wanted in proper, there was offenses. I think that he pointed out about the relationship with each people shall be good. He explained it specifically such as superior and inferior.

For rest of his articles, Shotoku said that chastise was the excellent

rule that men wanted to their Lords and in benevolence toward the people. In other codes, Shotoku said that men shall work with wisdom. In whether great or small business, there shall be right men who really could do it. Then the earth could get out from danger. He said that their right was our wrong, and our right was their wrong. If others gave anger, people shall dread own faults. People shall be in the right and acted like them. Shotoku gave clear reward or punishment. Reward did not attend to merit and punishment was not upon crime. People could set faces from private to public. If he was influenced by resentful feeling, he would fail to act good. When resentment arose, it inerferes with order. People employed at seasonable times. This was excellent rule. In winter months, they worked. However, from Spring to Autumn, they were engaged in agriculture and they did not work. Silk produced from China. In last, decisions on important matters shall not be made by one person alone. The small matters were less consequence. The right conclusion was the best. Like these codes, Shotoku was very spiritual thinking. These are very good codes that human should follow it for life.

I see Japanese society against Chinese. Actually, Japanese cultures are similar with Korea. Japanese spoken language is related to Korean because they attracted there and ruled them for 35 years. The ancestors of the Japanese originated in Northeast of China. They displaced the islands’ inhabitants with Ainu who was physically different from the Japanese. It was was identifiable culture. Japanese got many from Korea which was the earlier historical development country. Japan’s first identifiable state did not arise first, but it becomes big industrial country today. Japanese got religion from China which is Buddhism. They could observe the governmental systemof the Tang Dynasty. However, The religion of Shinto became Japan’s origianl animistic religion. It forced within Japanese culture. Also Japanese leaders belonged to religion. Japanese’s society and government were still controlled by feudal clan lords and aristocrats.

Japanese people have very strong mind that they work hard for economy that advanced industrial economy and trade with many countries even they didn’t have enought natural resources. I think that Japanese people’s minds are very strong. I can see it by the Shotoku’s seventeen clauses in past. The country achieved a rapid recovery and Japan became the world’s second leading economic power after the United States.