Gallery Two explores Japanese culture and daily life between the late 8th and 16th centuries, spanning the Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi, and Azuchi-Momoyama periods. It focuses on the graceful aristocratic culture of the Heian court; the everyday lives of military families in the vicinities of Kamakura and Ichijodani; and the world of commoners in which occupations of all kinds flourished. The gallery also gives attention to international relations with East Asia and to Japan's first encounter with the West.
- Contents
- Court Culture (10th - 12th Centuries)East Versus West (12th - 15th Centuries)Daimyo and Uprisings (15th - 16th Centuries)Commoner Life and Culture (14th - 16th Centuries)Japan in the Maritime Age (15th to mid - 17th Centuries)History of Printing (8th - 17th Centuries)
Court Culture (10th - 12th Centuries)
Out of the Sinocized court culture established in earlier times, there blossomed during the Heian period a uniquely Japanese court culture known as the Yamato court culture which was characterized by strong aristocratic, feminine and urban elements. It was during this period that the Japanese phonetic syllabaries (hiragana and katakana) were created. This freedom to record the Japanese language in written form led to the development of a Japanese literature distinct from of Chinese literature. This display focuses on the life of the aristocrats who lived during this time.
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East Versus West (12th - 15th Centuries)
After the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate in eastern Japan, the country became a nation divided by two leading centers: the military government based in Kamakura in the east and the imperial capital of Kyoto in the west. The regional differences became even more pronounced with transportation in the east being mainly by land (horses) and in the west by sea. In this display, the contrast between the eastern and western regions is highlighted by a focus on Kamakura, the headquarters of warrior-class governance, and Kyoto, the center of the western economy dominated by the shoen system of land management.
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Daimyo and Uprisings (15th - 16th Centuries)
During this period, people in each social class in every region of Japan developed new, horizontal social and political ties. People in villages instituted their own laws and stirred up revolts to demand cancellation of debts and tax reduction, while local landowners formed alliances among themselves in order to control such uprisings. In contrast, the lords of larger domains (daimyo) strove to unify their power which was based on master-servant relationships. This display shows a daimyo residence, as well as the state of villages and cities of the time.
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A folding screen painting of "Scenes In and Around Kyoto" |
Commoner Life and Culture (14th - 16th Centuries)
The word "upheaval" aptly describes the marked movement of commoners, the lowest social class, to the forefront of the historical and cultural stage during the second half of Japan's Middle Ages. At the end of the Kamakura period, the energy and activities of commoners bloomed, agricultural techniques advanced sharply, and the lives of people in mountain and fishing villages stabilized. This display shows a variety of commoners' professions, as well as agricultural and manufacturing
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Japan in the Maritime Age (15th to mid - 17th Centuries)
An international framework of relations had formed in East Asia with China at its center, but advances of European powers into East Asia rocked this cultural order and brought many products of western civilization to Japan. Above all, the introduction of firearms and Christianity had a profound impact on Japanese culture. During the Sengoku period, Japan's military strategy changed fundamentally, and military organization, as well as the differentiation of professional soldiers from farmers increased sharply. Such changes eventually led to a unified political government and a powerful centralized state.
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History of Printing (8th - 17th Centuries)
Printing and book publishing flourished in China during the Song Dynasty, and many books were exported to Japan. The influence of such books led to the publication of Buddhist sutras during the mid-Heian period in Japan, followed eventually by the publication of books of many genres. While the first publishers were temples located in the Kyoto and Nara regions, publishing gradually spread to other provinces. Books ranged from Buddhist and Confucian texts to Chinese poetry collections, and Japanese literature, such as Tales of Genji written in flowing kana script. Displays are changed every month.
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