1. During the medieval period in Japan, a feudal warrior society developed led by samurai. Samurai served local lords and were paid in land or goods in exchange. 2. The Tokugawa Shogunate established a strong central government in the early 1600s and brought stability and prosperity. However, they also imposed a rigid social hierarchy and isolated Japan from outside influences. 3. In medieval Korea, the Choson dynasty established a government based on Confucianism after gaining control in 1392, though Korea struggled with invasions from China and Japan and withdrew from the world.

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Preview
• Main Idea / Reading Focus
• Japan’s Warrior Society
• The Tokugawa Shogunate
• Medieval Korea
• Map: Japan and Korea
• Visual Study Guide / Quick Facts
• Video: The Impact of the Samurai Tradition on Japan Today
Medieval Japan and Korea

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Reading Focus
• What were the key characteristics of the feudal warrior society
in Japan?
• How did the Tokugawa Shogunate rule Japan, and in what
ways did the culture flourish during the period?
• How did the Choson dynasty shape events in medieval Korea?
Main Idea
During the medieval period, a feudal warrior society developed in
Japan, while Korea’s rulers endured invasion and turned to
isolation.
Medieval Japan and Korea

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The samurai’s lands were worked by peasants, who gave the samurai
money or food for payment each year.
1. By the 1100s, central government losing control of the empire
Local clans fighting for power and land, no law and order
Bandits roamed countryside, landowners hired armies of samurai,
trained professional warriors
• Use of samurai, trained
professional warriors, developed
into feudal warrior society in Japan
• Similar to feudal system in Europe
• In exchange for allegiance, military
service, noble landowners gave
property, payment to samurai
Feudalism and Samurai
Japan’s Warrior Society
• Unlike in Europe, where knights
were usually paid with land grants,
only most powerful samurai
received land
• Most paid with food, usually rice
• Those given land did not work, live
on land
Payment for Samurai

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Societal Privileges
• As time passed, samurai rose in status in society, enjoyed many
privileges
• Crowds parted to let them pass when samurai walked down street
• People dropped eyes out of respect—and fear—because samurai
had right to kill anyone who showed disrespect
Warrior Role
• Main role of samurai, that of highly skilled warrior
• Wore armor, were skilled with many weapons, often fought on
horseback
• Expected to be in fighting form all the time, ready to do battle should
need arise

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Code of Ethics
• Samurai followed strict code of ethics, known as Bushido, “the way of the
warrior”
• Bushido required samurai to be courageous, honorable, obedient, loyal
• Word samurai means “those who serve;” each had to serve, obey his lord
without hesitation, even if samurai, family suffered as result
• Samurai who failed to obey, protect
lord expected to commit seppuku—
suicide by ritual disembowelment
• Strove to live disciplined lives
• Pursued activities requiring great
focus, like writing poetry, arranging
flowers, performing tea ceremonies
Discipline
• Many samurai accepted Zen
Buddhism
• Spread from China to Japan in
1100s
• Zen stressed discipline, meditation
as ways to focus mind, gain wisdom
Zen Buddhism
Samurai

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Role of Women
Both men, women of samurai families learned
to fight
• Usually only men went to war
• Female samurai had to follow Bushido
• Were prepared to die to protect home, family honor
• Samurai women honored in Japanese society
– Could inherit property
– Allowed to participate in business

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For most of the 1100s, Japan had no strong central government.
Local nobles, the heads of powerful clans, fought for power.
• Minamoto family defeated rival
clan to become Japan’s most
powerful clan
• 1192, clan leader Minamoto
Yoritomo forced emperor to
name him shogun, “general,”
Japan’s supreme military
leader
• Shogun ruled in emperor’s
name
Yorimoto
• Emperor remained at top of
society, but became mere
figurehead
• For nearly 700 years shoguns
ruled Japan
• Yoritomo allowed emperor to
hold court at Heian, later
known as Kyoto
• Shogun formed military
government at Kamakura
Shogun Rule
Rise of the Shoguns

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• Japanese referred to storms as
kamikaze, “divine wind”;
believed they showed that the
gods favored Japan
• Mongol invasions weakened
Kamakura Shogunate
• Many lords thought shogun had
not rewarded them enough;
loyalties broke down
• 1338, Shogunate overthrown
Weakened Shogunate
• Kamakura Shogunate, military
dynasty, ruled Japan until 1333
• 1200s, Kamakura Shogunate
faced major threat—Mongols
• 1274, again in 1281, large
Mongol fleets attacked Japan
• Each time Japanese defeated
them, with help of powerful
storm that wiped out enemy
fleet
Kamakura Shogunate
New Threats

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A new shogunate took power but was too weak to gain control of
Japan. With the loss of centralized rule, Japan splintered into many
competing factions.
• Numerous local
daimyo, powerful
warlords with large
estates, gained
control of territories,
battled for power
• Daimyo built large
fortified castles to
defend lands
Daimyo
• Castles often on hills,
protected by walls,
surrounded by water
• Towns often grew up
around them
• Daimyo began to use
peasants as foot
soldiers, samurai on
horseback
Fortifications
• 1543, Portuguese
introduced firearms
• Daimyo began to arm
soldiers with guns
• Some samurai
refused to use them
• Died wielding swords
against superior
firepower
Firepower
Rebellion and Order

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• 1600, Tokugawa leyasu won
decisive battle
• Gained complete control of all
Japan
• 1603, emperor made Tokugawa
shogun
• Event began the Tokugawa
Shogunate
Tokugawa Ieyasu
• 1500s, three strong daimyo
worked to take control of Japan
• Oda Nobunaga, first to arm
soldiers with guns, defeated
opponents easily
• By death in 1582, controlled
half of Japan
• Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Oda’s
greatest general, continued
efforts; by 1590, controlled
most of Japan
Generals Take Control
Ambitious Men

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Find the Main Idea
What features defined Japan’s feudal
warrior society?
Answer(s): Samurai gave military service in
exchange for property or payment; shoguns ruled
in the name of the emperor; daimyo were powerful
warlords.

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Strong Central Government
• Tokugawa leyasu established capital at quiet fishing village, Edo, now Tokyo
• Established strong central government
• Tokugawa shoguns brought about period of relative unity, peace, stability
Prosperity
• Stability, peace of Tokugawa rule brought prosperity to Japan
• Agricultural production rose, population and cities grew
• Economic activity increased
• New roads linked main cities, castle towns, improving trade
Tokugawa Rule
• Tokugawa shoguns closely controlled daimyo, who still held local level power
• To keep loyal, shoguns required daimyo to live in Edo periodically, leave
families there year-round as “hostages”
• Forced daimyo to maintain two residences; attempt to preclude from rebelling
The Tokugawa Shogunate

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Top of Society
• Under Tokugawa rule, Japan’s
strict feudal system more rigid
• At top of society, emperor
• Only a figurehead
Ruling Warrior Class
• Under daimyo, samurai who
served them
• Emperor, shogun, daimyo,
samurai made up ruling warrior
class
Shogun, Daimyo
• Next was shogun, held real
power as military ruler
• Below shogun, daimyo—owed
shogun loyalty
Three Lower Classes
• Below ruling warrior class were
three classes
• Peasants, artisans, merchants
Rigid Feudal System

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Rules
• Members of lower classes could not rise in social status
• Could not serve in military or government, or hold government positions that
might challenge power of warrior class
Honor and Some Status
• In Japan, farming considered honorable trade
• Peasants enjoyed relatively high status, just below samurai
• However, peasants paid most of taxes, led hard lives
Peasants
• Peasants made up vast majority—about 80 percent—of Japan’s population
• Forbidden to do anything but farming
• Supported selves by growing rice, other crops on daimyo, samurai estates
Lower Classes

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• Below peasants were artisans
• Artisans often lived in castle towns; made goods like armor, swords
• Merchants at bottom of society
• Not honored because did not produce anything
• Merchants often grew wealthy
• Could use wealth to improve social position
• During Tokugawa period, women’s
status gradually declined
• Many led restricted lives
• Had to obey male head of
household absolutely
• Even samurai class women lost
many rights, freedoms
Women
• Role of male samurai changed
• Peace put many out of work
• Not allowed to engage in trade
• Many ronin—masterless samurai—
fell on hard times
• Some became farmers, others
warriors for hire, still others bandits
Male Samurai
Artisans and Merchants

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By 1650, Japan had shut its doors to all Europeans except the Dutch.
Japan continued this policy for more than 200 years.
2. The prosperity of the Tokugawa Period went hand in hand with
Japan’s increasing contact with Europeans.
Initially the Japanese welcomed European traders and missionaries
and the new ideas, products and technologies that they brought.
• Trade with Europe boosted Japan’s
economy
• Christian missionaries changed
Japanese society
• Many Japanese became Christian;
soon samurai could be heard
chanting Christian prayers in battle
Changes
Relations with the West
• Over time Tokugawa shoguns grew
concerned with spread of
Christianity; began to persecute
Christians, kill missionaries
• Also began to restrict foreign trade,
travel
• Banned building large ships
Period of Isolation

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Japan’s growing cities became centers of culture during the feudal
period.
• In art, colorful woodblock prints
called Ukiyo-e, “pictures of the
floating world,” became
popular
• In literature, realistic stories
became popular, as well as
form of poetry called haiku
• Three lines with 17 syllables;
many haiku deal with themes
of nature, harmony
Art and Literature
• In theater, Noh drama
developed, 1300s
• Slow-moving Noh plays told
stories through use of masks,
stylized dance, music
• 1600s, new type of theatre
with more action, plot, humor
—kabuki
• Women initially performed
kabuki, but later banned and
replaced by men
Theater
Feudal Culture

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Summarize
What changes did Tokugawa rulers impose
on Japanese society?
Answer(s): They required daimyos to live in Edo
periodically and make expensive processions,
some family members were kept hostage in Edo,
a strict social structure was maintained, and they
isolated Japan from outsiders.

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Medieval Korea
• 3. In 1392, powerful general, Yi Song-gye gained control
of Korea
• Established Choson kingdom
– Choson, or Yi, dynasty became one of Korea’s longest ruling
dynasties
– Lasted until 1910
– Formed government based on Confucianism

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• Fighting with Japan left Korea in
ruins
• Early 1600s, Chinese invaded
• By 1640s, Korea had become
vassal state to Qing dynasty in
China
• As result, Choson kings
increasingly isolated Korea,
except for trade with China
• In West, Korea became known
as “Hermit Kingdom” because
of isolation
Hermit Kingdom
• During this period, Korea
prospered
• Produced many cultural
achievements, including
creation of Korean alphabet
• Late 1500s, Japan invaded
twice
• Koreans held off Japanese
using ironclad warships with
cannons; also received help
from Ming China
Prosperity and War
Japan and China as Foes

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Analyze
How did foreign influences both help and
hurt Korea?
Answer(s): helped—Korea's government was
formed on Confucianism, which was a foreign
influence; harmed—Chinese and Japanese
invaded Korea

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Video
The Impact of the Samurai Tradition on Japan
Today
Click above to play the video.