Everything about Asuka Period totally explained
The, was a period in the
history of Japan lasting from 538 to 710, although its beginning could be said to overlap with the preceding
Kofun period. The
Yamato polity evolved much during the Asuka period, which is named after the
Asuka region, about 25 km south to the modern city of
Nara.
The Asuka period is also known for its significant artistic, social, and political transformations, having their origins in the late Kofun period, but largely affected by the arrival of
Buddhism from
Korea. The introduction of Buddhism has marked a change in Japanese society. The Asuka period is also distinguished by the change in the name of the country from to .
Artistically, the period can be further divided into two periods, the Asuka period (up to the
Taika Reforms), where early Buddhist culture imports and infuences are seen from
Northern Wei and
Baekje, and Hakuhō period (after Taika Reform), in which more
Sui and
Tang influences appears.
Naming
The term "Asuka period" was first used to describe a period in the history of Japanese fine-arts and architecture. It was proposed by fine-arts scholars and around 1900. Sekino dated the Asuka period as ending with the
Taika Reform of
646. Okakura, however, saw it as ending with the transfer of the capital to the of Nara. Although historians generally use Okakura's dating, many historians of art and architecture prefer Sekino's dating, and use the term "" to refer to the successive period.
The Yamato polity
The Yamato
polity, which had emerged by the late 5th century, was distinguished by powerful great clans or extended families, including their dependents. Each clan was headed by a
patriarch who performed sacred rites for the clan's to ensure the long-term welfare of the clan. Clan members were the aristocracy, and the kingly line that controlled the Yamato polity was at its pinnacle. The local chieftainship of Yamato arose to become the Imperial dynasty from the beginnings of Asuka period, at latest. The Asuka period, as a sub-division of the, is the first period of
Japanese history when the
Emperor of Japan ruled relatively uncontested from modern-day
Nara Prefecture, then known as
Yamato Province.
The Yamato polity, concentrated in the Asuka region, exercised power over clans in
Kyūshū and
Honshū, bestowing titles, some hereditary, on clan chieftains. The Yamato name became synonymous with all of Japan as the Yamato rulers suppressed the clans and acquired agricultural lands. Based on
Chinese models (including the adoption of the
Chinese written language), they developed a central administration and an imperial court attended by subordinate clan chieftains but with no permanent capital. By the mid-seventh century, the agricultural lands had grown to a substantial public domain, subject to central policy. The basic administrative unit of the system was the county, and society was organized into occupation groups. Most people were farmers; other were fishers, weavers, potters, artisans, armorers, and ritual specialists.
As a result, Japan at this period was a state which received no title from Chinese dynasties while they did send tributes (有貢無封
yūkō-mufū). From the Chinese point of view, the class or position of Japan was demoted from previous centuries in which the kings received titles. On the other hand, Japan loosened political relationships with China and consequently established extraordinary cultural and intellectual relationships.
Taika Reform and ritsuryo system
Taika Reform
About twenty years after the deaths of Shōtoku Taishi (in 622), Soga no Umako (in
626), and Empress Suiko (in 628), court intrigues over succession led to a palace coup in
645 against the
Soga clan's monopolized control of the government. The revolt was led by and (Fujiwara no Kamatari), who seized control of the court from the Soga family and introduced the .
The Taihō Code provided for Confucian-model penal provisions (light rather than harsh punishments) and Chinese-style central administration through the (Department of Rites), which was devoted to
Shinto and court rituals, and the (
Department of State), with its eight ministries (for central administration, ceremonies, civil affairs, the imperial household, justice, military affairs, people's affairs, and the treasury). Although the
Chinese-style civil service examination system wasn't adopted, was founded for training future bureaucrats based on the Confucian classics. Tradition circumvented the system, however, as aristocratic birth continued to be the main qualification for higher position, and titles were soon hereditary again. The Taihō Code didn't address the selection of the sovereign. Several empresses reigned from the fifth to the eighth centuries, but after
770 succession was restricted to males, usually from father to son, although sometimes from ruler to brother or uncle. Chinese priests also took an active part as linguistic specialists, and received rewards two times from the
Empress Jito.
Foreign relations
From
600 to
659, Japan sent seven emissaries to
T'ang China. But for the next 32 years, during a period when Japan was formulating its laws based on Chinese texts, none were sent. Though Japan cut off diplomatic relations with China, Japan sent 11 emissaries to
Silla, and Silla is also recorded in
Nihon Shoki as sending embassies to Japan 17 times during the reigns of
Emperor Temmu and
Empress Jitō. The ruling classes of Yamato and
Baekje were on amicable terms, and Yamato deployed its navy to aid Baekje, in
660-
663, against an invasion by
Silla and
T'ang China (see
battle of Baekgang).
As an alternative to journeying to China, many priests from the
Three Kingdoms of Korea were sent to Japan. As a result, This also created the incidental effect of Japanese military support for
Baekje. Some well-known priests who came from Korea,, and .. Eji, who came from
Goguryeo was a tutor to
Prince Shotoku, and counseled him politically.
Torai-jin
Chinese and Korean immigrants who became naturalized in ancient Japan were called . They introduced many aspects of their language, culture, and traditions to their adoptive country. Japan gave preferential treatment to these
torai-jin because the Yamato Court valued their knowledge and culture. According to the record of, an aristocratic list of names that the Yamato Imperial Court officially compiled in
815, one quarter of the noble families on the list had their origins in China or Korea. 163 of the 1182 listed were from China, and 154 were from the Korean peninsula (104 from
Baekje, 41 from
Goguryeo, and 9 from
Silla and
Gaya).
However, these immigrants are generally treated as lower class in
Kabane systems which classifies the various clan members of the court. They are generally ranked as "Atai", "Miyatsuko", or "Fubito", while members of ruling clans such as Soga, Mononobe, and Nakatomi are ranked as "Omi" or "Muraji".
Immigrants
An example of a typical descendant clan is the Yamatonoaya clan (
東漢氏), which is descended from
Emperor Ling of Han. This clan's leader was Achi-no-Omi (
阿智使主). According to the
Nihongi, during Emperor Kimmei's reign the
Hata clan (
秦氏), descendants of
Qin Shi Huang, introduced
sericulture (silk production). The Kawachino-Fumi clan (
西文氏), descendants of
Gaozu of Han, introduced Chinese writing to the Yamato court, according to the
Shinsen-shōjiroku. The Takamoku clan is a descendant of
Cao Pi. was a central member of the committee which wrote the
Taika Reform., also from China, was one of the most active artists in the Asuka period.
In
660, one of the three kingdoms of Korea,
Baekje, fell to
Silla and
T'ang China. Subsequently, quite a large number of refugees from Baekje migrated to Japan. The Yamato Imperial Court accepted the royal family and the refugees of Baekje. The royal family of Baekje received the name "
Kudara no Konikishi" (百済王, lit.
king of Baekje) by the
Japanese Emperor.
Introduction of Buddhism
The introduction of to Japan is attributed to the
Baekje king
Seong in
538, exposing Japan to a new body of religious doctrine. The
Soga clan, a Japanese court family that rose to prominence with the ascension of the
Emperor Kimmei about
531, favored the adoption of Buddhism and of governmental and cultural models based on
Chinese Confucianism. But some at the Yamato court—such as the
Nakatomi family, which was responsible for performing
Shinto rituals at court, and the
Mononobe, a military clan—were set on maintaining their prerogatives and resisted the alien religious influence of Buddhism. The Soga introduced Chinese-modeled fiscal policies, established the first national treasury, and considered the kingdoms of Korea as trade partners rather than as objects of territorial expansion. Acrimony continued between the Soga and the Nakatomi and Mononobe clans for more than a century, during which the Soga temporarily emerged ascendant. In the
Taika Reform, the Funeral Simplification Edict was proclaimed, and building of large
kofun (
tumuli) was banned. The edict also regulated size and shape of
kofun by classes.
The Japanese Buddhist sculpture art of this period is believed to have followed the style of the Six Dynasties of China. The characteristics of the sculptures of this age is also referred to as Tori Style, taken from the name of the prominent sculptor
Kuratsukuri Tori, grandson of Chinese immigrant
Shiba Tatto. Some of the characteristics of the style include marked, almond-shaped eyes, and symmetrically arranged folds in the clothing. The most striking and distinguishing feature of these sculptures is an expression of the smile that's called
Archaic smile. Kudara Kanon at Hōryū-ji is the most prominent Buddhist sculpture in the period.
Hakuhō culture
The second stage of Buddhist art, coming after the Asuka (culture) period, is known as
Hakuhō culture and is generally dated from the
Taika Reform (646) until the moving of the capital to Nara in 710. During the latter half of the 8th century, a large number of songs and poems were composed and performed by various ranked people from warriors to the Emperor. The earliest collection of these poems is known as
Man'yōshū. It includes works by several remarkable poets such as
Princess Nukata and
Kakinomoto Hitomaro.
Waka, which literally means Japanese song, also emerged as a new form of poetry at this time. It was conceived as a term to distinguish native styles from those imported from China; within the umbrella of
waka poetry, one of the more popular forms is known as
tanka. It consists of a total of 31 syllables divided over five lines, in the syllabic pattern 5/7/5/7/7.
Events
538: The Korean kingdom of Baekje dispatches a delegation to introduce Buddhism to the Japanese emperor.
593: Prince Shotoku is assigned as regent of Empress Suiko and promotes Buddhism with Soga clan.
600: Yamato state sends the first official Japanese mission to China since 478.
604: Prince Shotoku issues a Chinese-style constitution (Seventeen-article constitution), based on Confucian principles, which de facto inaugurated the Japanese Empire.
607: Prince Shotoku builds the Buddhist temple Hōryūji in Ikaruga.
645: Soga no Iruka and his father Emishi are killed in the Isshi Incident. Emperor Kōtoku ascends to the throne and strengthens imperial power over aristocratic clans (see Taika Reform), turning their states into provinces.
663: Japanese navy was defeated by Silla-Tang allies in Battle of Baekgang, failing to restore Baekje.
670: First Family registry (Kōgo-Nenjaku) was compiled.
672: Prince Ōama, later Emperor Temmu usurped the throne by winning the civil war (Jinshin no Ran) against Emperor Kōbun.
689: Asuka Kiyomihara Code was proclaimed.
701: Taihō code was proclaimed.Further Information
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