MEDIEVAL AGE OF JAPAN

The medieval or "feudal" period of Japanese history where European culture

came into Japan and influenced it strongly was also known as The Age of the Warrior. It
was dominated by the powerful regional families (daimy) and the military rule of
warlords (shgun), stretched from 1185 to 1573/1600 and caused many social changes.
The most important effects of the changes on the Japan at that time period was
Feudalism which had various effects on the Japanese social systems especially the
Samurai.
The social order of Japan changed during the Middle ages, according to
Document 1. Like Europe, the hierarchy of Japan in middle age represented in a
pyramid; the sole ruler is at the top, and the rest of the pyramid representing several
different classes. The social order in Feudal Japan include Emperor, Shogun, Daimyo,
Samurai, Peasant farmers, Artisans/trade people and Merchant. Emperor is take place
in the top of Japan social in Feudal but Shogun (military dictator) has more power than
the emperor. Emperor basically is just a symbolic power only. Daimyos is the 3rd class
of Feudal Japans social order just after Shogun, they are feudal lords who often found
each other and often has their own samurais. Emperor, Shogun and Daimyo were
higher class. Samurais is in the 4th class, they were the warriors who who owns loyalty
and military service to Daimyos, with family, they made up about 10% of Japans
population, they have a higher social class than peasant farmers. Peasant farmer are
made up about 80% population of Japans population. Samurais and Peasant farmers
were middle class. Artisans/trade people are right after Peasant farmers and Merchants
are the lowest social class, both of them are in lower class but even that Merchants is
very low in social class but they were quite high in wealth. u
According to Document 2, the social order in Feudal Japan is the Social order
that based on social status but not based on power and wealth same as social order in
Europe but while the emperor is on the highest ranking, is the highest ranking in Europe
which show the strong influence of religion in Europe at that time period. The emperor
remained but was mostly symbolic power only, and the power of merchants was weak is
the very important idea about the change of the social order during the middle age of
Japan. Similar to Feudal Europe, both Shogun from Japan and King from Europe have
control over military and even more powerful then the Emperor/Pope which have higher
social ranking then them. As well as Daimyos and Lord have a same ranking who serve
under the Shogun and King who have more powerful than them. Samurai and Knight
who could be considered as Japanese/European warriors both owned loyalty and
military stayed in the middle of Japan/Europe social order. Same with peasant farmers,
artisans, and merchant in both Japan and Europe they are in the lower/lowest ranking of
social order.

The samurai system of Japan changed during the Feudal period according to
Document 2, Loyalty towards the feudal lord in Japan was hereditary which passed and
inherited by generation to generation of a family. The service of a feudal lord went from
father to son which made the relationship of feudal lord and samurai existed and
connected for generations which create a strong connection between feudal lord (and
his family) and samurai (and samurais family). This arrangement has its own law which
is there was no legal binding agreement between the two parties (samurai and feudal
lord). It became the common speak of samurais allegiance to his lord as lasting the
duration of three lives: his past existence, his present, and the next life. The life of a
samurai was not his own but belonged entirely to his lord and also the life of his wife, his
children and it was the duty of himself to consider this all the time (He wont betray his
lord because of this, his life is belonged to his lord and also his family, the connection
between the samurai and his lord is always stronger than marriage). Different from
Japan, Europes feudal arrangement was usually not hereditary, the son of a knight was
not obligated to become a knight and could discontinue the contract.
The samurai training changed during the middle age of Japan according to
Document 3, the training of samurai start very early, ever since their childhood. Their
schools are unique with a combination of physical training (a most important preparation
for warrior), poetry and spiritual discipline. The young warriors (trainee) studied Kendo,
the moral code of Samurai that is known as Bushido which come from Confucianism
and Zen Buddhism. A young trainee officially become a samurai at age 14 in a
ceremony called genpuku. Samurai were expect to live according Bushido, a very strict
ethical code that stressed loyalty to ones master, respect of one superiors, ethical
behavior in all aspects of life and complete self-discipline. Not only guys, girls also
received martial art training in order to become a samurai even that women samurai not
fight in the battlefield, they were prepared to defend their home against invaders. Unlike
Japan, the knights of Europe usually become a real knight at around the age of 21
which was pretty late compared to Samurai of Japan even though both knight and
samurai have been trained since they were very young. Both Japan and Europe since
Medieval Ages have women warrior, women samurai and women knight.
According to Document 4, the Early Japanese samurai armor were made by
small iron scales were tied together, lacquered and then bound into armor plates with
silk or leather cords. The helmet bowl was made of 8 to 12 iron plates, and below it was
a 5-piece neck guard. The body of the armor had four parts. Samurai they did not wear
armor on their arm so they could easily draw their bow. Samurai armor in early Japan
were made from metal which is also similar to the knights armor of Europe. But different
from Samurais armor, entire body of knight was covered by armor, they also wore
helmets, gloves, and shoes of steel, even their horse wear armor.
According (Document 5), the samurai in the Feudal period have a code of honor
that they must follow unlike the early japan when samurai didnt have any code to follow.
The code of Bushido which known as "Way of the Warrior" is the business of samurai

consist in discharging loyal service to his master if he has one, in deepening his loyalty
in associations with friends, and in devoting himself to duty above all. Not all samurai
had masters, masterless samurai were called ronin and could be a problem because no
one will be able to control and stop the samurai when he starts a fight or kill someone.
The samurai confines himself to practicing the Way: should there be someone who
transgresses against these moral principles , the samurai summarily punished him and
thus upholds proper moral principles in the land. Within his heart be keeps to the ways
of peace, but without he keeps his weapons ready for use. There is some evidence that
the code of Bushido was affected by the Code of Chivalry of Europe because they both
have some aspects as well as similar goal, Europes code appeared before Japans
code.
According (Document 6), the samurai wrote their Samurai death poem just right
before their death which show the influence of Zen Buddhism in Feudal Japan.
One day you are born
you die the nexttoday,
at twilight,
autumn breezes blow.
-Chikamasa (c. 1400s)
The poem above was show the feeling about life before death of a samurai in Feudal
Japan, this poem shows that one day you born and the next day you will get into a
dangerous situation which could kill you, it show the dangerous and fearfulness of the
samurai life.
Had I not known
that I was dead already
I would have mourned my loss of life.
-Ota Dokan (1432-1486)
The poem above was also show the feeling about life of a samurai in Feudal Japan who
wrote the poem just right before his death. The poem shows the samurai feel like his life
is very short which he can not make any big effect and enjoy his life properly. The
Feudal samurai life was very strict, their life were ruled by their master and the Bushido
code where they dont really have and freedom, their life is mostly full of fear because
they live a dangerous battle where they could lose their life easily if they dont be
careful. That is their life, the life of samurai, the life of warriors who live for their master
and die for their master, but have nothing for themselves. Unlike knights death poem
which mostly influence by Christianity since European mostly believe in Catholicism. In
the poem, the author wore:
God, I acknowledge my guilt and I beg for Thy mercy for all the sins, greater and
lesser, which I have committed from the hour of my birth until this day when I lie here
overcome by death!
He has held out his right glove to God.

Angels descend out of heaven and come to him.

According the authors poem, we can easily tell that the knight is Christian who really
believe in Catholicism, unlike Japans samurai who seen like to have no worry about his
next life, in the ending of the knights life, he begging God for mercy in hope of being
accepted by God and heaven as well as could continue his journal in the next life.
During the Middle Ages, the most important effects of the changes on the
Japanese was Feudalism. Feudalism affected directly Japans social order, samurai
system, and samurai life. The Feudal samurai life was very strict, their life were ruled
by their master and the Bushido code where they dont really have and freedom, their
life is mostly full of fear because they live a dangerous battle where they could lose their
life easily if they dont be careful. That is their life, the life of samurai, the life of warriors
who get in the war/start to fight very early as well as who live for their master and die for
their master, but have nothing for themselves. Even though Samurai in Feudal being
influenced by European culture, knights in Europe are not have a harsh life like
Samurai. It is very clear that warriors in Europe have easier and more freedom than the
warriors in Japan. Japans thinking are strict and have a lot of ruled while Europe is
more open but been influenced and affected mostly by Catholicism.
3.
1. What are three examples of the kind of training received by young
samurai hopefuls?
- Kendo (wooden swords), moral code (bushido), Zen Buddhism.
2. In what ceremony and at what age was a Japanese trainee inducted into
the samurai class?
- 14 years old, genpuku ceremony

4.
1. What is the main purpose of suits of armor?
- Is to protect soldiers and war animals from being inflicted by weapon as
well as limited the damage which could affect the body from the outside.
5.
1. What are the main characteristics of bushido?
- The characteristics of bushido are loyalty and honor
- Guide the behavior of Samurai and make sure that the samurai
wont ever against his master as well as protect the right of the lord and
help him to control over his warrior.

2. What should a samurai do if there is a conflict between dealing with a

family problem and the one involving the people he serves?
- A samurai should obey his master because he obeyed him in the
beginning instead of his family because base on the text of Document 5,
its states However, in one...

6.
1. In general, were the responses to death of the samurai and the knight
similar or different?
- The responses were very much different. It seems like the Samurai
never questioned his after life and it was as if he knew his place in the
afterlife. The samurai had been honorable to his master as well as his
ancestors so there was no need for fear. Whereas with the French knight,
there were evident signs of worry through the beating of his chest, the
reaching to God as well as the asking for mercy. This shows that he was
not certain that he would be offered a place in heaven.