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Japan in the Imperial Age
By: Kristen Levin
Beginning in the 7th century, Japan wanted to adopt cultural ideas from the Chinese. Japan set out to become just like China in several aspects. Japan attempted to create a Chinese style everything from their bureaucracy and government to the way the society runs. There were three major time periods and reasons including the Taika reforms, the Nara and Heian time periods and some change influencing families.
The Taika reforms consisted of the Japanese reforming their administration by Chinese standards. The reforms began in 656 and lasted until 710. During that time, they tried to learn and incorporate the Chinese characters and language into their everyday lives. Japanese aristocracy attempted to learn about various confusion ideas. The Taika reforms didn’t take too much of an effect because there were several conflicts that rose between aristocrats and Buddhists. Even though these reforms did not succeed very well, some of the effects lasted.
The Nara and Heian time periods were another set of periods in which the Japanese incorporated Chinese ideas. The Nara time period started in 710 and the Heian period lasted until 857. During this time, the Buddhists became very powerful. The courts and aristocrats felt as if the Buddhists were a threat. In 794, the Japanese capital was moved to Heian. Buddhists were not allowed to build their temples within the capital city. They ended up building their monasteries in the hills and areas all around the outside of city limits. The Taika reforms came to an end by the emperor because of the control with the Buddhists. Aristocrats gained tons of power and held most of the seats in the higher government.
During the imperial age in Japan, there were various families that influenced the government and the society. For example, one of the most influential families in this time was the Fujiwara Family. That had a major impact upon the imperial affairs. They helped shape the imperial policy as well as holding and maintaining several seats within in the government. The Fujiwara family had about the same amount of power that the Buddhists did.
The Taika reforms, Nara and Heian time periods and the influential families affected the Chinese influences on Japan in the imperial age. If it weren’t for these time periods and influential families, then Japan would be completely different. The Chinese impact wouldn’t be this heavy and significant in the imperial age. The Chinese had massive impacts in Japan’s imperial age not only culturally, but also socially and politically.
Beginning in the 7th century, Japan wanted to adopt cultural ideas from the Chinese. Japan set out to become just like China in several aspects. Japan attempted to create a Chinese style everything from their bureaucracy and government to the way the society runs. There were three major time periods and reasons including the Taika reforms, the Nara and Heian time periods and some change influencing families.
The Taika reforms consisted of the Japanese reforming their administration by Chinese standards. The reforms began in 656 and lasted until 710. During that time, they tried to learn and incorporate the Chinese characters and language into their everyday lives. Japanese aristocracy attempted to learn about various confusion ideas. The Taika reforms didn’t take too much of an effect because there were several conflicts that rose between aristocrats and Buddhists. Even though these reforms did not succeed very well, some of the effects lasted.
The Nara and Heian time periods were another set of periods in which the Japanese incorporated Chinese ideas. The Nara time period started in 710 and the Heian period lasted until 857. During this time, the Buddhists became very powerful. The courts and aristocrats felt as if the Buddhists were a threat. In 794, the Japanese capital was moved to Heian. Buddhists were not allowed to build their temples within the capital city. They ended up building their monasteries in the hills and areas all around the outside of city limits. The Taika reforms came to an end by the emperor because of the control with the Buddhists. Aristocrats gained tons of power and held most of the seats in the higher government.
During the imperial age in Japan, there were various families that influenced the government and the society. For example, one of the most influential families in this time was the Fujiwara Family. That had a major impact upon the imperial affairs. They helped shape the imperial policy as well as holding and maintaining several seats within in the government. The Fujiwara family had about the same amount of power that the Buddhists did.
The Taika reforms, Nara and Heian time periods and the influential families affected the Chinese influences on Japan in the imperial age. If it weren’t for these time periods and influential families, then Japan would be completely different. The Chinese impact wouldn’t be this heavy and significant in the imperial age. The Chinese had massive impacts in Japan’s imperial age not only culturally, but also socially and politically.