Tag: Japan

The First Tenno

November 12, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on The First Tenno
Season 3, Episode 16: The First Tenno
The short-lived and ill-fated King Kobun. Source: Public Domain
Emperor Temmu, the first Tenno, who made war against his nephew to secure the throne for himself. Source: Public Domain
Empress Jito, pictured alongside a poem attributed to her. Translation below. Source: Public Domain

The poem in the woodblock printing above, translated into English:
The spring has passed
And the summer come again
For the silk-white robes
So they say, are spread to dry
On Mount Kaguyama

The shared tomb of Emperor Temmu and Empress Jito in Asuka. Source: Takanuka, CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

After the Soga Clan

November 9, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on After the Soga Clan
Season 3, Episode 15: After the Soga Clan
Queen Kogyoku, who reigned as Queen Saimei during her second tenure as sovereign. Source: Public Domain.
Crown Prince Naka, shown here during his reign as King Tenji. Source: Public Domain

The Rise and Fall of the Soga Clan

November 5, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on The Rise and Fall of the Soga Clan
Season 3, Episode 14: The Rise and Fall of the Soga Clan
A graphic depiction of the Isshi Incident by Gukei Sumiyoshi, in which High Prince Naka decapitates Soga no Iruka as Nakatomi no Kamako (holding the bow) looks on. Source: Public Domain.

The Life of Crown Prince Shōtoku

November 2, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on The Life of Crown Prince Shōtoku
Season 3, Episode 13: The Life of Crown Prince Shōtoku
A woodblock reproduction of a painting from the 700s featuring Crown Prince Shotoku and his sons by an unknown artist. Source: Public Domain.
The 10,000 Yen note features Crown Prince Shotoku, clearly inspired by the above painting. Source: Public Domain.
A statue of Crown Prince Shotoku depicted as a Bodhisattva at Asuka-dera temple. This somewhat youthful appearance was a common way of depicting most Bodhisattvas in the Asuka Period. Source: Chris 73
A wooden statue of Shotoku. Source: PHGCOM, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Fall of Baekje

October 29, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on The Fall of Baekje
Season 3, Episode 12: The Fall of Baekje
Guze Kannon, a Buddhist statue made in the likeness of King Seong of Baekje. It currently resides at the Yumedono (Hall of Dreams) at Horyu-ji temple where it is occasionally displayed. Source: Public Domain
The entrance gate to Baekje Cultural Land, a historical theme park in present-day Seoul, South Korea. Much of Baekje is gone forever, but these kinds of historical investments ensure that it is remembered. Source: travel oriented from Seoul, South Korea / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

The Rise of the Tang Dynasty

October 26, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on The Rise of the Tang Dynasty
Season 3, Episode 11: The Rise of the Tang Dynasty
Sui Dynasty Provinces circa 610 CE. Note that the Liaodong peninsula in the northeast is still under Koguryo’s control and that the Xiyu States in the west are still not under Chinese suzerainty. Source: Yug / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
The Tang dynasty campaign to subjugate the Xiyu States in the mid 600s. This map is especially helpful because of its inclusion of the Silk road routes. Source: Yug / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
A 1920 Illustration of an embassy from the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) visiting the court of the Tang Dynasty in 643 CE. Source: Public Domain
Expand to see the Tang Dynasty in 700 CE – HISTORY SPOILER WARNING
The Tang Dynasty in 700. If you don’t want spoilers, don’t look too closely! Source: Ian Kiu / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

Peninsular Entanglements

October 22, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on Peninsular Entanglements
Season 3, Episode 10: Peninsular Entanglements
A decorative roof tile from Koguryo, time period unknown. Source: Public Domain
A mural from a Koguryo tomb. Note that the bird at the center has three legs- this is a common spiritual symbol in Taoism which shows that Koguryo was adopting some aspects of Chinese culture. Source: Public Domain
A diagram from the First Koguryo-Sui War, which ended in a draw between the nations. Source: Qiushufang / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
A map of the second Koguryo-Sui War, which ended in a dramatic defeat for the Sui Dynasty but also a costly victory for Koguryo. Source: Qiushufang / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Buddhism Comes to Japan

October 19, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on Buddhism Comes to Japan
Season 3, Episode 9: Buddhism Comes to Japan
The front of Asuka-dera temple’s main hall. Though originally built in Asuka, it was later moved to Heijo-kyo (Nara City), where it stands today. It is believed to be one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Japan, possibly the oldest. Source: 663highland / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
The Daibutsu (large Buddha) statue which resides in Asuka-dera. Made in 609 CE by Kuratsukuri no Tori, the son of a Korean immigrant. Source: Chris 73 / Wikimedia Commons
The Pagoda of Shitenno-ji temple in modern-day Osaka. This temple, dedicated to the Four Heavenly Kings or Four Guardians, was built in 593 CE under the alleged patronage of Crown Prince Shotoku. Source: Chris Gladis from Kyoto, Japan / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
The Main Hall of Shitenno-ji, with the pagoda visible behind it. Source: 663highland / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

A Brief History of Buddhism

October 15, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on A Brief History of Buddhism
Season 3, Episode 8: A Brief History of Buddhism
Dharmarajika stupa near Taxila, Pakistan. Originally built circa 300 BCE, it displays a classic semi-hemispherical design typical of Indian stupas. Source: Sasha Isachenko / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Sanchi Stupa, dated to around 125 BCE, is the first known stupa to feature decorative reliefs. It is located in north-central India, in Madhya Pradesh. Source: Kevin Standage (kevinstandage1@googlemail.com) INDIAN TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)
The Indo-Greek Buddhists carved their temples out of nearby caves. These pillars mark the entrance to Cave 17 in the Nasik Caves. Source: Photo Dharma from Sadao, Thailand / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
A standing Buddha carved into the walls of Cave 17 of the Nasik Caves. Source: Photo Dharma from Sadao, Thailand / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
Seated Buddha from the Indo-Greek Kingdom. Note that rather than a more asiatic-style robe, he wears a toga. Source: PHGCOM / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
A Statue of Athena recovered from the Indo-Greek Kingdom. Source: Uploadmo / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
The many statues of Longmen Grottoes in Henan, China, which began construction during the late 400s and continued, on and off, through the late 600s. As you can hopefully see from the presence of tourists, some of these statues are quite large! Source: WikiLaurent / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
The Giant Wild Goose Pagoda of Xi’an, China. The original was built from rammed earth during the reign of Emperor Gaozong in 652 CE, but it collapsed after fifty years and was rebuilt during the reign of Empress Wu Zitan near the end of Japan’s Asuka Period. Source: Alex Kwok / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)

The Clans of Yamato

October 12, 2020 justin-david-hebert Kofun, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on The Clans of Yamato
Season 3, Episode 7: The Clans of Yamato
A Map of Japan with the Yamato Region highlighted in red. While it may appear to be a perfect, almost central location, keep in mind that this map does not display the topography, which would complicate things for future rulers. Source: Ash_Crow / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)
Here is a topographical map of the Nara Basin itself. The mountains around it could make for decent defensive positions if need be, and the broad plain between them was fertile and remains some of the best rice land in Japan. Public Domain.
Mononobe no Okoshi, who served as Omuraji and whose clan served as primarily a military clan. This image of him was painted by Kikuchi Yosai, a famous painter who did many such historical portraits in the 1800s.
Otomo no Kanamura, who served alongside Mononobe no Okoshi at the Yamato Court. It was Otomo no Kanamura who far too often or perhaps too forcefully advocated for an invasion of Silla and was removed from his position at the court when Okoshi refused to support his endeavors. This image was also painted by Kikuchi Yosai in the 1800s. Public Domain.