Tag: Yamato

A Tale of Two Courts

July 15, 2021 justin-david-hebert Heian, Season 5 Comments Off on A Tale of Two Courts
Season 5, Episode 6: A Tale of Two Courts
Emperor Saga, painted much later in the 1400s. Source: 日本語: 不明（伝小野篁）English: Unknown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Map of Japan with Yamato Province highlighted. This is where Emperor Heizei and his allies found themselves isolated as Sakanoue Tamuramaro closed all the paths that led to neighboring provinces. Source: Ash_Crow, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/, via Wikimedia Commons

The New and Improved Yamato State

November 16, 2020 justin-david-hebert Asuka, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on The New and Improved Yamato State
Season 3, Episode 17: The New and Improved Yamato State

The Daijo-kan 太政官 (Great Council of State):

The Yin-Yang symbol. Emperor Tenmu and his successors monopolized religious symbols to expand the state’s power. Public Domain

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/)

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.

Kofun Art

October 8, 2020 justin-david-hebert Kofun, Season 3, Yamato Comments Off on Kofun Art
Season 3, Episode 6: Kofun Art
An assortment of Haji ware pottery, the unglazed earthenware popularized by indigenous craftspersons in Kofun Japan. Source: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China / CC0
A small Haji ware dish. Up close, you can really see how porous Haji ware was, which could make it difficult to clean. Public Domain.
A Sue ware pot, made using the kiln-firing technique imported from the peninsula. The exterior is visibly smoother and this piece looks like it has held up remarkably well. Source: Ismoon (talk) 19:39, 25 September 2017 (UTC) / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
A Sue ware flask from the 600s with ash glaze splashed across it. Public Domain.
A leftover haniwa head. The empty eyes and mouth always appear especially haunting to me. Public Domain.
A haniwa statue of a monkey, or what’s left of the poor fellow. Source: Kestrel / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)
A painting on the wall of the Goroyama Kofun tomb. Can you guess what this image represents? It’s a building with a red door. Public Domain.
Relief painting from the Takehara Kofun Tomb. Public Domain.
Rakan statues from the Kingdom of Kibi. Mysterious and very different from their neighbors. Source: 663highland / CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)