Lian Hearn's Across The Nightingale Floor

Musui 's Story is a samurai 's autobiography that portrays the Tokugawa society as it was lived during Katsu Kokichi 's life (1802 - 1850). Katsu Kokichi (or Musui) was a man born into a family with hereditary privilege of audience with the shogun, yet he lived a life unworthy of a samurai 's way, running protection racket, cheating, stealing, and lying. Before we discuss how Musui 's lifestyle was against the codes that regulated the behavior of the samurai, it is essential that the role of the samurai in Japanese society be understood.

From approximately 1000 C.E. to 1600 C. E. The system of feudalism was dominating both Europe and Asia. Lords would give land to warriors in exchange for military services. In Europe, these warriors were called knights, and halfway across the world, in Japan, the warriors were called samurai (Doc. 1). Both the samurai and the knights used feudalism, and both had a code that they followed. Between the codes, feudalism, and even how they prepared for battle, the warrior’s similarities were, without a doubt, greater than their differences.

The Japanese empire was in great power by this time period, and they thought themselves as the king of the East Asian race. Japan, the “old order”, also believed that some day Europe and America would take over their power and become the “new orders”(Doc A). Japan was one

Have you ever completed a puzzle? Medieval Japan and Europe were really two giant puzzles. Both of the puzzles were solved using the same cheat sheet called feudalism, Japan puzzle was solved in late 1100s’ by the first shogun, Minamoto. In Europe the Pope solved the puzzle using the feudalism cheat sheet some time before the Minimoto solved the puzzle, to better control over Europe. Each developed a warrior class that was new to the world, Europe developed the knight while, Japan created the Samurai. So were the similarities greater than the differences??? We will explore this question in three categories Social Position, Training and Armor and Honor and Death.

The major periods that shaped Japan’s history and future were the Heian-era of Aristocracy and the Kamakura period of Samurai. The Heian-era and the Kamakura period are interesting because of their differences in social structure, tradition, and culture. In the Heian era, the aristocrat’s social class was sought by many because of their social and cultural status. When the warrior rise in the Kamakura age the social classes change dramatically between aristocrat and warrior. The Heian-era (794-1191) was an age of self development in Japan’s culture and tradition. Before the Heian-era, Japan

One of the most difficult aspects of any given historiography, is in the distinction between the ideals of a society, and that of actuality. While sources may represent the specifics that people may have aspired to, in everyday life, things would naturally become more complicated. Of particular note of this can be seen when dealing with the societal expectations of gender. Throughout the selected passages, about homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan, the personal writings of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and excerpts from Song Ruozhao’s Analectics for Women, it can be seen that although each society had its own concepts of gender, once can see that the actual implementation did not always run parallel.

The varying social interactions between status groups in Katsu Kokichi’s autobiography, Musui’s Story, convey a shift from the hierarchically strict Heian/Kamakura epochs to the more socially open late Tokugawa period. Throughout the work, Katsu illustrates his various dealings and communications with peasants, merchants, artisans and fellow samurai. While in theory a social hierarchy still presided, Musui’s Story dismisses the notion that social groups remained isolated from each other, as in previous Japanese eras, and instead reveals that people of Japan in the late-Tokugawa-era mingled with one another during their lives, regardless of their social status. Considering the

Japan is an unique oriental country in many aspects, especially in politics and economy, both western practices and traditional nationalism are coexisted in this country. The period 1890-1940 was just followed the Meiji restoration, and was typical in the history of Japan, at that time, Japan was on the way from a feudal country to a capitalistic country, called modernization. Many western practices were being more and more adopted, however, at the same time, traditional rules still had strong influences in Japan. Under this background, this report will discuss the Japanese cultural factors during 1890-1940 that influenced the disclosure

Avakian, Monique. The Meiji Restoration and the Rise of Modern Japan. Boston: Silver Burdett, 1991. 38-54.

It is no secret that for centuries, the Japanese woman has been, to most observers, a model of elegance and graceful beauty. A picture of a kimono-clad, modest, and often silent woman has been plastered everywhere, allowing for the upmost passive subjection. If we look deeper into this image of woman, can we tell if this picture is complete? How do these women painted in representative images far in the modern world? The ideal woman in Japan is expected to be both a good wife, and a wise mother. Though these seem like reasonable expectations, there is a much deeper meaning to them that has shown signs of being outdated. During the 1800’s and 1900’s, women were subjected to society’s vision of them, and could not break free for fear of the

When people think of “Medieval”, they often relate this to Europe. However, there was once a Medieval Japan too, and this time stretched from 1185-1868 CE. During this period, Shoguns ruled Japan, and they defined it as “Medieval” because, just like Europe society in Japan at this time was feudal in structure. Medieval Europe lasted from the 5th to the 15th century, and was often referred to as Christendom, because most civilians were Christians. Although they didn’t have any direct contact with one another, there were many similarities and differences in these two times. The ones this essay will focus on are; castles, health and hygiene and the social structure.

They are the ritualization in Japanese culture, women’s implicit expression of love, women’s hierarchy in 18th Japan, and how the landscape of Japan influences the prosperity of Geisha culture.

Point of View: For the most part, the point of view is altered for each chapter. However, the book is mostly in Willow Chance’s point of view. Since the point of view alters, different character’s insights are revealed and the reader can have a better understanding of how people feel about the conflicts and other events in the novel.

Chikamatsu Monzaemon’s play, The Love Suicides at Amijima explores the disgrace of Jihei and Koharu’s misbegotten romance, the underlying conflict of the hidden innuendos aimed at the Japanese social class and the sense of duty formed between two women from unseemmingly different backgrounds. In order to fully understand these themes, on must take into account the societal structure of Osaka, Japan in the 1720s. Within this culture, every individual was instilled the notion of familial obligation and had to adhere to the rules placed upon them by society. Chikamatsu Monzaemon does an ideal job of capturing these concepts within the play.

Today, the world hosts a variety of incredibly diverse regions which span all across the globe. Countries of all sizes and locations share common elements with each other, but have also attained their own unique culture. Two seemingly different places, Japan and Europe, are no exception. Both Japan and Europe were governed under Feudalism for a duration of the past. Despite having the same government system, it is questionable as to whether or not the similarities between the two Feudal societies were more prominent than numerous differences. However, after thorough research, it is clear that the similarities of both Feudal societies were greater than their differences due to the equivalence of the Japanese samurai and the European knights as well as the resemblance of the Code of Bushido to the Code of Chivalry.