Cultural Diffusion
This peninsula served as the main route through which Chinese and Indian ideas traveled to Japan.
Korean Peninsula
The name Heian-kyo translates into English as...
“The Capital of Peace and Tranquility”
Before adapting their own system, the Japanese wrote official documents in this foreign language.
Chinese (hanzi)
Early samurai warfare was known by this phrase emphasizing two key battlefield skills.
"The Way of the Horse and the Bow”
This code of behavior demanded loyalty, courage, and honor from samurai warriors.
Bushido
Japan’s capital city of Nara was modeled after this massive Chinese capital that covered about 35 square miles.
Chang’an
Members of the Heian court believed white teeth were unattractive, so they practiced this cosmetic custom.
blackening their teeth
The Japanese writing system kana was created by simplifying this earlier set of written characters.
Chinese characters (kanji)
In early samurai battles, warriors would first shout this information before charging into combat.
their names, ancestry, heroic deeds, reason for fighting
This Buddhist tradition appealed strongly to samurai because it emphasized meditation, discipline, and mental focus.
Zen Buddhism
Prince Shotoku’s Seventeen Article Constitution declared that this person was the supreme ruler of Japan.
emperor
During the Heian period, a nobleman’s status could be determined by something as small as this detail of the fan he carried.
number of folds in the fan
This Heian literary masterpiece follows the life and romantic adventures of a fictional prince.
The Tale of Genji
During battle, samurai often fought in this highly formalized way, matching themselves against opponents of similar rank.
one-on-one duels
Samurai sometimes committed ritual suicide to preserve their honor, a practice known by this Japanese term.
seppuku
In 552, a Korean king sent the Japanese emperor this religious statue along with monks and sacred texts.
statue of the Buddha
In Heian society, women often sat behind these objects when speaking with men, especially potential suitors.
screens or curtains
Court women dominated Japanese literature partly because they commonly wrote using this simpler writing style rather than formal katakana.
hiragana
Samurai swords were especially valued because they combined two important qualities: being extremely sharp and also this structural property.
flexibility
To overcome fear of death, young samurai were taught to imagine themselves in this state already.
already dead
Although Japan copied China’s centralized government system, high positions eventually became dominated by this social group instead of merit-based officials.
aristocracy
Heian women showed off the beauty of their clothing by doing this subtle gesture while riding through the city in a carriage.
dangling a sleeve or wrist to display layers of silk robes
Heian writers believed this artistic skill revealed a person’s character just as much as the words themselves.
calligraphy
Samurai armor was made flexible by constructing it from many small plates coated in this protective substance.
lacquer
This Tokugawa leader became shogun in 1603 and established a new capital in Edo.
Tokugawa Ieyasu