Japanese civilization

Japanese civilization (日本文明, Nippon bunmei) is a civilization specific to the Japanese archipelago or the Japanese or Yamato society.^[1]

In mainstream disciplines such as comparative civilization theory, the main focus is on Japanese society and Japanese culture in modern times. It is also often closely related to Japanese studies, and is often used to discuss the characteristics of Japanese civilization.

Overview[edit]

Mainly from a research historical perspective[edit]

Western society first learned about Japanese culture during the first encounter between the West and Japan, in 1543 during the Sengoku era, when Portuguese drifted to Tanegashima and introduced guns to the island. Eventually, Francis Xavier arrived in Japan, and his fellow Missionarys of the Jesuits wrote Treatise of Luís Fróis, S.J. (1585) on the contrast of the morals between Europe and Japan, History of Japan, and Alessandro Valignano's [[Tour of Japan Valignano. However, the reports were long buried due to the interruption of the Tokugawa shogunate's shukoku policy, and it was only during the long Edo period that the Modernization of Western society took a renewed interest in Japan's civilized society. Edo period]] and the opening of Japan to the outside world at the end of the 19th century. The rapid modernization of Japanese society after the Meiji Restoration led to increased attention for Japan as the first Asian and Colored country to achieve modernization.

Early Western studies of Japan were tinged with the same kind of exoticism and Orientalism as interest in other Oriental societies. However, the many accounts written by Western travellers and observers after the opening of Japan to the outside world reported similarities between the social structure of Japan and that of the West, and as Japan emerged as a military power, there was an increasing tendency to see Japan as similar to the West.

This Western interest in Japan is supported in part by the fact that, despite its highly modern success, it is considered to maintain a uniquely Japanese traditional society. However, there are different views on which characteristics belong to the uniquely Japanese tradition, the extent of their influence in Japanese society, and whether they have anything in common with other societies. Methodologically, there are two main perspectives: the structural perspective, based on an analysis of Japanese organisations and institutions, and the cultural anthropological perspective, based on Japanese behavioural and cultural tendencies.

The former, which drew on Max Weber's theory of bureaucracy, initially tended to look at the characteristics of Japanese society on a relatively small scale, but gradually adopted the latter approach, and today the prevailing perspective is that of Japan's unique institutional structure. In terms of research trends, the prevailing view is that Japan's institutional realities are to some extent related to its cultural patterns. Therefore, recent studies have more or less taken into account both of these two different perspectives.

Two aspects of successful modernization and cultural structure[edit]

For more information on the modernization of Japan, see Meiji'
For more on the restorationist aspects of the political structure, see Emperor System, Kokutai'

It is almost a well-established view that the modernisation of Japan has been achieved at a phenomenal rate. With its victory in the Russo-Japanese War in 1905, it became one of the first great powers in Asia. Japanese society by this time had a systematic modern code, complete with a centralisation of bureaucratic control of the land and a hierarchy order. At the centre of this modern state, however, was the traditional Authority of the Emperor, who also played a role in national unity.

The Ideology of the Japanese Modern state had two aspects: modern and restoration. The modern emperor system, which was established by transforming traditional society, was advocated as the Restoration of the Monarchy (disambiguation) of Ancient. The ideology had two sides: utilitarianism and idealism. On the practical side, it encouraged a positive embrace of modern Western civilisation, while on the ideal side it promoted a view of morality that departed from Western economic materialism (wakon yosai). The latter idealism gradually gave way to a more restorationist tendency and a collective consciousness of Japan's unique national character, which became the concept of the "Kokutai". After World War II, this basic structure of collective consciousness has been maintained, although it has lost its myth appearance. However, despite the fact that it is said not to be actively supported by all Japanese citizens, Hatsumodes such as Shinto shrines are still active and have a very peaceful existence despite their ideological and Religion-like duality. It has a dual ideological and Religions, but a very calm existence.

Understanding the different Japanese civilisations[edit]

Apart from the grasp of comparative civilisation theory, which mainly focuses on the modern and contemporary period, there are also various other perspectives on civilised society in Japan.

Japanese Civilization in the History of Civilizations[edit]

The main disciplines concerned with civilization are comparative civilization theory (comparative culture theory) and the history of civilization (cultural history). Among those who have discussed Japanese civilization in the field of civilization history are Karl Jaspers and Arnold J. Toynbee.

Jaspers defined Japan as a non-axial civilization on the periphery of an axial civilization, but focused on the success of such a peripheral society in modernizing itself. Toynbee attempted to view regional cultural spheres in terms of a centre-periphery relationship consisting of independent and satellite civilisations, and positioned Japan as a satellite civilisation of Chinese civilisation.

Philip Bagby judged that there were nine major civilizations, and that if China and Japan, and the Eastern Orthodox Church and Western Europe were to be classified as eleven,^[2].

Matthew Melko, after reviewing the material, unreasonably classifies Japan, China, India, Islam, and Western Europe where there is agreement.^[3]

Huntington's theory of the clash of civilizations[edit]

Samuel P. Huntington wrote Clash of Civilizations in 1998, in which he examined the clash of civilizations, dividing the world into eight civilizations and considering Japan as a single civilization.^[4] Huntington states that the Japanese civilization is a unique civilization that was established independently of the Chinese civilization between 100 and 400.

Todd's classification of family structure[edit]

In an analysis based on demographics and family structure, Emmanuel Todd points out that Japan's family structure (the direct line of descent with the eldest son taking over the parental family) and its effects are very European (especially in Germany and Sweden) and rejects Japan-specificity.

Todd also points out that Huntington's classification is too influenced by the concepts of religion and race.

Trends in conservative discourse[edit]

In relation to the Japanese history textbook controversies and the issue of historical awareness, a number of conservative discourses, such as the Japanese Society for History Textbook Reform, which advocates a liberal view of history, and Conservatism, which advocates a somewhat nationalist view of Japanese civilization. It describes Japanese civilization and society as older, more traditional and unique than is commonly believed (for example, placing its origins in the Jomon period), emphasizing its beauty and uniqueness to other cultures.^[5]

Terumasa Nakanishi[edit]

Nakanishi Terumasa's History of the Civilization of the Nation is a representative work in this regard. Relying on the sociology of culture approach of Alfred Weber, Nakanishi argues that Japan's unique civilizational process.^[6] In Japanese society, there are two kinds of civilization processes: a non-variable and stable civilization process and an abrupt and instantaneous civilization process, which are alternately repeated in History to build a unique society. This civilization process, which Nakanishi describes as existing since the Jomon period, emphasizes that the structure of traditional Japanese culture is very old and traditional. He also emphasises the role of the emperor in "Japanese civilisation" and states that he was an integral part of Japan's civilised society.

Tsuneyasu Takeda[edit]

For more information on polished stone tools, see Polished stone tools/Local polished stone axes'.

In his book "The Emperor's National History", he claims that the world's oldest ground stone (local polished stone axe) has been excavated from Japan, and that the appearance of this ground stone is a condition for culture and civilization, and that "Japanese civilization" appeared before the four major civilizations of the world. However, such a conditionalization does not mean that the Japanese civilization appeared before the four world civilizations. However, there are some criticisms of such a conditioning.

Jomon Civilisation[edit]

In the light of recent research at the Sannai-Maruyama Site, it has been suggested that the Jōmon civilization should be referred to as Ancient Civilization, and that it is comparable to the World's Four Great Civilizations. World's four great civilizations,^[7].

While there has been a great deal of Mass media coverage of this theory of Jomon civilization, and a series of articles presenting similar points of view,^[8] There has been a multifaceted debate over the significance of the Sannai-Maruyama site.

A view within the framework of East Asia[edit]

For an overview, see History of East Asia, Kanji cultural sphere, and Zuanfu.
For its influence on traditional Japanese symbolism, see Imperial rituals, Japanese Buddhism, and Confucianism'

There is a view that the Japanese archipelago and the regions up to Mainland China, Korean Peninsula and Vietnam are part of the same Kulturkreis,^[9]. The prevailing view in Oriental and Japanese studies of ancient history is to emphasize the influence of the ancient Chinese dynasties on Japan's State formation and cultural structure. From this point of view, Japanese civilized society has been formed and developed through interaction with neighboring states.^[10] For example, the Tenmu dynasty and afterwards, and the important place it has occupied in the symbolic system of the emperor system since the Meiji era, has been influenced by the ritual system of the ancient Chinese dynasties,^[11] and the political philosophy of Japanese politicians often incorporates foreign Confucian ethics and Buddhist ideas.^[12] On the other hand, the uniqueness of civilized society in modern Japan has been pointed out.^[13]

Note[edit]

↑ In modern times, the concept of "civilization" is controversial and not always given a consistent definition. In modern times, due to the overwhelming influence of Western European societies, the designation was monopolised by European civilised societies (see Yoko Kudo, Introduction to the Critique of European Civilisation: Colonies, Republics and Orientalism, University of Tokyo Press, 2003). However, with the shift away from the Eurocentric view of history, a new discipline of comparative civilization theory has been established based on the modern affirmation of a pluralistic civilized society. The term "Japanese civilisation" can be used in this way, but its content is controversial.
↑ Bagby, Philip (1963) Culture and History: Prolegomena to The Comparative Study of Civilizations Civilizations
↑ Melko, Matthew (1969) The Nature of Civilizations
↑ [[ http://www.mokku.com/SHG/bunnmei.html Japanese civilization is an independent civilization Kyoto Shimbun, September 9, 1999]
↑ _report.html Tsukuru-kai Symposium No. 25 "Symposium to Commemorate the Publication of 'The History of National Civilizations'" and National Series "The History of National Civilizations A History of Civilization"
↑ civilizational process is a process that mediates between culture in a narrow sense, such as thought and art, and political and social institutions. The reason why the social forms of individual ethnic groups differ, even if they have the same culture and the same political system, is because these civilization processes differ from each other.
↑ Yoshinori Yasuda, The Environment of Jomon Civilization, Yoshikawa Kobunkan, 1997; Takeshi Umehara and Yoshinori Yasuda, Discovering Jomon Civilization, PHP Institute, 1995.
↑ Shinichiro Fujio, Jomon Controversy, Kodansha, 2002 The Jomon Controversy, Kodansha, 2002; Kikuchi Tetsuo, Archaeology in the Classroom, Heibonsha, 2007; "Civilization of the North, Civilization of the South: Jomon Era Settlement Theory in Fiction"; Sasaki Introduction (Maegaki ni kaete)" in Fujio Sasaki's "I dug the Archaeological Sites of Tokyo".
↑ For example, Sadao Nishijima's "Ancient East Asian World and Japan" for ancient times and Takeshi Hamashita's "The Tribute System and Modern Asia" for early modern times.
↑ The various cultural styles that characterize Japanese civilized society seem to follow the traditional political and social framework of East Asia in their reception process (Sadao Nishijima Ancient East Asian World and Japan", pp.3-10). However, this does not contradict the fact that Japanese civilization has its own dynamics. The uniqueness of Japanese civilization lies in the fact that it has been heavily influenced by foreign cultures and has ingested them very effectively, while still maintaining a clear separation from other civilized societies in terms of identity (see S. N. Eisenstaedt, Japan: A Comparative Civilizational Study, pp. 21-23).
↑ See Yoshino Yuko, "The Dai-namesai".
↑ This was also noticeable at a time when there was little political connection with the dynasties of mainland China. At the same time, they successfully combined Japanese original ideas such as Shinto thought to form Japan's own historical and political views (see Hiroyuki Tamagake, Studies in the History of Japanese Medieval Thought, and Reiko Shimokawa, The Confucianism of Kitabatake Chikabo)
↑ Mond Japan and China Korea in different civilization phases

References[edit]

S. N. Eisenstadt, translated by Junichi Umetsu et al. in Japan: Comparative Civilization Studies, 1,2, Iwanami Shoten, 2004.
Yoko Kudo, Introduction to the Critique of European Civilization: Colonies, Republics and Orientalism, University of Tokyo Press, 2003.
Reiko Shimokawa, The Confucianism of Kitabatake Chikabo, Perikansha, 2001.
Hiroyuki Tamakake, Studies in the History of Japanese Medieval Thought, Perikansha, 1998.
Terumasa Nakanishi, A History of National Civilization, Fusosha, 2003.
Sadao Nishijima, The Ancient East Asian World and Japan, Iwanami Modern Library, 2000.
Takeshi Hamashita, The Tribute System and Modern Asia, Iwanami Shoten, 1997.
Yuko Yoshino, The Structure of the Emperor's Accession Ceremony, Kobundo, 1987.
Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and Japan in the 21st Century, translated by Suzuki Shuzei, Shueisha Shinsho, 2000.
Diversification of the World: Family Structure and Modernity, translated by Emmanuel Todd and Fumitaka Ogino.