Go is a fascinating game that, although created in China, gained popularity and permanence in Japan. Go planted its roots in the Heian Period and grew from there. The Heian Period, known as the Golden Age of Japan, was a very stable time with the imperial court at the height of its reign, especially in its early and middle years. Go provided a leisurely pastime and an opportunity for casual conversation that was not only entertaining in a stimulating way, but at the same time maintained the cultivated decorum of the ruling elite of the time which were among its most common players: courtiers. Since Go’s beginnings in the Heian court, the construct of decorum, the diet, and the dress of the court served to facilitate its acceptance and popularity among these aristocrats.
The Heian period was a very politically stable time. The period began with an emperor by the name of Kammu (737-806 CE) who reigned from his father’s death in 781 CE until his own death in 806 CE (Shively and McCullough 20). Under Kammu’s rule, the capital city was moved from Nara to Kyoto, this meant that the new age that he was heading could start fresh, free of the influences that had been present in the old capital. This made it possible for Kammu to create the imperial court that would last until the unrest of the warrior class forced it to fall in 1185 CE (Shively and McCullough 1). It was under this government that the lives of the courtiers developed and unfolded.
Go came to Japan shortly before the beginning of the Heian period. It is generally believed in Japan that a courtier by the name of Kibi no Makibi introduced Go to Japan after returning from being an ambassador to the Chinese court. However, this is not necessarily true, since the game had bee...
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...After all, with over four thousand years of history, and 400 years of history in Japan, Go had to have held the appeal of its players.
Works Cited
Go (Weiqi, Baduk), game, ca. 2300BCE
Murasaki, Shikibu. The Tale of Genji. Trans. Royall Tyler. Vol. 1 & 2. New York: Viking, 2001. Print.
Sei, Shōnagon. The Pillow Book of Sei Shōnagon. Ed. Ivan I. Morris. Trans. Ivan I. Morris. New York: Columbia UP, 1991. Print.
Grant, Andrew. 400 Years of Go in Japan. Richmond, VA: Slate & Shell, 2003. Print.
Myers, Robert T., and Sangit Chatterjee. "Science, Culture, and the Game of Go." Science and Culture vol. 69 (2003). 8 May 2010. Web.
Shively, Donald H., and William H. McCullough, eds. The Cambridge History of Japan. Vol. 2. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 1999. Print.
Hotta, Yumi, and Takeshi Obata. Hikaru No Go. San Francisco: Viz Media, 2004-2011. Print.
Much of what is considered modern Japan has been fundamentally shaped by its involvement in various wars throughout history. In particular, the events of World War II led to radical changes in Japanese society, both politically and socially. While much focus has been placed on the broad, overarching impacts of war on Japan, it is through careful inspection of literature and art that we can understand war’s impact on the lives of everyday people. The Go Masters, the first collaborative film between China and Japan post-WWII, and “Turtleback Tombs,” a short story by Okinawan author Oshiro Tatsuhiro, both give insight to how war can fundamentally change how a place is perceived, on both an abstract and concrete level.
"(Doc. A) The beliefs Japanese grew up with were that the Emperor was sublime and his empire should be followed everywhere nerveless by everyone. They were trained to be dedicated; willing to do anything to please their superior. “An old order... (European and American)... is now crumbling.
Christopher Benfey’s work The Great Wave is a narrative driven by a collection of accounts, stories and curious coincidences tying together The Gilded Age of New England in particular with interactions and connections to the Japan of old and new. In the context of The Great Wave, Benfey's own personal journey to Japan at the age of sixteen should be understood. Embarking on this voyage to learn traditional writing, language and Judo, his story can also be seen as a not only a historical continuation, but also a personal precursor to the vignettes he discovers and presents to the reader.
Sabin, Burritt. "The War's Legacy [sic]: Dawn of a tragic era", Japan Times, February 8, 2004 (
To begin, it is generally difficult to pinpoint a consensus date for the commencement of a martial arts tradition in Japan because the learning of these arts was mostly done orally and through practice. It is by and large agreed upon that all of the Oriental martial arts have their roots in China, from the founder of Zen Buddhism, the Indian monk Bodhidarma (Daruma for the Japanese), in the 6th century. The principles of Zen Buddhism would later be reflected in most of the ph...
relationship with the people of Japan. The Portuguese arrived in 1543 when Japan was a
21 Pitts, Forrest R., Japan. p. 113. -. 22. Davidson, Judith. Japan- Where East Meets West, p. 107.
During the 14th century the Noh Theater was patronized by the samurais who were considered high up in social rank. During this time period there was a war that broke out. This was called the Onin war and lasted from (1467-1477). China was amongst the countries that japan had contact with. One of the results of the Onin war was destruction which caused the country to fall into a chaos which was known as Sengoku (age of country at war). The Sengoku was so devastating to the country that the shogun or ruler family, Ashikaga, lost their power. There were many influences on the history in this period. The Ashikaga family had a major influence on the period. The Ashikaga or “shogun” had been rulers for almost 200 years. The shogun family built a villa that was very prestigious for the art and culture at this time. Another influence was Ze...
The Tale of Heike." Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600. Ed. Haruo Shirane. New York: Columbia UP, 2007. 736-39. Print.
The samurai have had a long time in Japan and stayed around for centuries. They led Japan and created many government systems that would be used through that time. They helped cities be destroyed and flourish. Their ways of life and honor have influenced and their spirits stay with Japan to this day.
Though it seems that it was the Western influence that set off this revolutionary change, a more scrutinizing look into Japanese society at the time reveals that Japan was in fact on the brink of supplanting the fixed, hierarchical Tokugawa order for one that was better suited for its fast evolving, capitalistic society. As historian David Lu states, “Our people began to discover [modern civilization’s] utility and gradually and yet actively moved towards its acceptance. However, there was an old fashioned and bloated government that stood in the way of progress.” (Lu, 351). Therefore in a way we can view the intrusion of Western powers in Japan on that infamous July day in 1853 as an event that occurred during a time when Japan was ready for a world renewal, and not a direct and complete cause of modernization of Japan; in fact it was Japan’s revaluation of modernization and what it meant to be Japanese amidst strong western influences that eventually ...
Japan is known for its unique gardening style, their diverse plants, their food, and their beautifully woven tapestries. Yet, most do not know about the history of their drama. Japanese Noh theatre is one of the most precise and prestigious art forms. It has been this way since the fourteenth century when Zeami first created Noh theatre. Zeami’s most famous plays, such as Kinuta, are still performed today. Japanese drama has not changed much since the fourteenth century because it has made a lasting effect on the culture. Noh theatre had a major influence on fourteenth century Japan and has affected modern day drama.
Fifty years after the end of the second World War, it is easy to look back on the American occupation of Japan and see it as a mild nudge to the left rather than a new beginning for the country. We still see an emperor, even if only as a symbol. Industry, when it was rebuilt, was under much of the same leadership as before the war. Many elements of the traditional lifestyle remained–with less government support and in competition with new variants. The Japanese people remained connected to a culture which was half western and half Japanese. Nevertheless, it is irrefutable that the surrender in 1945 had a major impact on the lives of the Japanese. Political parties, elected by the populous, became a great deal more influential in the government. This changed the dynamics of Japanese industry, even if the zaibatsu were sill the foundation of the economy. Financial success took on a new character; the production of high tech goods for sale to the world’s most developed countries was now a better source of income. The affluence of the upper class was more evenly distributed. On a broader scale, for the first time, America had more influence than European powers. The prevention of the formation of a military put the focus of the government on trade, the United Nations, and the cold war rather than an empire in Asia. Simultaneously, social attitudes and lifestyle were more independent of the government and consumer led.
Deal, William E. 2006. Handbook to Life in Medieval and Early Modern Japan. Facts on File, Inc., 2006. eBook