Posted by Drs.H.Mutawalli,M.Pdi
The Kamakura period in Japanese history is considered to have begun in 1185 AD with the defeat of the Taira by the Minamoto. The era was feudal, not unlike the feudal environs of medieval Europe, and a warrior class was very important. The town, Kamakura, was the seat of military power in this feudal society. The first shogun of this period was Minamoto no Yoritomo, he who seized power in 1185, and who was declared shogun in 1192. It was during the Kamakura period that the power of the Emperor in Kyoto dwindled to more ceremonial than actual. In 1222, regents from the Hojo clan effectively ran Kamakura, leaving the shogunate as a more ceremonial position. Indeed, they picked the titular shoguns after this time, largely selecting them from the Kujo family or clan. This period lasted until 1333.
The governmental system was known as the Bakufu. The Japanese provinces became semi-autonomous, and feudal, under new protectors. Protectors of provinces were selected mostly from powerful families, or the title was bestowed upon a general and his family after a successful campaign. Although they managed their own affairs, in theory they were still obligated to the central government through their allegiance to the shogun.
The Mongols were busily conquering much of Asia in the 1200's. Korea fell into their control by 1258, and China completely surrendered in 1279, although they had taken hold of Peking earlier. Kublai Khan was on the throne in 1266 when the Mongols sent a demand to Japan that Japan submit to them. Although there was worry and concern, the leaders summarily refused to submit.
Kublai send his first army in 1274, 30,000 men, both Mongol and Korean fighters, outnumbering the resistance. These were highly skilled fighters who may have had a serious chance at defeating Kamakura. However, bad weather cancelled this first foray after a few short hours.
In 1281, 140,000 men drawn from Mongolia, China and Korea were sent to Japan. But Japan had been busy in the interim, building a wall around Hakata Bay, which kept the invasion out for two months. The Japanese had more mobile ships than the Mongols, and they used them to good advantage. Then, the Japanese were aided by an extremely powerful ally -- a typhoon, which decimated the attacking fleet. Probably less than half of the fleet was able to return back to China.
The shogun during both of these incursions was Prince Koreyasu. However, he was a puppet installed in the post as seventh shogun at the age of two, forced to retire at the age of 25 for being "too old", no doubt to control properly.
The Mongols intended to attack again, but developed enough of their own troubles with rebellion back on the mainland, that they did not try again. The Kamakura Japanese however continued to prepare defenses, since they believed a new attack would someday happen. Unfortunately, all this outlay of expense weakened the government, who, in many cases, was unable to pay out for services rendered. In 1333, the imperial court in Kyoto rose up, and restored power to the emperor, in this case to Emperor Go-Daigo. The talented general Ashikaga Takauji of the Kamakura sided with the imperial cause.
Art of the Kamakura period drew upon the styles of the Fujiwara period, with a greater emphasis on war as a subject. There was at least one scroll depicting the Mongol invasion. Other topics included the defining Heiji war. Other paintings, mostly done on scrolls, showed monastic life, the lives of Buddhist holy figures, or presented conceptualizations of damnation.
This was also a time when Buddhism was involved in a second great renaissance, and the lifelike sculptures with Buddhist themes of the time were quite remarkable. A fifty-two foot tall bronze Buddha was a centerpiece in Kamakura. One renowned sculpturist was Unkei. Scuplture was heavily influenced by works from the Nara period.
In literature, the early Kamakura period was mostly known for short poems written by Kyoto inhabitants after the manner of the Fujiwara period. These were melancholy and refined pieces. The Kamakura influence was to write about the warriors of society, the samurai. These could be chanted to a lute accompaniment. The tales used the canvas of actual large events to detail in smaller, often-imaginary, occurrences. One of the most important of these is the Tale of the House of Taira, telling the story of the defeat of the Taira by Minamoto. Mirror of the Eastland provides some historical records of the Kamakura period.
As mentioned earlier, Buddhism had a resurgence. Beliefs now centered more around the warrior class, or around the common people. The popular sects of Buddhism focused on an afterlife not unlike that of Christian belief. The True Sect was nearly monotheistic in its focus on the Buddha Amida. Zen, which had been around as a Buddhist meditative philosophy, re-emerged in a secular fashion during this time.
As a final note, it was during the Kamakura period that tea was introduced to Japan from China.
Sources:
East Asia, 1973, John K. Fairbank, Edwin O. Reischauer, Albert M. Craig. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston. ISBN 0-395-14525-2.
