Everyday Life/Samurai Flashcards
What were the 4 social classes of the feudal system?
- Shi - Warrior (daimyo, samurai, ronin)
- No - Peasants
- Ko - Artisans
- Sho - Merchant
Where did the philosophy for this feudal system come from?
It was influenced by Confucian ideals; each class has its own function - the more useful contribution a class makes, the more value it has.
What was the emperor’s role? (2 things)
- Symbolic figurehead
- Religious and spiritual leader
What was the shogun’s role? (2 things)
- Commanded military and economy
- Ruled the country, controlling laws and taxes.
What was the peasant’s role? (3 things)
- Produce food (rice, veg, soya beans)
- Pay taxes to warrior classes
- Make straw caps, hats, and sandals
What was the artisan’s role?
Make items to sell eg. wooden barrels, metal tools, pottery and fine woven cloth, paper, furniture and swords for the samurai.
What was the merchant’s role? (2 things)
- Sell and trade items
- Loan money to the samurai and peasants
Which were the two outcast classes?
- ‘eta’ (great filth): eg. leather work, burials or butchering animals - any job associated with death and therefore an affront to the Shinto faith.
- ‘hinin’ (non-persons): eg. begging, street performing and criminals
What were the lives of women like? (5 things)
- Subordinate to men - didn’t have the same rights. 2. Could be divorced if: no son, committed adultery, talked too much, became seriously ill.
- Work alongside men, as entertainers, actresses and geisha.
- Wives of daimyo were literate and prominent at court.
- Marriages were often arranged and husbands often had more than one wife.
What is the samurai code ‘bushido’?
Rules for correct behaviour and moral values based on aspects of Confucianism, Buddhism and Shinto. It was based on honour, loyalty, respect, compassion and discipline.
Why did Zen Buddhism appeal to the samurai? (2 things)
- It helped dispel all distracting thoughts and emotions and to give them full control over their minds and bodies.
- They could go to battle calmly and with a single purpose.
What role did the samurai have during the Tokugawa period?
- Government officials doing administrative jobs.
- Had to learn reading, writing, ceremonial conduct and public service were as important as archery, horse riding and sword fighting. Also tactics, strategy, history, music, art, poetry, painting, and the works of Confucius.
How were households run?
- Men were the head.
- Women looked after the family and the finances (especially if she was a samurai’s wife)
- Children helped with domestic tasks.
How was education delivered?
- Men passed knowledge onto children.
- Temple schools offered literacy, maths (with an abacus), history, geography.
- Girls could learn sewing, flower arranging, dancing and playing a musical instrument, and the rituals of the tea ceremony.
