MUROMACHI PERIODBy Harrison Pike

WHAT WAS JAPAN'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE WEST LIKE?

+ The Westerners were first seen as a threat+ The merchants were allowed to continue

business, but missionaries were not permitted+ Christian converts who didn’t reject

Christianity were executed

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CH

RIST

IAN

ITY

IN JA

PAN

Preachers spreading the word of God in Japan

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CH

RIST

IAN

MA

RT

YR

S

Christian converts being executed in Japan

WHAT WERE THE CULTURAL DEVELOPMENTS?

+ The Shinto religion flourished+ Western influence increased+ Christianity was having an impact+ Tea became much more popular in Japan+ Zen aesthetics in ink art became influential

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SHIN

TO

(From left to right) Shinto gates and the Japanese character for Shinto

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ZEN

AE

STH

ET

ICS

Japanese ink art using ‘Zen Aesthetics’

CHANGES TO SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE?

+ Lots of minor wars stimulated growth of communication and transportation

+ Although an unstable economic period, it was filled with growth and prosperity

+ Yoshimitsu’s trade policies opened new horizons such as trading with Ming China

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Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the third shogun of the Ashikage Shogunate

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TR

AD

E W

ITH

MIN

G C

HIN

A

Japanese people travelling with goods for trading

WHY WAS THE GOVERNMENT WEAK?

+ The government was, financially, very weak+ There was distrust within the government+ The samurai and the peasants were frequently

rioting against the government+ Trading with China created serious financial

deficiencies

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SHO

GU

N YO

SHIM

ITSU

Shogun Yoshimitsu, the most prominent shogun during the Muromachi Period

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(Left) A Japanese peasant and (Right) a Japanese samurai

THE ENDThanks for watching!