Japanese History

Law and Bureaucracy in the Yamato State

Outside Factors: Influence of the continent

Political unrest in the continent was at once motivation and opportunity for reforms – fear of invasion and refuges

Missions to China – Students were sent to learn Buddhism and statecraft students returned from china were central to reform efforts

Influx of new ideas

Empress Jingu and the birth story of Emperor Oujin

The rise and fall of the Soga clan (espoused Buddhism)

Gained power in the tax collecting offices and supported Yamato uji’s Korea expeditions

Conflict with the Nakatomi and the Mononobe clans over accepting Buddhism. Espoused Uji no Kami (Rudimentary form of Shinto)

Victory in the 587 succession dispute Rule of Empress Suiko and Crown Prince Shotoku

Demise of the Soga family – Nakatomi clan seizes power after the coup d’état of 645

Note: go over the importance of clans for the ruler

Chinese style government by Shotoku

Adoption of an official calendar

Compilation of first official histories

Tributes to China

Cap-rank system

More evaluated over ability rather than family

How can I use this person?

Kabane

How power of the clan

Feather

Rank in the kingdom

Trying to imply meritocracy

New law codes – “17 articles of constitution by Shotoku”

The Taika Reform (645)

Led by the Nakatomi Clan

Land is declared public

The emperor owns it

Before, clans owned the land

Centralization of taxes

Land survey (standardization of measures)

Population registers

Adoption of Chinese calendar (also utilized nengo, era-name)

The Ritsuryou system

Taihou Code (701) Yourou Code (718)

Ritsu (penal code) + ryou (administrative statues)

Objective was to build a centralized administrative system with the emperor at the top and the government at the center

Left a lasting legacy in the later laws codes

Daijyokan Council of state) and Council on Shrine Affairs

Administrative districts – 66 kuni and more than 500 districts

Centralized tax system

Regular...