Re: [HIST] Japanese Culture shock

At 8:39 PM +0200 6/24/02, K.H.Ranitzsch wrote:
>
>>  I may be wrong, but what most people know of as Samurai (Yojimbo,
>  > Ran, etc) takes place in 1600 and later. At that point firearms
were
>>  reducing the size and nature of the Heavily armored cavalry in
>>  Europe. Hussars =!
>
>Mmmm...yes, you are wrong.
>The specific warrior society and culture of Japan, together with its
>weaponry and armour styles, developed ca. the 10th century. Until the
late
>16th century, the country was marked by intermittent periods of civil
war.

"Developed" in the 10th Century. But what everyone really looks at as 
far as imagery is from movies set in the later periods from mid 1500s 
up through. It seems like the period just prior to the Shogun's 
expansion of power was the exciting period. (sort of like how the 
West was popular in the era when metallic cartridges were common (ie 
10 years post Civil war). Cars weren't far off (as illustrated in Big 
Jake).

And as I said, what people know of from the movies takes place in 
these later periods not the far earlier periods. Tsubaki Sanjuro and 
Yojibo take place in post 1600 Japan.
The Battle of Sekigahara was in October 21, 1600. That's when 
Tokugawa made his big victory and really started consolidating his 
power after defeating his significant rivals.

>It's only from the early 17th century that the Shogun generals
established a
>unified government and imposed a strict military government that lasted
>until the mid-1800s. During the Shogunate the Samurai formed the lower
>aristocracy and had the opportunity to develop their culture to
sometimes
>fancyful extremes, including showy martial arts.
>
>'Ran', btw. takes place at the close of the long periods of civil wars.

And some of the other movies take place afterwards don't they.

My point is comparing Japanese Feudal technology of 16th or 17th 
century (or even early 19th century) periods to pre 1600 European 
forms is a bit anachronistic is it not? In the 1600's Europe was 
using what military techniques for mounted combat? It certainly 
wasn't the Arthurian mounted knight. The increased use of arquebuses 
by european militaries had changed that.
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