Emperor and Aristocracy in Japan, 1467-1680: Resilience and Renewal (Harvard East Asian Monographs)

An institution in decline, possessing little power or authority in a warrior-dominated age, or a still potent symbol of social and political legitimacy? Emperor and Aristocracy in Japan traces the fate of the imperial Japanese court from the lowest point in terms of influence and prosperity in the turbulent sengoku period to its more stable position in the Tokugawa period. In showing how the court adapted and survived, the author examines internal court politics and protocols, external court relations, court finances, court structure, and ceremonial observances. Emperor and courtiers, he concludes, adjusted to the warrior elite, while retaining the ideological advantage bestowed by culture, tradition, and birth, to which these new wielders of power continued to pay homage. Emperor And Aristocracy In Japan Traces The Fate Of The Imperial Japanese Court From Its Lowest Point During The Turbulent, Century-long Sengoku, When The Old Society, Built Upon The Strength And Influence Of The Court, The Priesthood, And A Narrow Warrior Elite, Was Shaken To Its Foundations, To The Tokugawa Era, When Court Culture Displayed Renewed Vitality, And Tea Gatherings, Flower Arranging, And Architecture Flourished. In Determining How The Court Managed To Persist And Survive, Butler Looks Into Contemporary Documents, Diaries, And Letters To Reveal The Court's Internal Politics And Protocols, Hierarchies, Finances, And Ceremonial Observances. Emperor And Courtiers Adjusted To The Prominence Of The Warrior Elite, Even As They Held On To The Idealogical Advantages Bestowed By Birth, Tradition, And Culture. To This Historical Precedent The New Wielders Of Power Paid Dutiful Homage, Ever Mindful That Ranks And Titles, As Well As The Political Blessing Of The Emperor, Were Advantageous Marks Of Distinction.--jacket. 1. The Struggle To Survive -- 2. Normalcy And Its Pretenses -- 3. Court Society During Reunification -- 4. Unifiers And Aristocrats -- 5. The Crises Of 1609-1610 -- 6. Codifying The Court -- 7. Of Persons And Structures -- 8. The Culture Of A New Aristocracy -- App. A. Character List Of Japanese Books Collected And Copied By Tokugawa Ieyasu, 1614-1615 -- App. B. Character List Of Japanese Terms And Names -- App. C. Aristocratic Diaries Of The Fifteenth To Seventeenth Centuries. Lee Butler. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [375]-399) And Index. Emperor and Aristocracy in Japan1467-1680 Acknowledgments Contents Illustrations Introduction 1. The Struggle to Survive Fire and Destruction Court Lands and Economics Court Society Dispersed and Disengaged Court Administration Women at Court Sengoku Emperors Power and Authority 2. Normalcy and Its Pretenses Flowers, Kickball, and the Bath Nenjū Gyōji Annual Observances During Sengoku Keeping Dressed 3· Court Society During Reunification The Year 1568 The Case of Yamashina Tokitsune 4· Unifiers and Aristocrats Court Initiatives Leaning on the Court Material Developments Ambiguities Uncertainties 5· The Crises of 1609-1610 The Court Lady Scandal The Meaning of the Scandal The Abdication Crisis 6. Codifying the Court Creating Laws for the Court Family Arts and the Kuge shohatto Rank and Seating in the Kuge shohatto 7· Of Persons and Structures Stability Lost and Regained Court Governance and Society 8. The Culture of a New Aristocracy Cultural Renaissance Of Flowers and Tea Architecture Culture and the Individual Conclusion Appendixes A. Character List of Japanese Books Collected and Copied by Tokugawa Ieyasu, 1614-1615 B. Character List of Japanese Terms and Names C. Aristocratic Diaries of the Fifteenth to Seventeenth Centuries Reference Matter Notes Works Cited Index Harvard East Asian Monographs An institution in decline, possessing little power in an age dominated by warriors? Or a still-potent symbol of social and political legitimacy? Emperor and Aristocracy in Japan traces the fate of the imperial Japanese court from its lowest point during the turbulent, century-long sengoku , when the old society, built upon the strength and influence of the court, the priesthood, and a narrow warrior elite, was shaken to its foundations, to the Tokugawa era, when court culture displayed renewed vitality, and tea gatherings, flower arranging, and architecture flourished. In determining how the court managed to persist and survive, Butler looks into contemporary documents, diaries, and letters to reveal the court's internal politics and protocols, hierarchies, finances, and ceremonial observances. Emperor and courtiers adjusted to the prominence of the warrior elite, even as they held on to the ideological advantages bestowed by birth, tradition, and culture. To this historical precedent the new wielders of power paid dutiful homage, ever mindful that ranks and titles, as well as the political blessing of the emperor, were advantageous marks of distinction. "Emperor and Aristocracy in Japan traces the fate of the imperial Japanese court from its lowest point during the turbulent, century-long sengoku, when the old society, built upon the strength and influence of the court, the priesthood, and a narrow warrior elite, was shaken to its foundations, to the Tokugawa era, when court culture displayed renewed vitality, and tea gatherings, flower arranging, and architecture flourished.". "In determining how the court managed to persist and survive, Butler looks into contemporary documents, diaries, and letters to reveal the court's internal politics and protocols, heirarchies, finances, and ceremonial observances. Emperor and courtiers adjusted to the prominence of the warrior elite, even as they held on to the idealogical advantages bestowed by birth, tradition, and culture. To this historical precedent the new wielders of power paid dutiful homage, ever mindful that ranks and titles, as well as the political blessing of the emperor, were advantageous marks of distinction."--BOOK JACKET. This text traces the fate of the imperial Japanese court from the lowest point in terms of influence and prosperity in the turbulent "sengoku" period to its more stable position in the Tokugawa period.