The Cambridge History of Japan series - Ancient Japan (Volume 1 of 6)

Japan's ancient age was a period of radical and political change during which a Chinese-style empire emerged. This volume of The Cambridge History of Japan spans the beginnings of human existence to the end of the eighth century, focusing on the thousand years between 300 B.C. and 784, the end of the fabulous Nara period. The volume explores this period in four stages: (1) The Yayoi period (to about 250 A.D.) when small kingdoms and kingdom federations accumulated enough power to dispatch diplomatic missions to Korea and China; (2) the Yamato period (to 587) when priestly rulers, having gained economic and military power, conquered most of Japan; (3) the Century of Reform (to 710) when Japanese leaders, pressed by China's expanding T'ang empire, set out to build a strong Chinese-style empire of their own; (4) the Nara period (to 784) when spectacular literary, artistic, architectural, and religious advances were made. "The Cambridge History of Japan is the first major collaborative synthesis to present the current state of knowledge of Japanese history for the English-reading world. The series draws on the expertise and research of leading Japanese specialists as well as the foremost Western historians of Japan. From prehistory to the present day, the series encompasses the events and developments in Japanese polity, economy, culture, religion and foreign affairs. In the distinguished tradition of Cambridge histories, the completed series provides an indispensable reference tool for all students and scholars of Japan and the Far East."--Provided by publisher Japan's ancient age was a period of radical social and political change during which a Chinese-style empire emerged. This volume in The Cambridge History of Japan spans the beginnings of human existence to the end of the eight century, focusing on the thousand years between 300 B. C. and A. D. 784 when the Nara period came to an end. v. 1. Ancient Japan / edited by Delmer M. Brown v. 2. Heian Japan / edited by Donald H. Shively, William H. McCullough v. 3. Medieval Japan / edited by Kozo Yamamura v. 4. Early modern Japan / edited by John Whitney Hall v. 5. The nineteenth century / edited by Marius B. Jansen v. 6. The twentieth century / edited by Peter Duus. This volume covers the Heian period, the golden age of the Japanese imperial court. It emphasizes political history, the land system, provincial administration, the capital and its society, the acceptance of Buddhism and religious practices Japan's oldest extant chronicles, the Kojiki and the Nihon shoki, describe the trek of Kamu-yamato-ihare-biko no Mikoto from south Kyushu to the Yamato plain accompanied by hand-chosen clan (uji) heads.