7th Lesson-Review Medieval Japan

​Japan's Golden Age

By Chip Krolik

Multiple Choice

The Golden Age of the Arts in Japan was between the years 794 and 1180, also called the...

• Nara Period

• Tokyo Period

• Heian Period

• Nagasaki Period

Multiple Choice

Buddhism was the state-sponsored religion of the Heian period.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Which form of Buddhism requires the use of mantras, mudras, and mandalas?

• Tendai

• Shingon

• Mahayana

• Pure Land

Multiple Choice

What is a core value for modern Japan that has its origins in the Heian period?

• fealty to leaders

• striving for beauty

• success in business

• acquiring an education

Multiple Choice

Why were only the aristocrats involved in the golden age of Japan?

• Literature from lower classes was not preserved.

• The emperor required aristocrats to study literature.

• They had the time and money to write and create art.

• Other forms of Buddhism forbade artistic expression.

Multiple Choice

Which art form paints wood or metal objects?

• kabuki

• ikebana

• lacquerware

• waka

Multiple Choice

Which form of Buddhism was preferred by most of the population of medieval Japan?

• Tendai

• Shingon

• Mahayana

• Pure Land

Multiple Choice

Pure Land Buddhism requires followers to recite the name of the heavenly being.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Why is The Tale of Genji important for historical research?

• It was written by a woman.

• It is an epic poem about love.

• It describes court life and fashion.

• It is a genealogy of the royal house.

Multiple Choice

In which city did the Golden Age flourish?

• Tokyo

• Korea

• Heian

• None are correct

Multiple Choice

The Heian period had great achievements such as calligraphy and

• adopted Buddhism

• adopted farming techniques

• developed literature and poetry

• invented sik

Multiple Choice

Many ancient Japanese followed the teachings of these two religions:

• Christianity and Buddhism
• Buddhism and Shintoism
• Hinduism and Shintoism
• Shintoism and Islam

Multiple Choice

Who were the primary authors of diaries, essays, and narrative tales during the Heian era, and who are examples of these authors?

• Women of the aristocratic court, such as Murasaki Shikibu, Sei Shonagon, and Izumi Shikibu

• Samurai warriors like Minamoto leaders and military scribes

• Buddhist monks who copied sutras in temple scriptoria

• Merchants and artisans from Kyoto marketplaces

Multiple Choice

What is waka poetry?

• A classical Japanese verse form of 31 syllables (tanka) favored by Heian courtiers

• A ceremonial prose chant performed by Shinto priests

• An epic ballad sung by traveling minstrels with biwa accompaniment

• A pictographic writing system used for temple inscriptions

Multiple Select

What themes were explored in waka poetry? Select all that apply.

• Love, longing, and personal emotion

• Nature and the changing seasons

• Refined court life, etiquette, and relationships

• Military conquest and battlefield strategy

• Overseas trade routes and navigation

Multiple Choice

Who is the author of The Tale of Genji, and what is her significance in Japanese history?

• Murasaki Shikibu, a Heian court lady whose work is often called the world’s first novel and a masterpiece of courtly life

• Sei Shonagon, a poet whose only surviving work is a military chronicle

• Izumi Shikibu, a playwright who founded the Noh theater

• A male imperial scribe commissioned to record tax laws

Multiple Choice

What was the significance of The Pillow Book and The Diary of Izumi Shikibu?

• They provide firsthand accounts—essays, observations, and poetry—that illuminate Heian court culture and women’s perspectives

• They are official government edicts establishing land taxes and military ranks

• They record foreign embassies to China and maritime trade statistics

• They are instructional manuals for Buddhist monastic rituals

Multiple Choice

How was life different for the aristocracy and the lower classes during the Heian period?

• Aristocrats lived in refined luxury focused on arts and court ceremony, while lower classes farmed, paid taxes, and performed labor with few luxuries

• Aristocrats were itinerant traders, while lower classes wrote court poetry

• Aristocrats served as full‑time soldiers, while lower classes managed royal estates

• Aristocrats practiced strict monastic vows, while lower classes performed temple rituals

Multiple Choice

In what way is The Tale of Genji a historical document?

• It richly depicts Heian court customs, clothing, rituals, and social relationships

• It lists annual tax revenues for each province

• It is a chronological record of wars and treaties

• It is a technical manual for palace architecture

Multiple Select

How has The Tale of Genji impacted modern literature, art, and film, and how has it shaped the public’s view of Japanese culture and history? Select all that apply.

• It influenced narrative technique and character psychology in modern storytelling

• It inspired visual artworks and film adaptations that popularize Heian aesthetics

• It helped shape the view of the Heian court as elegant and complex in culture

• It introduced industrial manufacturing methods to modern Japan

• It replaced all traditional poetry with prose fiction

Labelling

Label the areas around Japan

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Mt Fuji

Sea of Japan

Hokkaido Island

North Korea

China

South Korea

Multiple Choice

The traditional religion in Japan is known as

• Buddhism

• Islam

• Hinduism

• Shinto

• Christianity

Multiple Choice

Geographically, Japan is considered to be

• a pennisula

• an archipelago

• a group of atolls

• a butte

• none of these

Multiple Choice

Which is NOT true about Prince Shotoku?

• He created the 17 Article Constitution.

• He encouraged people to become Buddhist.

• He was one of most important rulers in Japanese history.

• He was famous for his pilgrimage to Mecca.

Poll

After this review, I feel --- about medieval Japan

• quite confident

• good

• ok

• lost -- I don't know any of this

• other