Japan Quiz Study Island

The Japanese adopted ideas about government from the Tang dynasty. Which of the following was included in those ideas?

• a stronger central government

• a civil service system based on merit

• a more powerful local administration

• a class system with nobles as the government officials

Medieval Japan was based upon the feudal system, where weaker territorial lords owed their loyalty to stronger ones. All power was held by military dictatorships led by the

• samurai.

• emperor

• knights

• shoguns

Zen Buddhism became popular in Japan in the 1100s. This distinct form was especially popular with the warrior class. It was different from other forms because it placed importance on

• faith and good behavior.

• self-discipline and meditation.

• observance of rituals and wisdom.

• sacrifice and ancestor worship.

Lady Murasaki Shikibu wrote a novel called The Tale of Genji, which depicted court life during the Heian Period. The story tells of a prince named Genji and his quest to find love. It was important because it adds support to the theory that women from the Heian Period

• had to conform to very strict gender roles.

• created some of the best literature of early Japan.

• were not taken seriously by male scholars and writers.

• had much more social freedom than women of later periods.

Society during Prince Shotoku's reign was heavily influenced by ideas from China. For example, Prince Shotoku embraced the ideas of the Mandate of Heaven. This can best be described as the belief that

• leaders should be cruel and harsh to their citizens.

• governments rule with consent from their people.

• leaders receive power and authority from the gods.

• governments only stay in power by having powerful armies.

During Prince Shotoku's reign, many aspects of Chinese culture were brought to Japan. At a time long before modern-day communication, how would the prince most likely have made this happen?

• He developed a school system that taught students about the Chinese culture in order to assimilate young minds to Chinese ideas.

• He hired researchers to study China by reading the most current text books and teach the Japanese about Chinese culture.

• He studied the Chinese culture at all the top universities and shared the ideas with the Japanese.

• He sent scholars to China to learn about the culture directly and introduce aspects to Japan.

Confucian ideas were adopted by the Japanese during Prince Shotoku's reign. Which of the following institutions was most heavily affected by Confucianism?

• religion

• trade

• government

• family

According to ancient Japanese Shinto beliefs, the Sun Goddess Amaterasu

• gave birth to the islands of Japan.

• was a sister of the Buddha.

• was an ancestor of the Imperial Family.

• wrote the sacred texts of the Shinto religion.

The Japanese daimyo was similar to

• the European lord

• the Chinese epmeror

• the European vassal

• the European peasant

Who introduced the Chinese writing system to the Japanese?

• Korean scribes

• Japanese princes

• Buddhist monks

• Chinese traders