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Japan is a latecomer in Asian history, appearing at around 57 AD. Japan’s location, off the East Coast of China is important in the development of Japan’s culture. The Japanese adopted many things from its surrounding boarders, especially China. The Japanese adopted many forms of the Chinese culture and tried to make each adoption ultimately Japanese. During the Yamato Period (500 AD), Japan’s history and culture was just starting to flourish. The influence of the Chinese culture on that of Japan’s is extensive, yet Japan is a unique civilization. With adopting its infrastructure of government, religion and philosophy, writing, and the fine arts, Japan has become a civilization with its own fine culture. In between the years of 618-906 AD the Japanese realized the brilliance of the Tang Dynasty. One concept that the Japanese adopted was the imperial concept (where the leader would be addressed as emperor or empress). The Japanese modeled their entire central government around Chinese imperialism. Prior to the empirical concept, the ruler of Japan was a queen. A queen was ruling because precedents set earlier in Japanese history stated that should a male rule their violent personalities would eventually bring civil war. Japan’s concept of empirical rule produced the longest unbroken line of rulers in human history, even longer than the monarchy in England. Japan’s current ruler (Emperor Akihito) is 125th in a line which originated with the Goddess of the sun and extends to her heir Jimmu (known as the first emperor, in 660 BC ). Only one family of one bloodline has ever occupied the Chrysanthemum throne. When Empress Suiko (Yamato Period) sent a selected few to study the government, philosophy and culture of Japan, their findings and results would alter Japan’s culture permanently. The Japanese government completely reorganized their court along the Chinese model, adopted the Chinese calendar, and sponsored Buddhism (which conflicted with the beliefs taught in Japan’s primary religion, Shintoism). Right along with the governments reformation, Buddhism was being introduced and accepted in many Japanese towns and villages (552 AD ). Buddhism was introduced to Japanese culture during the Nara Period and therefore the emperors and empresses revered the Buddhist teachings called the “Sutra of the Golden Light”. Nara Buddhism was identical to Chinese Buddhism.
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