| Revision as of 11:46, 9 April 2005 editPer Honor et Gloria (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Pending changes reviewers53,031 edits →Introduction of Buddhism: Haniwa House← Previous edit |
Revision as of 15:46, 11 April 2005 edit undo66.4.125.11 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit → |
| Line 3: |
Line 3: |
|
'''Kofun''' (古墳) is an era in the history of ] from around A.D. ] to A.D.]. A kofun is any tomb (]) of this kind. |
|
'''Kofun''' (古墳) is an era in the history of ] from around A.D. ] to A.D.]. A kofun is any tomb (]) of this kind. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark, enjoy this page. |
|
==Kofun tombs== |
|
|
], early ].]] |
|
|
The Kofun period (ca. A.D. 250- ]) takes its name, which means old tomb (古墳 ''kofun'') from the culture's rich ] rituals and distinctive earthen mounds. The mounds contained large stone burial chambers. Some are surrounded by ]s. |
|
|
|
|
|
] |
|
|
By the late Kofun period, the distinctive burial chambers, originally used by the ruling elite, also were built for commoners. |
|
|
|
|
|
Kofun came in many shapes, with round and square being the simplest. A distinct style is the keyhole (zempō kōen) kofun, with its square front and round back. Many kofun were natural hills, which might have been sculpted to their final shape. Kofun range in size from several meters to over 400 ]s in length. |
|
|
|
|
|
The biggest kofun are believed to be the tombs of emperors like ] and ]. Kofun are also classified according to whether the entrance to the stone burial chamber is vertical (tate-ana) or horizontal (yoko-ana). |
|
|
|
|
|
==Kofun society== |
|
|
] |
|
|
During the Kofun period, a highly aristocratic society with ] rulers developed. Its ] wore armor, carried ]s and other weapons, and used advanced military methods like those of Northeast Asia. Evidence of these advances is seen in funerary figures (called '']''; literally, clay rings), found in thousands of ''kofun'' scattered throughout Japan. The most important of the '']'' were found in southern ]--especially the ] around ]--and northern ]. ''Haniwa'' grave offerings were made in numerous forms, such as horses, chickens, birds, fans, fish, houses, weapons, shields, sunshades, pillows, and male and female humans. Another funerary piece, the ], became one of the symbols of the power of the imperial house. Much of the ] of the Kofun period is barely distinguishable from those of the contemperaneous Southern Korean Peninsula, demonstrating that at this time Japan was in close political and economic contact with continental Asia through Korea. |
|
|
|
|
|
] |
|
|
The Kofun period was a critical stage in Japan's evolution toward a more cohesive and recognized state. This society was most developed in the Kinai Region and the easternmost part of the Inland Sea (]). Japan's rulers of the time even petitioned the Chinese court for confirmation of royal titles. |
|
|
|
|
|
] and ]s, ], ].]] |
|
|
The Yamato ], which emerged by the late ], was distinguished by powerful great clans or extended families, including their dependents. Each clan was headed by a ] who performed sacred rites to the clan's '']'' to ensure the long-term welfare of the clan. Clan members were the aristocracy, and the kingly line that controlled the Yamato court was at its pinnacle. The Kofun Period of Japanese culture is also sometimes called the Yamato Period by some Western Scholars, since this local Chieftainship eventually rose up to become the Imperial Dynasty at the end of the Kofun Period. Japanese archaeologists find this a little predeterministic and emphasise the fact that in the early half of the Kofun Period other regional Chieftainships, such as ], near modern day ], were in close contention for the crown. |
|
|
|
|
|
==Introduction of Buddhism== |
|
|
] |
|
|
More exchange occurred between Japan and the continent of Asia late in the Kofun period. Buddhism was introduced from Korea, probably in A.D. 538, exposing Japan to a new body of religious doctrine. The ], a Japanese court family that rose to prominence with the accession of the ] about A.D. ], favored the adoption of Buddhism and of governmental and cultural models based on Chinese ]. But some at the Yamato court--such as the ] (later known as ]) family, which was responsible for performing ] rituals at court, and the ], a military clan--were set on maintaining their prerogatives and resisted the alien religious influence of ]. The ] introduced Chinese-modeled fiscal policies, established the first national treasury. Acrimony continued between the Soga and the Nakatomi and Mononobe clans for more than a century, during which the Soga temporarily emerged ascendant. |
|
|
|
|
|
The Kofun period is seen as ending by A.D. 538, when the use of elaborate ''kofun'' by the Yamato and other elite fell out of use because of prevailing new Buddhist beliefs, which put greater emphasis on the transience of human life. Commoners and the elite in outlying regions, however, continued to use kofun until the late ], and simpler but distinctive tombs continued in use throughout the following period. The Kofun period was followed by the ]. |
|
|
|
|
|
==See also== |
|
|
{{commons|Category:Kofun}} |
|
|
*] |
|
|
|
|
|
== References == |
|
|
*{{loc}} - |
|
|
|
|
|
<div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> |
|
|
<hr noshade size="4" width="100%"> |
|
|
''This period is part of the ] of ].'' |
|
|
|
|
|
< ] | ] | ] > |
|
|
</div> |
|
|
|
|
|
] |
|
|
|
|
|
]]] |
|
|
] |
|
