Test your basic knowledge |

Japanese Culture

Subject : culture

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
Match each statement with the correct term.
Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. nori
Fujiwara
government and worshipping
possessors of magic items - supernatural duel-form monk figures who are fond of testing the mettle of Buddhist priests
divine decrees- laws

2. hinin
Non persons
control the weather - linked to water
two attempts by Kublai Khan and the Mongols to invade Japan
compiler of the Manyoshu

3. What are the classifications of Gellner's model of culture in agrarian societies?
Garden maker who Takauji based his style off - used stone and rock to represent vast landscapes
Literate Elites- rulers - powerful clans; intermediate- specialist producers; peasants
Pure Land and Zen
no

4. two new major sects of Buddhism during the Kamakura period
Pure Land and Zen
general and first shogun of Japan
pollution
Gold pavilion in Kyoto constructed by Yoshimitsu

5. Haniwa figures
Haunts - Humor - Buddhism/Supernatural - healing and spirituality
attendant stand-ins within Keyhole tombs
control the weather - linked to water
1. Life is full of sorrow 2. the cause of this sorrow is desire 3. the only way to break this cycle is to free oneself from desire 4. the way to accomplish this is through the eightfold pasth

6. Heian Period Aesthetics writing/art styles
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals
symbol used to write a morpheme
reliance on Amida - salvation available for all - 'Essentials of Salvation'
Okashi - Miyabi - mono no aware - e-maki - Yamato-e

7. Yoshitsune
Death - childbirth - blood
valiant warrior and romantic hero
Those dealing in death (executioners - butchers - leathermakers etc)
Founded by Dogen following the study of Chan Buddhism in China - breaking down conventional modes of perception and reasoning - Heart Sutra

8. Benkei
refined elegance
sympathy for the lieutenant
devoted retainer to Yoshitsune
1st- destroyed by a typhoon - 2nd- defeated by Japanese forces and a typhoon

9. Sumie
devoted retainer to Yoshitsune
amusing
Warring States period
Zen ink brush painting introduced to Japan through Southern Song

10. Logograph
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals
Meiji Period (1868-1912)
refined elegance
symbol used to write a morpheme

11. Otomo Yakamochi
compiler of the Manyoshu
safe journey - return - long imperial reign
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals
Death - childbirth - blood

12. mappo
decline of Buddhist law leading to the end of the world
1338-1573 following the collapse of the Kamakura Shogunate
Brief restoration of imperial rule under Emperor Godaigo
compulsory education - elimination of the class system - unification of written and spoken Japanese based on upper-middle class Tokyoites

13. Muso Soseki
Japanese style painting with outlines and color pigments
Garden maker who Takauji based his style off - used stone and rock to represent vast landscapes
King of Paekche
Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) in the inner shrine and Foodstuffs God (Toyouke) in the outer shrine

14. hagiography
Served as regent - advocate of Buddhism/founded Horyuji Temple - constitution of 17 articles - Hagiography
the study of saints/holy peoples/figures
8th shogun
Philosophical discourses designed to train the mind escape conventional modes of thought

15. is the Izumo shrine rebuilt?
Gold pavilion in Kyoto constructed by Yoshimitsu
Brief restoration of imperial rule under Emperor Godaigo
refined elegance
no

16. dragons' abilities
Civil war during the Ashikaga period caused by unrest due to loss of control of shoen estates with local constables seizing control
devoted retainer to Yoshitsune
control the weather - linked to water
Fujiwara

17. Aesthetics believed
Served as regent - advocate of Buddhism/founded Horyuji Temple - constitution of 17 articles - Hagiography
Izanami and Izanagi give birth to the Japanese islands and then Amaterasu is born from Izanagi's ablutions
agriculture and wet-rice cultivation - bronze and iron tools - weaving - pottery
essence of the spirit of the poems is that of makoto sincerity

18. Kamakura Period
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals
two attempts by Kublai Khan and the Mongols to invade Japan
compulsory education - elimination of the class system - unification of written and spoken Japanese based on upper-middle class Tokyoites
Soga Family

19. Four Noble Truths of Buddhism
Served as regent - advocate of Buddhism/founded Horyuji Temple - constitution of 17 articles - Hagiography
Haunts - Humor - Buddhism/Supernatural - healing and spirituality
1. Life is full of sorrow 2. the cause of this sorrow is desire 3. the only way to break this cycle is to free oneself from desire 4. the way to accomplish this is through the eightfold pasth
Okashi - Miyabi - mono no aware - e-maki - Yamato-e

20. yumiya no narai
Garden maker who Takauji based his style off - used stone and rock to represent vast landscapes
Pure Land and Zen
1. Life is full of sorrow 2. the cause of this sorrow is desire 3. the only way to break this cycle is to free oneself from desire 4. the way to accomplish this is through the eightfold pasth
the way of the bow and arrow

21. kotodama is reflected by wishing for...
3rd Shogun
Okuninushi- son of Susano-o the Sun Goddess' brother
safe journey - return - long imperial reign
Ainu (Hokkaido) - Okinawans (Okinawa) - Koreans

22. Who introduced Buddhism
tells the story of the late Heian civil war between the Taira/Heiki clan and the Minamoto/Genji clan
Brief restoration of imperial rule under Emperor Godaigo
King of Paekche
Mizoguchi Kenji

23. yamato-e
Japanese style painting with outlines and color pigments
Fujiwara
Philosophical discourses designed to train the mind escape conventional modes of thought
King of Paekche

24. Genres of tales
Philosophical discourses designed to train the mind escape conventional modes of thought
control the weather - linked to water
Haunts - Humor - Buddhism/Supernatural - healing and spirituality
Izanami and Izanagi give birth to the Japanese islands and then Amaterasu is born from Izanagi's ablutions

25. Ahikaga period
Brief restoration of imperial rule under Emperor Godaigo
Meiji Period (1868-1912)
1338-1573 following the collapse of the Kamakura Shogunate
3rd Shogun

26. mono no aware
attendant stand-ins within Keyhole tombs
melancholy at the transience of things
Jomon - Yayoi
Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) in the inner shrine and Foodstuffs God (Toyouke) in the outer shrine

27. Zen Buddhism
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals
Founded by Dogen following the study of Chan Buddhism in China - breaking down conventional modes of perception and reasoning - Heart Sutra
attendant stand-ins within Keyhole tombs
1. Life is full of sorrow 2. the cause of this sorrow is desire 3. the only way to break this cycle is to free oneself from desire 4. the way to accomplish this is through the eightfold pasth

28. Ashikaga Yoshimassa
sense of the mysterious and sublime
Warring States period
8th shogun
Okashi - Miyabi - mono no aware - e-maki - Yamato-e

29. okashi
Okuninushi- son of Susano-o the Sun Goddess' brother
Philosophical discourses designed to train the mind escape conventional modes of thought
amusing
8th shogun

30. Heian period associated with a fear of
pollution
Founded by Dogen following the study of Chan Buddhism in China - breaking down conventional modes of perception and reasoning - Heart Sutra
compiler of the Manyoshu
Manyoshu

31. Heian period prominent aristocratic family
modeled after Tang China that sought to limit the increasing power of influential families
reliance on Amida - salvation available for all - 'Essentials of Salvation'
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals
Fujiwara

32. Taiho Code
large tombs - horses - contact with Korea - government and religion joined
modeled after Tang China that sought to limit the increasing power of influential families
two attempts by Kublai Khan and the Mongols to invade Japan
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals

33. How are the Mongol invasion attempts defeated?
1st- destroyed by a typhoon - 2nd- defeated by Japanese forces and a typhoon
valiant warrior and romantic hero
1. Life is full of sorrow 2. the cause of this sorrow is desire 3. the only way to break this cycle is to free oneself from desire 4. the way to accomplish this is through the eightfold pasth
devoted retainer to Yoshitsune

34. Tengu
set epithets that heighten the resonance of certain images by linking them to previous poems and contexts
possessors of magic items - supernatural duel-form monk figures who are fond of testing the mettle of Buddhist priests
the study of saints/holy peoples/figures
Philosophical discourses designed to train the mind escape conventional modes of thought

35. 3 things that cause pollution
symbol used to write a morpheme
Death - childbirth - blood
Jomon - Yayoi
sympathy for the lieutenant

36. matsuri
amusing
Fujiwara
government and worshipping
Zen ink brush painting introduced to Japan through Southern Song

37. Ahikaga Takauji
Created gardens as contemplative spaces
attendant stand-ins within Keyhole tombs
8th shogun
symbol used to write a morpheme

38. Kakinomoto Hitormaro
Warring States period
court poet and most beloved poet of the anthology
essence of the spirit of the poems is that of makoto sincerity
reliance on Amida - salvation available for all - 'Essentials of Salvation'

39. miyabi
Rokudo (the six paths) - infiltration by bodhisattvas Kanon and Jizo - transcendence
refined elegance
melancholy at the transience of things
animism

40. Ugetsu setting
Zen ink brush painting introduced to Japan through Southern Song
Warring States period
Mizoguchi Kenji
pollution

41. 2 Archaeological periods
symbol used to write a morpheme
Warring States period
Jomon - Yayoi
Animals that were associated with possessing humans/being demons

42. Kinkakuji
Served as regent - advocate of Buddhism/founded Horyuji Temple - constitution of 17 articles - Hagiography
Gold pavilion in Kyoto constructed by Yoshimitsu
court poet and most beloved poet of the anthology
3rd Shogun

43. Yamanoue Okura
poet of Korean ancestry and wrote social criticism of China
tells the story of the late Heian civil war between the Taira/Heiki clan and the Minamoto/Genji clan
Ainu (Hokkaido) - Okinawans (Okinawa) - Koreans
Garden maker who Takauji based his style off - used stone and rock to represent vast landscapes

44. makura kotoba
government and worshipping
valiant warrior and romantic hero
Okuninushi- son of Susano-o the Sun Goddess' brother
set epithets that heighten the resonance of certain images by linking them to previous poems and contexts

45. Innovations of the Yayoi period
reliance on Amida - salvation available for all - 'Essentials of Salvation'
Pure Land and Zen
King of Paekche
agriculture and wet-rice cultivation - bronze and iron tools - weaving - pottery

46. Prince Shotoku accomplisments
Kojiki and Nihon Shoki
Served as regent - advocate of Buddhism/founded Horyuji Temple - constitution of 17 articles - Hagiography
valiant warrior and romantic hero
devoted retainer to Yoshitsune

47. What is the Constitution of 17 Articles?
followed Chinese model asserting the ruler as supreme authority of the land - did not adopt the concept of mandate of heaven - stipulated Confucian ideals
the study of saints/holy peoples/figures
decline of Buddhist law leading to the end of the world
Sun Goddess (Amaterasu) in the inner shrine and Foodstuffs God (Toyouke) in the outer shrine

48. Creation myth

49. Ugetsu director
Death - childbirth - blood
the way of the bow and arrow
Served as regent - advocate of Buddhism/founded Horyuji Temple - constitution of 17 articles - Hagiography
Mizoguchi Kenji

50. manyogana
Non persons
using Chinese characters to represent Japanese sounds/words
court poet and most beloved poet of the anthology
Soga Family