103

Bundle 103: Edo Era: Government Overreach

This collection shows that the government had massive control issues during the Edo era (1603–1867)! Commoners couldn't wear silk and could have surnames and swords only if granted permission. The authorities kept borders closed, greatly delaying access to vaccines. The government also banned Christianity and oppressed Christians. To justify extreme levels of control over citizens, the shogunate adopted Confucianism. Its teachings include dedication to one's master, a philosophy supporting the shogun's absolute power. But a rival doctrine emerged, and its criticism of Confucianism as repressive contributed to the collapse of the shogunate, ending the Edo era.
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岳
mountain peak
JOK: 1082
See how Mount Fuji connects to a supercomputer that can save Japan. Find out how politicians hobbled science research for years. Discover a legend about how Fuji became taller than its rival. Learn to say, "Mount Yatsugatake is a range with eight peaks," "This dog is trained to save people in the mountains," "Mountain rescue teams are on standby," and "The mountaineer set out for the summit."
儒
Confucius
JOK: 1352
"Even though Japanese ways of thinking are based on Shinto, Buddhism, and Confucianism, many people think they have no religion." That sample sentence in this essay sheds light on how Confucianism (with its emphasis on hierarchy, filial piety, and education) permeates the culture but how the Japanese don't necessarily recognize the Confucianism underlying their values.
苗
seedling
JOK: 1740
Find out about the literal side of 苗 (e.g., all that happens before rice seedlings go into paddies) and the figurative aspects of 苗 (e.g., when the "seedlings" of a culture bear delicious fruits). See how seedlings played key roles in "The Mutiny on the Bounty" and in one Nobel Peace Prize winner's work. Also discover why 苗 can mean "Hmong" and how it relates to smallpox.
藍
indigo
JOK: 2130
Indigo became important in Japan partly because commoners couldn’t wear silk and instead chose cotton. Farmers’ indigo work togs shaped the creative inclinations of a contemporary dyer who loves to wrestle with indigo’s “persona.” A term for “temple” is inside a word for “pelican,” just as “cabbage” lies inside “kale” and “brussels sprouts.” The essay unravels all of these mysteries.
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