Paths to modernisation
In the 19th century China ruled East Asia under the Qing dynasty while Japan stayed isolated but soon
China weakened under foreign rule and wars while Japan modernized and built an empire defeating
China and Russia. China’s failed reforms led to revolution, Communist rule in 1949, and 1970s reforms
bringing capitalism with control. Japan lost World War II, was occupied by the US, became democratic,
and grew as an economic power based on capitalism, tradition, learning, and nationalism against
Western control.
History: China’s great historian while Japan influenced by China made a bureau in 1869 to record the
Meiji Restoration valuing writing & publishing. Modern scholars used old records and works of Liang
Qichao, Kume Kunitake, Marco Polo, Matteo Ricci, and others. English works by Joseph Needham and
George Sansom increased knowledge while many Chinese and Japanese scholars now write
worldwide. Naito Konan used Western ways to study China, supported reforms, thought Japan could
guide China but failed to see Chinese nationalism .[
1. Introduction/ Physical geography of china
China is a large country with many climates and three main rivers Yellow, Yangtse, and Pearl with much of
it mountainous.
The main group is Han with others like Uighur, Hui, Manchu, Tibetan and many dialects such as Cantonese
and Shanghainese.
Chinese food has regional types the best known is Cantonese with dim sum while the north eats wheat
and Szechuan food is spicy.
In eastern China both rice and wheat are eaten showing food variety.
I. Physical geography of Japan
Japan is a group of islands with more than half mountainous, many earthquakes, and people were mostly
Japanese with small Ainu and Korean groups.
Japan grows rice and eats fish as main food and raw fish dishes like sashimi and sushi are popular
worldwide as healthy.
Japan
2. The political system
Japan was ruled by an emperor from Kyoto but power went to shoguns and from 1603 to 1867 the
Tokugawa family ruled over 250 domains(jurisdiction/states) under daimyo and samurai as warriors.
The sh ogun controlled the lords by forcing them to stay in Edo for long periods, preventing
them from becoming a threat & controlled the major cities and mines.
The samurai (the warrior class) were the ruling elite and served the shoguns and daimyo.
Peasants were disarmed, only samurai had swords, peace was kept, daimyo stayed in capitals, and land
surveys fixed owners and taxes.
Daimyo capitals grew and by the seventeenth century Japan had large cities like Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto
with castle towns and a strong commercial economy.
Merit was valued, merchants supported arts, reading spread, writers lived by writing, and books were
rented showing printing growth.
Japan was rich but imports of silk and textiles strained gold and silver so exports were restricted and silk
from Nishijin became world best with a rice market.
Study of old literature made people question Chinese influence and believe Japanese identity existed in
early classics and origin myths.
3. Tale of the Genji: The Tale of the Genji, a fictional diary of the Heian court by Murasaki Shikibu, became Japan’s
main literary work showing women wrote in Japanese while men used Chinese and describing Prince Genji’s
romantic life and women’s freedom in marriage and life.
4. The Meiji restoration
In 1853 the USA sent Perry to Japan for a trade treaty which Japan accepted as it was on China’s route and
only Holland traded there.
, Perry’s visit changed politics and in 1868 the shogun was removed, the emperor gained power, Edo
became Tokyo.
Japan feared colonisation after China’s defeat and leaders wanted European ideas or technology with
limits.
The rich country strong army policy built economy and army to avoid India’s fate.
The emperor system joined throne, bureaucracy, and army on European lines making the emperor sacred
and modern.
The emperor’s birthday was holiday, he wore Western uniforms, and edicts made new institutions with the
1890 Education Rescript.
Schools became compulsory, cheap, and by 1910 all studied modern and moral lessons.
Villages changed for new administration with schools, health, and army service under law.
Army and bureaucracy stayed under emperor even after constitution.
Clash between democracy & army led to wars, Japan’s victories limited democracy & ruled colonies.
5. The Japanese borrowed writing from Chinese in the sixth century but as their language differed they made two
phonetic scripts hiragana and katakana, hiragana used by women mixed Chinese and phonetics, learning spread
fast, and though in the 1880s a phonetic or European script was suggested it was not done.
6. Modernising the Economy
The Meiji reforms modernised the economy with an agricultural tax, a railway in 1870, imported machines,
foreign experts, students abroad, and banks in 1872.
Mitsubishi and Sumitomo got help to build ships so Japanese trade used Japanese ships, and zaibatsu or
big families ruled the economy till World War II.
Population rose from 35 million in 1872 to 55 million in 1920, migration went to Hokkaido, Hawaii, Brazil,
and colonies, and city population grew from 21 to 32 per cent by 1935.
7. Industrial Workers
Manufacturing workers rose from 700,000 in 1870 to 4 million in 1913, mostly in small units without
machines, and women led the first strike in 1886.
After 1900 men increased but only in the 1930s did they outnumber women.
Big factories grew from 1,000 in 1909 to 4,000 in the 1930s, yet in 1940 over 550,000 small workshops
under five workers stayed.
Family rule and nationalism under the emperor continued, and pollution from fast industry made Tanaka
Shozo protest with 800 villagers in 1897 forcing action
8. Aggressive Nationalism
The Meiji constitution had limited vote and weak Diet, old leaders ruled, parties formed, and from 1918 to
1931 elected prime ministers led until unity cabinets, the emperor controlled forces, from 1890 army and
navy were independent, from 1899 only generals or admirals became ministers, military grew using
Western fear to justify empire, taxes, and silence.
The economy modernised by an agricultural tax, railway in 1870, imported machines, foreign experts,
students abroad, banks in 1872, and firms like Mitsubishi and Sumitomo got help to build ships and form
zaibatsu, population rose from 35 to 55 million by 1920, migration went to Hokkaido, Hawaii, Brazil, and
colonies, and city people rose to 32 per cent by 1935.
9. Westernisation' and 'Tradition'
Japanese thinkers had different views on foreign ties, Fukuzawa Yukichi said Japan must expel Asia & join
the West.
The next generation opposed full Western copying and said pride should come from native values, Miyake
Setsurei said each nation should develop its talent for world good.
Some wanted democracy not military rule, Ueki Emori admired the French Revolution, demanded rights,
education, women’s vote, and this pressure made the government announce a constitution.
10. Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901): Fukuzawa Yukichi, born in a poor samurai family, studied Dutch, Western science,
and English, went to the USA in 1860 as translator, wrote a book on the West, started Keio University, joined
Meirokusha, and in Gakumon no susume (1872–76) praised Western civilisation, wanted modern culture, and said
heaven made all men equal.
11. Daily Life
In the 19th century China ruled East Asia under the Qing dynasty while Japan stayed isolated but soon
China weakened under foreign rule and wars while Japan modernized and built an empire defeating
China and Russia. China’s failed reforms led to revolution, Communist rule in 1949, and 1970s reforms
bringing capitalism with control. Japan lost World War II, was occupied by the US, became democratic,
and grew as an economic power based on capitalism, tradition, learning, and nationalism against
Western control.
History: China’s great historian while Japan influenced by China made a bureau in 1869 to record the
Meiji Restoration valuing writing & publishing. Modern scholars used old records and works of Liang
Qichao, Kume Kunitake, Marco Polo, Matteo Ricci, and others. English works by Joseph Needham and
George Sansom increased knowledge while many Chinese and Japanese scholars now write
worldwide. Naito Konan used Western ways to study China, supported reforms, thought Japan could
guide China but failed to see Chinese nationalism .[
1. Introduction/ Physical geography of china
China is a large country with many climates and three main rivers Yellow, Yangtse, and Pearl with much of
it mountainous.
The main group is Han with others like Uighur, Hui, Manchu, Tibetan and many dialects such as Cantonese
and Shanghainese.
Chinese food has regional types the best known is Cantonese with dim sum while the north eats wheat
and Szechuan food is spicy.
In eastern China both rice and wheat are eaten showing food variety.
I. Physical geography of Japan
Japan is a group of islands with more than half mountainous, many earthquakes, and people were mostly
Japanese with small Ainu and Korean groups.
Japan grows rice and eats fish as main food and raw fish dishes like sashimi and sushi are popular
worldwide as healthy.
Japan
2. The political system
Japan was ruled by an emperor from Kyoto but power went to shoguns and from 1603 to 1867 the
Tokugawa family ruled over 250 domains(jurisdiction/states) under daimyo and samurai as warriors.
The sh ogun controlled the lords by forcing them to stay in Edo for long periods, preventing
them from becoming a threat & controlled the major cities and mines.
The samurai (the warrior class) were the ruling elite and served the shoguns and daimyo.
Peasants were disarmed, only samurai had swords, peace was kept, daimyo stayed in capitals, and land
surveys fixed owners and taxes.
Daimyo capitals grew and by the seventeenth century Japan had large cities like Edo, Osaka, and Kyoto
with castle towns and a strong commercial economy.
Merit was valued, merchants supported arts, reading spread, writers lived by writing, and books were
rented showing printing growth.
Japan was rich but imports of silk and textiles strained gold and silver so exports were restricted and silk
from Nishijin became world best with a rice market.
Study of old literature made people question Chinese influence and believe Japanese identity existed in
early classics and origin myths.
3. Tale of the Genji: The Tale of the Genji, a fictional diary of the Heian court by Murasaki Shikibu, became Japan’s
main literary work showing women wrote in Japanese while men used Chinese and describing Prince Genji’s
romantic life and women’s freedom in marriage and life.
4. The Meiji restoration
In 1853 the USA sent Perry to Japan for a trade treaty which Japan accepted as it was on China’s route and
only Holland traded there.
, Perry’s visit changed politics and in 1868 the shogun was removed, the emperor gained power, Edo
became Tokyo.
Japan feared colonisation after China’s defeat and leaders wanted European ideas or technology with
limits.
The rich country strong army policy built economy and army to avoid India’s fate.
The emperor system joined throne, bureaucracy, and army on European lines making the emperor sacred
and modern.
The emperor’s birthday was holiday, he wore Western uniforms, and edicts made new institutions with the
1890 Education Rescript.
Schools became compulsory, cheap, and by 1910 all studied modern and moral lessons.
Villages changed for new administration with schools, health, and army service under law.
Army and bureaucracy stayed under emperor even after constitution.
Clash between democracy & army led to wars, Japan’s victories limited democracy & ruled colonies.
5. The Japanese borrowed writing from Chinese in the sixth century but as their language differed they made two
phonetic scripts hiragana and katakana, hiragana used by women mixed Chinese and phonetics, learning spread
fast, and though in the 1880s a phonetic or European script was suggested it was not done.
6. Modernising the Economy
The Meiji reforms modernised the economy with an agricultural tax, a railway in 1870, imported machines,
foreign experts, students abroad, and banks in 1872.
Mitsubishi and Sumitomo got help to build ships so Japanese trade used Japanese ships, and zaibatsu or
big families ruled the economy till World War II.
Population rose from 35 million in 1872 to 55 million in 1920, migration went to Hokkaido, Hawaii, Brazil,
and colonies, and city population grew from 21 to 32 per cent by 1935.
7. Industrial Workers
Manufacturing workers rose from 700,000 in 1870 to 4 million in 1913, mostly in small units without
machines, and women led the first strike in 1886.
After 1900 men increased but only in the 1930s did they outnumber women.
Big factories grew from 1,000 in 1909 to 4,000 in the 1930s, yet in 1940 over 550,000 small workshops
under five workers stayed.
Family rule and nationalism under the emperor continued, and pollution from fast industry made Tanaka
Shozo protest with 800 villagers in 1897 forcing action
8. Aggressive Nationalism
The Meiji constitution had limited vote and weak Diet, old leaders ruled, parties formed, and from 1918 to
1931 elected prime ministers led until unity cabinets, the emperor controlled forces, from 1890 army and
navy were independent, from 1899 only generals or admirals became ministers, military grew using
Western fear to justify empire, taxes, and silence.
The economy modernised by an agricultural tax, railway in 1870, imported machines, foreign experts,
students abroad, banks in 1872, and firms like Mitsubishi and Sumitomo got help to build ships and form
zaibatsu, population rose from 35 to 55 million by 1920, migration went to Hokkaido, Hawaii, Brazil, and
colonies, and city people rose to 32 per cent by 1935.
9. Westernisation' and 'Tradition'
Japanese thinkers had different views on foreign ties, Fukuzawa Yukichi said Japan must expel Asia & join
the West.
The next generation opposed full Western copying and said pride should come from native values, Miyake
Setsurei said each nation should develop its talent for world good.
Some wanted democracy not military rule, Ueki Emori admired the French Revolution, demanded rights,
education, women’s vote, and this pressure made the government announce a constitution.
10. Fukuzawa Yukichi (1835-1901): Fukuzawa Yukichi, born in a poor samurai family, studied Dutch, Western science,
and English, went to the USA in 1860 as translator, wrote a book on the West, started Keio University, joined
Meirokusha, and in Gakumon no susume (1872–76) praised Western civilisation, wanted modern culture, and said
heaven made all men equal.
11. Daily Life
