FINISHED READING - The Shortest History of Japan by Lesley Downer

Lesley Downer has written a number of fiction and non fictional books about Japan. Originally coming from an anglo-chinese family, she has grown up and lived in various parts of Asia. Her abiding enthusiasm remains with Japanese art and culture. The Shortest History of Japan, is part of Old Street Publishing's series of books about countries, seemingly part of a recent trend towards producing brief histories. Probably for use as the sort of primer you might read before or during a holiday visit. Its also for people like myself, with an abiding interest in Japanese culture, both ancient and modern, who wants to get more than a sketchy sense of the historical background to a countries development. To appreciate the broad sweep of it, without getting bogged down in the finer details.

Like most cultures, there is a mythic dimension to Japan's past, it's a world of pagan folk infused nature, animistic spirits, mystical shaman and legendary warrior queens. With expanding trade networks developing, Japan came under the cultural influence of Korea and China. Cross fertilising with the natural soul of Japan, this formed its own unique synthesis. Being strongly influenced by another countries culture, from which they take what they wish and make it their own, becomes one of the guiding tendencies in the Japanese mindset. Whether that has been Korea, China, The Portuguese, Great Britain, or contemporary American.  They avidly absorb fresh influences and takes full ownership of them by giving them a distinctly Japanese character. The Japanese Tea Ceremony, would be one end result of this process of Korean cultural assimilation.

Gradually Japan becomes a nation state, independent of the Chinese mainland. But the ensuing eras of conflicts between warring family factions, creates a sense of a country constantly scrabbling over who has ultimate control over its very being, whether that be the Emperor, the shoguns, or the samurai cult. The arrival of Buddhism, initially resisted by the nobility, is ultimately completely absorbed into the aesthetically refined courtly culture of Heian period Japan. Nara Buddhism, becomes this state sanctioned religion with its own standing army to protect it from marauding forces. This style of Buddhism was kept primarily for the Royal Court, into which ordinary people had no entry or purpose

During one peak of seemingly perpetual civil conflict, sees the emergence of several more populist Buddhist movements. This Kamakura period, begins with Shinran, then follow Rinzai, Dogen and finally Nichirin. Ordinary people are actively encouraged to partake in Buddhist practice. Its also the point where the original indigenous faith of Japan - Shingon, begins a process of infusing Buddhism with its intimate feeling for nature, that eventually produces the glories that is Zen religious practice, art and culture. The Emperor gradually is turned into the puppet of the Shogunate, who become the real rulers of Japan. They come under the influence of Portuguese traders and their Christian missionaries. This is the period where the FX series Shogun is set. When Dutch traders, inform the Shogunate that the Portuguese have been lieing to them about their true mission, they expel them. The entire country then becomes closed off to the outside world. Bar one small Dutch Trading Post in Nagasaki.

Japan reaches its cultural peak in the Edo period, during their enforced isolation. But this comes crashing to a close with the arrival of one American gunboat in 1853-54 The British were quick to follow, similarly forcing the Japanese to sign an unfair trading treaty at the point of a gun, whose terms were only advantageous to the British. In order to wrest their independence back, the Japanese modernised their culture at an extremely fast rate. This hurled them into the late 19th and early 20th century, a bit heady and disorientated from the rapidity of the change required.  Contemporary Japanese novels of the time portray the existential chaos for Japanese identity the country found itself in, that it has only comparatively recently emerged from. As usual, Japan has made the most out of its interaction with Western culture and economic models. Producing its own idiosyncratic interpretation, infused with the Japanese versions of pop culture and individualism. Though its been in the economic doldrums in the 21st century, it is still a stable world player, that is reconnecting with its unique heritage and making greater efforts at preserving it, 


CARROT REVIEW - 5/8