Question
Discuss the reasons for the declining power of the emperor during the period between 1180 and 1333.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of the reasons for the declining power of the Emperor in Japan. Candidates may address a range of reasons for this shift in power including political, economic, cultural and geographic factors. Political reasons may include a discussion of the growing power of the samurai, the outcome of the Gempei War, the fact that military power lay almost exclusively in the hands of the military clans outside the capital of Kyoto and the succession crises in court. Economic reasons may include the growing economic strength of the clan leaders in the countryside while the court was experiencing a decline in income. There was also a shift in cultural focus as the gentlemen of the court were no longer held in such high esteem and were replaced in status by the samurai and their codes of honour.
Question
Discuss the reasons for, and the results of, the struggles between samurai clans during the period between 1180 and 1333.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will offer a considered and balanced review of the reasons for, and results of, the struggles between the samurai clans. When discussing the reasons for the struggles candidates may consider the rivalry between the clans and the struggles within the court to control the office of the Shogunate. Economic reasons may be considered, in particular, the issue of land. Land was the principal source of wealth and clans sought to control large areas of land to support their armies. The culture of the Samurai placed great emphasis on personal honour and this caused conflict as individuals or groups who felt that their honour had been compromised resorted to violence. The results of the struggles may include a discussion of the shift from a civilian to a military government, the emphasis on the samurai in culture and the emergence of the warrior class with its strict code of conduct that was imposed on the population.
Question
Evaluate the political impact of the Gempei War (1180–1185).
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will appraise the political impact of the Gempei War by weighing up how far the war led to changes in government structures and political elites. Candidates may adopt a chronological approach that outlines the establishment of the Kamakura shogunate and the reduction in power of the emperor and which identifies subsequent political implications. Alternatively, candidates may choose a thematic approach and address the impact of the war on aspects such as the different clans, the relationship between the emperor and the shogun, the changing nature of political elites, the geography of Japan and the feudal system. While candidates may also mention changes to lifestyle, religion or social structures these must be within the context of the political impact.
Question
Examine the impact of the samurai on Japanese society.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Ans:
Candidates will consider the impact of the samurai on Japanese society in a way that uncovers the interrelationships of the issue. Candidates may argue that a cultural shift occurred from admiration of scholarship and aesthetics to a worship of the way of the warrior or Bushido. Candidates may address the impact of the samurai on areas such as art, literature, religion, gender relations and economics and identify the connections. Candidates may also consider the impact on the emergence of the feudal system by the end of the 12th century and the subsequent political and economic outcomes. While no set response is expected, candidates may choose a chronological or a thematic approach and they must focus on the impact of the samurai.