Day Three

I spent most of today researching when was the best time and place to write my story in. I've finally come to a conclusion to use the Heian period.

Here are some important cultural aspects of the Hiean period that I want to share in my story:

1) The Heian period was the last period of the classical Japanese history. This period began and was named after the capital when it was moved to Heian-kyo, which is modern day Kyoto. This period was also the rise of the military class, the samuari. The Heian period was also known to be the crux of Japan's culture, and this was the also the highest point of the imperial court. It lasted from around 794 through 1185.

2) Plain, boiled rice was commonly the staple of the meal, which was usually called either gohan or meshi. However, in mountainous areas where rice did not grow as much, it would be mixed with millet. In nobility life, the common food would consist of rice, fish, wild fowl, and vegetables. The food were usually grilled, steamed, simmered, or made into soups. Chopsticks were one of the many influences from China, however at first it was only the nobles that would use chopsticks.Then it was during the decline of the Tang dynasty that Japan started to individualize its culture along with food, this was when spoons were used less and chopsticks were used more.

3) Four periods before the Heian period, during the Jomon Period was when the Shinto religion first became known. Two periods before the Heian period, during the Kofun Period or the Yamato Period was when the Japanese had regular connections with the Chinese and the Koreans, and this was when the Buddhism religion was introduced. During the Nara Period, which is one period before the Hiean Period, was when Buddhism was officially declared the official religion. However, during the Hiean Period, both of the Shinto religion and the Buddhism religion have been coexisting together harmouniously in Japan. There were even people who practiced both religions. However, during this period there were two sects of the Buddhism religion. Dengyo Daishi was a monk who had found the Tendai sect of the Japanese Buddhism, in which he emphasized in his reinterpretation that everyone could achieve to have enlightenment. Kobo Daishi, was another Japanese monk who found the Shingon sect of Japanese Buddhism. The Shingon's tradition is closer to the Indian culture than it is the Chinese, however Shingon has a distinction between Buddha's exoteric and esoteric teachings.

4) During this time, one of the most popular style of music was the gagaku. It was commonly performed at the Imperial court. Its genre can be classified as a type of Japanese classical music. The instruments that were vital to the gagaku were wind instruments, string, and percussion. One very well known string instrument is the gakuso, or also known as the koto, which is thirteen-string zither.

5) "Sokutai" were robes that had a long trail would be worn by the court nobles. Then male aristocrats wore official garbs of the the court nobles called the noshi. The ladies of the court would occasionally wear kimonos that were called "juni-hitoe" which means "twelve layers," however each kimono can go up to as much as twenty layers. The combination of colors on the kimonos could represent many things, from the seasons and the mood of the seasons. Samurai wore armors that would protect the whole body. There was the helmet to protect the head and the neck, the chestplate was to protect the chest, there were even armor for the arms and legs. The Samurai were also the only people who could carry a sword around besides the emperor.

6) The Imperial court was moved during this period to Heian, which is modern day Kyoto, in 794. The climate there has four seasons in which it's hot in the summer and cold in the winter. A celebration that was celebrated is Jugoya, this is usually during the mid-autumn full moon in September or August. This celebration was to celebrate the clear sky and beautiful full moon, to where elegant Haikus were even written.

These were the components in the Japanese culture that I wanted to share.