The reality of Japanese-American people has been a growing phenomenom for many decades. The community of persons with both Japanese and American ancestry was established first through immigration of Japanese people to the United States. This took place before World War II and then even more afterward. Unfortunately, Japanese immigration has been perceived by many, including Japanese-Americans themselves, as being small. However, it may surprise you to know that between 1965 and 2000 there were 176,000 immigrants from Japan!
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If one reads ancient folklore they will know it has been said that the people of Japan are descended from the Sun Goddess. Not only is this so according to the legend, but the land itself has been described as divine! There is some credence to this sentiment if you are looking down from the pine-clad promontory onto the glittering waters and clustered islands of the Inland Sea. One might also feel this way if they are looking up the snow-capped cone of Mount Fuji rising out of swirling mist, while surrounded at its base by the vivid green of fertile rice fields. It is easy to understand how the early Japanese might have come to feel this impression of divinity simply by the raw beauty of their homeland.
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The Japanese story of Ono no Komachi is a very interesting one. I came across this account when learning of the Jacqueline Avant collection of Japanese lacquer on display in southern California not long ago. There was one piece, a "suzuribako," which alluded to the story of Komachi which struck my attention. Komachi lived a life that became legendary in its popular fascination. She was a stunning woman of incredible beauty in her youth. A number of interested young men attempted to gain her favor. However, Komachi was not interested in any of these men. She was definitely someone who did not look with favor upon anyone very easily.
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The culture of Japan is amazingly individualistic for an East Asian civilization. This is also true as one studies its history. In fact, Japan's culture has had influence upon other countries which rivals similar influences of China and the West. In the seventh century Chinese models of government, and especially the figure of the emperor, were modified quickly to fit into a more "Japanese" pattern. In addition, Japan's Buddhism, Confucianism, art, and literature resonated in different ways than that of China. Throughout all cultural change, a consistent and very unique sensitivity arose in Japan's views of nature, time, and space. Traditionally, Japan's values of honor, loyalty, and sincereity distinguished its art, letters, and especially poetry.
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The name "China," as it is commonly used in the West, can be traced back to the Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE). This is also when the idea of a unified China was starting to become more real. In any case, China is the world's most populated country. It is also the third largest geographically after Russia and Canada. China has the the longest continuously recorded history too. It has given the human race some of its most significant scientific and technological inventions known.
Buddhism came to China from India in the first century CE. It faced a society that boasted an already well-established civilization. This ancient society considered itself the only truly "civilized" society on earth. It took a long and difficult struggle for the new belief of Buddhism to take root. It probably only survived because it was able to adapt to China's traditional native teachings- Confucianism and Taoism. Buddhism did not try to replace them.
The Chinese are believed to have first come into contact with Buddhism through central Asians traveling in the north or northwest. Later, between the 7th and 10th centuries, it literally flooded in. It came in with other religions and sects from the West across the deserts, mountains, and steppes of the Silk Road. Of course, Buddhism eventually came under the power of the imperial edict which was issued in 845 CE. This edict declared that all imported foreign influence (including religions) had gone far enough!
The famous era of the Chinese Emperor Qianlong is quite incredible. Whenever an issue of national importance happened, the emperor would commission a seal to note the occasion. For instance, Qianlong reached the age of seventy which was also the forty fifth year of his reign. The emperor promptly ordered a seal to be inscribed. This particular seal aso had an adaptation from a line in Du Fu's poem. When it is translated it means "Treasure of the Seventy Year Old Son of Heaven." It is of interest to note that this was done to celebrate the emperor's birthday! Another feature of the many seals commissioned during the Qianlong era is that when all of them are displayed they tell the tale of the entire reign of this emperor!
It is without dispute that the Vietnamese people and their culture has been deeply influenced by other countries due to their history of being conquered, resisting, and then re-conquered. Therefore, the language of the Viet Nam people also bears similar qualities from other languages. In fact, Vietnamese as a spoken language is a mixture of different parts and components. The Mon Khmer language is monotonic but it did give the language of Viet Nam its basic words. Then the Tai languages contributed a variety of aspects regarding tonality and grammar.
The single biggest contributor to the language of Viet Nam is China. After all, China dominated Viet Nam for almost a thousand years. Much of the Vietnamese language's political, literary, philosophical, military, and religious vocabulary comes from Chinese. Lastly, there is today an added sprinkling of French and English words as well. Modern Vietnamese bears distinctive aspects from all these ancient and contemporary sources.
For nineteen centuries Viet Nam struggled to remain free from the power of China. The goal in these early days was independence in a united and free Viet Nam. The very first Vietnamese rebellion took place in 39 CE. This rebellion was led by the legendary Trung sisters. They helped to drive out the Chinese. As a result, the nation lived free of foreign control for three years until Viet Nam was once again conquered by the Chinese. The next period involved Chinese domination until the year 539. At this time an intelligent Vietnamese scholar, Ly Bon, inspired the people to drive out their Chinese rulers once more. However, Viet Nam was again re-invaded and subdued a few years later.
Viet Nam has had a long, difficult history of struggle against colonizing powers. In fact, when the country was colonized by France in the late nineteenth century the spelling of its name was shortened to one word- "Vietnam." However, one must go back much further into history to start to understand the struggle of Viet Nam. The Hung dynasty produced 18 kings, each of whom ruled for 150 years. At this time the nation was named "Van Lang." This dynasty was overthrown by a close, rival king in 258 BCE. He established the new kingdom of Au Lac and then built his capital at Phoc An. This city's remains still remains today in the village of Co Loa. This is located west of Hanoi.
When people in the West think about "Viet Nam," they immediately think about the Viet Nam War. The ideas about Vietnamese women naturally get clouded by the emotions surrounding the American/Vietnamese military event decades ago. The reality is that Viet Nam has a proud and long history which reaches back in time long before there ever was a "Vietnam War." The women of this southeast Asian culture are likewise unique and special, just as their heritage is. To know them, one must understand something of Viet Nam itself.
