Journal: What is culture?
Culture is a tree within and around which we may take refuge. Its leaves
are the many facets of culture, such as arts, values, and customs. Each of
these is connected by branches to the trunk; the core. The core, in this case,
is context. Whether historical, geographical, or societal, culture exists as an
abstract entity. Much like a tree grows and flowers, culture also grows,
constantly shifting and adapting as time passes and as new ideas are
introduced. Its roots then, represent the ways in which a culture has come to
be the way it is. The web of roots is the web of influences that has shaped
culture - peace and conflict; openness and isolation; prosperity and hardship.
It is from these areas of change within history that a culture forms its core,
and, from there, its branches and leaves are allowed to continue to change, yet
they remain linked to its history and context. Much in the way that one cannot
hope to see every individual aspect of culture, one cannot hope to see every
individual leaf of a tree. Many close to the trunk are hidden by the outer
leaves on the furthest-reaching branches, just as many internal aspects of
culture are hidden behind the more obvious aspects. For example, art, fashion,
and methods of worship within a culture are much more visible than rules of
politeness, concepts of beauty, and ideas about equality within that same
culture.
Additionally,
culture is like a tree in that it provides us with a sense of safety; something
to which we can ground ourselves and feel comfortable. When under a tree on a
warm summer day, the shade of a tree grants us a comfortable vantage point from
which to view the world around us. The comfort we feel here is much like the
comfort granted to us by our culture. When immersed in our own culture, we feel
comfortable around and able to communicate with those around us. We know the
topics appropriate to discuss and whom those topics can be discussed with. We
know when it is appropriate to speak and how polite or casual we should speak.
When we find ourselves thrown into a new culture – thrown under a different
tree – we do not know how to properly communicate with the people around us.
Our knowledge of what is appropriate does not apply and we feel insecure and
long to be within the context of our own culture; to be back under the safe
branches of our familiar tree.
In a sense, being under different trees can help us to understand and
appreciate them as well as our own. Being under a new tree, though uneasy, we
can learn the sound of its leaves, the feel of its trunk, and the shade of its
branches. Immersed in a new culture, we can better grasp and appreciate the
different language, customs, and values. After being in the shade of an ancient
cherry blossom tree, we can better appreciate the shade of our old, familiar
oak.
Oda
Nobunaga was a
powerful daimyō (feudal
lord) of Japan in the late 16th century whom made great efforts to unify
Japan during the late Sengoku period. He is regarded as one of three
unifiers of Japan, following Toyotomi Hideyoshi and before Tokugawa
Ieyasu, and consolidated power by reforming the economic system and increasing
military strength (Oda
Nobunaga). His reign was marked by innovative military tactics and promoting
free trade (Lonely Planet: Japan). One of the keys to his success was his early
adoption of firearms in a period in which such technology was typically avoided
by more traditional samurai and soldiers (Military
Revolution in Early Modern Japan).
Additionally,
Nobunaga was very interested in European culture, which was still very new to
Japan. He was very open to forming relations with Western powers in terms of
trade and strategy. He was known to collect pieces of Western art and weaponry.
He also became a patron of the Jesuit missionaries in Japan and
supported the establishment of the first Christian church in Kyoto in
1576, although he never converted to Christianity (Lonely Planet:
Japan).
In the
period of unification, Nobunaga had managed to gain control over most of Honshu before
his death in 1582. A historic Japanese saying is that "Nobunaga pounds the
national rice cake, Hideyoshi kneads it, and in the end Ieyasu sits down and
eats it;" a testament to his role within the eventual unification of Japan
(The
Three Unifiers of Sengoku Era Japan).
Oda
Nobunaga was born on June 23, 1534, in the Owari domain. He was the second son
of Oda Nobuhide, a deputy shugo (military
governor) with land holdings in Owari Province (Oda Nobunaga).
With regards
to Nobunaga’s military conquests, he displayed a lack of mercy to his enemies.
Among his enemies, excluding the daimyo, were Buddhist monks. In the battle of
Mount Hiei, “over ten thousand Buddhist monks from the Tendai sect begged
Nobunaga to accept gold from the institution rather than taking their lives.
Nobunaga refused the overture and slaughtered the monks” (The
Three Unifiers of Sengoku Era Japan). One
of Nobunaga’s “primary enemies was the Imagawa clan of the Suruga Province and
led by Imagawa Yoshimoto”. He was able to defeat the Imagawa clan, despite
having a smaller fighting force. His victory aided in his campaign to unify the
provinces, but it also signaled a weakening of his opposition (Oda Nobunaga). At
the time of his death, “he had secured about half the provinces of Japan under
one shogunate”. His death is still a mystery, though there are a few theories,
It is said that “Mitsuhide organized a coup to usurp power from Nobunaga. A
force of men was sent to attack Nobunaga when they knew he would not be well
protected”, as he was engaged in a religious ceremony at the temple. It is also
suggested that Nobunaga took his own life in ritual seppuku before capture,
while other sources say that he died in battle (Oda Nobunaga). Today, Oda
Nobunaga is remembered as an important historical figure and his legacy is that
of tenacity, strategic achievement, and unification of Japan.
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