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Primary Source: Map of Heian-kyo

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Interactive Source: PowerPoint over the Kamakura Shogunate

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Kamakura Shogunate. By: Ben Kommers and Austin Kruczek. Background Information. Medieval Japan was roughly from 1185-1615 CE, however dates vary Most historians consider the Kamakura period to be the dawn of medieval Japan Kamakura Period was from about 1185-1333

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Kamakura Shogunate. By: Ben Kommers and Austin Kruczek. Background Information. Medieval Japan was roughly from 1185-1615 CE, however dates vary Most historians consider the Kamakura period to be the dawn of medieval Japan Kamakura Period was from about 1185-1333 Slideshow 5834840 by aiko-hull

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Class Activity: Flow chart of the Mongol Invasion of Japan

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Mongols Invade Japan
Before you begin the flow chart activity, start with the power point on the Mongolian Invasion (see resource "Mongols Invade Japan"). Give students a visual representation of the story and provide context. Then handout the summary (below) and instruct them on how you would like them to complete the flow chart activity.
Kublai Khan Invades Japan
KUBLAI KHAN: About 70 years after the death of Yoritomo, Japan's first Shogun, the strength and courage of the samurai warriors was tested. Kublai Khan, the cruel and powerful foreign leader in China (Yuan Dynasty) looked upon Japan as an unconquered prize. Stories of the cruel Khan's destruction of entire villages and his killing of women and children spread throughout Asia. Kublai Khan wanted Japan so he sent word to Japan's leaders that they were to surrender to him at once or face his wrath!

INVASION PLANS: The military leaders of Japan were not scared and they sent a message back to Khan with their answer- they would NEVER surrender. This message got Kublai Khan mad and he quickly put together an invasion force that would totally crush the tiny archipelago.

FIRST ATTEMPT: Brave samurai, well-trained and eager to fight, met the huge Mongol fleet on the island of Kyushu. The samurai's skill and bravery confused the Mongol's plans of attack and forced them to retreat to their ships after a day of fighting. The next day, a mighty storm came up from nowhere and totally destroyed the enemy ships.

SECOND ATTEMPT: When Khan found out his fleet was crushed he was furious. He again sent messages to Japan telling them to surrender to him or face a fate worse than death. Japan answered this time by killing the messengers- they would NEVER surrender. Khan built up an army that was even bigger than the first and sent them to destroy Japan. The samurai were ready for a fight. The samurai at night would quietly swim to the Mongol's ships at night. Then they would cut off the heads of the ship's crew members- leaving the ships with no one on board.

A HELPFUL STORM: There were weeks of furious fighting in which the Mongol forces could not conquer Japan. Then one day, strong winds began to blow. A dangerous storm was coming, and the Mongol army feared that their ships might be driven against the shore. The Mongols headed back to their ships but could not make it out to sea in time. Their ships were destroyed yet again by these winds. Those that did not drown were chopped up into fish food by the samurai.

DIVINE WINDS: Thanks to the tremendous storm and the bravery of the samurai, Japan remained untouched by the dreaded Khan. The Japanese were certain that the winds of the great storm had been sent by the gods to help them defend their sacred land. They called the wind "kamikaze" or "divine wind". Khan's great army was crushed and he never bothered Japan again. Until the American Occupation of Japan following WWII, this was the closest Japan had ever been to being conquered by another country.
Instructions:

1. Highlight the MOST IMPORTANT sentence of each paragraph (therefore you should have 6 important sentences)- ______PTS

2. Place each of those sentences in the Flow Chart- ______PTS

3. Draw a picture depicting the scene ( I should be able to look at the picture and know what the story is about without even having to read your sentence) - ______PTS

4. You must color your picture(s)- ______PTS

5. Neat and Visually Appealing- ______PTS

Total Points Possible for This Assignment= ______ PTS

DUE DATE ___________________

Alia Klein, "Kublai Khan Invades Japan Flow Chart Activity". September 2007. Lesson Plan.

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Kublai Khan and the Mongols Invade Japan- Flow Chart Activity

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Mongols Invade Japan Before you begin the flow chart activity, start with the power point on the Mongolian Invasion (see resource "Mongols Invade Japan"). Give students a visual representation of the story and provide context. Then handout the summary (below) and instruct them on how you would like them to complete the flow chart activity.

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Book: Book about the Mongol Invasion of Japan

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history/military - wars & conflicts (other)

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Ghenko: The Mongol Invasion of Japan, 1274-81

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A ferocious conflict between Mongol and Samurai The Japanese word 'Ghenko' is the term employed for the Mongol invasion of Japan. The event was an immensely significant one for the Japanese and it remained so for centuries because, in part, the defeat of the invaders was attributed to divine inte...

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Primary Source: Map of the Kamakura Shogunate

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Primary Source: Picture of the Tea Ceremony

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Interactive Source: website about the Japan culture

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Culture - Explore Japan - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan

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Japan has absorbed many ideas from other countries over the course of its history, including technology, customs, and forms of cultural expression, and has developed its unique culture while integrating these imports. The Japanese lifestyle today is a rich blend of Asian-influenced traditional culture and Western-influenced modern culture.

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Interactive Source: Website about the religion of Shintoism

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URI launches it's first website for kids - and interactive learning tool about world religions

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Video: Ten interesting facts about Samuri

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National Geographic BBC | | Samurai Warrior

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10 facts about samurai warriors, Did you know samurai had a crazy ritual where one samurai would chop off a fellow samurai's head WTF Click Here To Subscribe! http://bit.ly/EliteFacts Follow us on googleplus: https://plus.google.com/+Elitefacts/posts Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliteFacts Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Elite_Facts Music: the-haunted-alley_GyAkL8H https://www.audioblocks.com Thanks for watching!

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Video: Breakdown of the Mongol Invasion of Japan

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Mongols vs. Samurais, Mongol Invasions of Japan 元寇

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◆Japanese fortresses ⇒ http://youtu.be/dPxDtRXQP1Y ◆Samurai battles ⇒ http://youtu.be/RYnQjoCO4hM Samurais' prowess in the battlefields had been symbolic of Japan's rejection to becoming a tributary vassal of any foreign dynasties for more than a millennium.

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Book: Tales from Heian-kyo by Kate Macleod

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Interactive Website: About the city of Heian-kyo

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Heian period , in Japanese history, the period between 794 and 1185, named for the location of the imperial capital, which was moved from to (Kyōto) in 794.

The Chinese pattern of centralized government that was first adopted in the Nara period (710-784) gradually changed as the growth of private estates ( shōen), exempt from taxation, encroached upon the public domain and reduced the substance of state administration. From the mid-9th century the court was dominated by members of the Fujiwara family , who controlled the imperial line as regents by marrying their daughters to imperial heirs. Their influence reached its peak under Fujiwara Michinaga , who dominated the court from 995 to 1027, but then declined as a succession of non-Fujiwara emperors came to power. A new centre of authority emerged in 1086 when Emperor retired early and established a cloistered regime ( insei) to rule behind the throne, a system continued sporadically by later emperors.

The period was characterized by the flourishing culture of the court aristocracy, which actively engaged in the pursuit of aesthetic refinement, leading to new developments in art and literature. Lady Murasaki Shikibu's 11th-century , is a brilliant record of life among the nobility and is considered one of the great works of world literature. In religion the esoteric sects of Tendai and practiced formalistic rites that paralleled elaborate court ritual. The doctrines of the True Pure Land sect, emphasizing simple faith in Buddha Amida, also grew in popularity. These doctrines offered solace to the populace during the social upheaval that occurred in the late Heian period, which was marked by local disturbances and armed struggle among provincial military bands. This strife reached the capital itself in 1156, when warriors of the and Minamoto clans backed rival claimants to the throne. The Taira were victorious, and they maintained tenuous control over the court until 1185. See also Fujiwara style .

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Heian period , in Japanese history, the period between 794 and 1185, named for the location of the imperial capital, which was moved from to (Kyōto) in 794. The Chinese pattern of centralized government that was first adopted in the Nara period (710-784) gradually changed as the growth of private estates ( shōen), exempt from taxation, encroached upon the public domain and reduced the substance of state administration.

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Video: A video showing the life style of Kamakura and the artifacts present from ancient times

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A look at Kamakura, leading up to the Star Festival - Tanabata. In this video you can see the areas around central Kamakura and some of the many, many, many hawks that reside in Kamakura (and make life difficult for the few pigeons that remain).

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Class Activity: Make a painting that symbolizes art from the Kamakura period.

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Japanese art - Kamakura period: From the middle of the 12th century the reality of true imperial court control over Japan was largely a fiction. The Taira (Heike), a provincial warrior family, assumed the role of imperial protector and became the effectual power wielder.

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Interactive source: Prince Shotoku's life and acomplishments

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Taishi Shōtoku, original name Umayado, (born 574, Yamato, Japan-died April 8, 622, Yamato), influential regent of Japan and author of some of the greatest contributions to Japanese historiography, constitutional government, and ethics.

Shōtoku was a member of the powerful Soga family and was the second son of the short-reigned emperor Yōmei. When political maneuvering brought his aunt to the throne, Shōtoku became crown prince and regent in 593. He remained in that position until his death. One of his first acts was to resume sending envoys to China, a practice that had been discontinued since the 5th century, thus opening up avenues for cultural, economic, and political exchange. He imported scores of Chinese artists, craftsmen, and clerks into Japan, adopted the Chinese calendar, created a system of highways, and erected many Buddhist temples, including the Hōryū Temple, built in 607 in Ikaruga, near Nara, which is now considered among the oldest surviving wooden structures in the world.

Shōtoku promoted Buddhism and Confucianism in what had been an exclusively Shintō milieu and brought new political, religious, and artistic institutions to Japan. By means of persuasion and political maneuver, he emulated in his own country the giant bureaucratic empire of China and expanded the authority of the imperial house, bringing back into its hands powers that had been delegated to the feudal lords.

Shōtoku compiled the chronicles of the government, after the Chinese model, to make up the first book of Japanese history. He also instituted a system of 12 court ranks, each identified by the colour of the cap an official wore. This scheme became one of the most important changes in the Japanese government, for it meant a break with the old system of hereditary posts and implied a bureaucracy of merit along the Chinese model.

His " Seventeen Article Constitution" ( q.v.; 604) instructed the Japanese ruling class in Confucian ethical concepts and the Chinese bureaucratic system, which he held up as an ideal for Japanese government. Although there is some doubt whether this document was the work of Shōtoku or perhaps a later forgery, it represents his thinking and resulted from his influence. He is remembered also for irrigation projects and social-welfare measures. He worked for the spread of Buddhism and after his death was looked upon as a Buddhist saint.

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Taishi Shōtoku | Japanese Regent, Buddhist Scholar & Author

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Taishi Shōtoku, influential regent of Japan and author of some of the greatest contributions to Japanese historiography, constitutional government, and ethics. Shōtoku was a member of the powerful Soga family and was the second son of the short-reigned emperor Yōmei. When political maneuvering

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Class Activity: Lesson plan over the differences between shoguns, diamyos, and samurai

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Grade 7 Lesson at a Glance: Chapter 9, Lesson 3

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Discuss the rise of the military class in medieval Japan. Define with students "shogun," "daimyo," and "samurai." Then ask for student volunteers to go to the board to create graphic organizers that show the relationship between the emperor, shogun, daimyos, and samurai. Why do they think this social structure emerged in Japan?

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Book: Who are the Samurai and what do they do?

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Video: The virtues of Bushido

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Samurai Video - Samurai and Bushido - HISTORY.com

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Honor was so much a part of Samurai life that warriors would commit ritual suicide if ever the code was broken.

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Interactive Source: The life of Murasaki Shikibu the poet

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Murasaki Shikibu Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com

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Class Activity: Japanese Tea Ceremony-Lesson Plan

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Content Standards (California):
HSS 7.5: Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Japan.
VPA/VA7.3.1: Research and describe how art reflects cultural values in various traditions throughout the world.

Materials:
A set for each student group (5 or more students per group):
Hands-on materials: a tea bowl ( chawan), tea whisk ( chasen), tea scoop ( chashaku), tea cloth ( chakin), Optional: blue painter's tape; laminated photocopies of the illustrations: a tea kettle (kama), thick tea container ( cha-ire), and water ladle ( hishaku);
Photocopies of handouts for each student: Handout A: The Tea Gathering; Handout B: Tea Utensils; Handout C: Activity: Experience Chanoyu

Overview:
In this lesson students will be introduced to the Japanese tradition of Chanoyu (referred to by practitioners as "tea gathering"). Through teacher-led discussion of the accompanying materials, students will examine the historical development of Chanoyu, its early association with Zen Buddhism, and the guiding principles underlying its modern practice. Students will learn how the spirit of Chanoyu is expressed not only in a sophisticated combination of artistic elements, but also in the sentiments cultivated between host and guests. Following this discussion, students will engage in a group activity to simulate a thick tea ( koicha) gathering. This activity will provide students an opportunity to experience the mechanics of serving and receiving tea, and to gain insight into the cultural and social dimensions of Chanoyu.
Procedure:

1. Using the artworks and background information below discuss with your students the history and key elements of Chanoyu.

2. Describe to your students how the essence of Chanoyu lies in the relationships formed among individuals, objects, and nature-relationships that are based on reverence and humility.

3. Introduce the four principles of a tea gathering: harmony (wa), respect (kei), purity (sei),and tranquility (jaku); and describe the concept of ichi-go ichi-e.

4. Distribute copies of the following handouts to each student: Handout A and Handout B. Read these out loud and review them with your students.

5. Tell your students that they will be simulating a thick tea gathering. In preparation for this activity, describe the difference between thick and thin tea and the significance of the "front" of a tea bowl. Tell students that a thick tea gathering is a formal event during which participants' conversation is limited to brief comments on the gathering itself.

6. Divide your students into groups of five. Distribute to each student Handout C. Review the directions outlined in this handout with your students.

7. Have each group select an area in the classroom to gather. Distribute to each group the following: a set of hands-on materials (tea bowl, tea scoop, tea whisk, and tea cloth); and a set of laminated illustrations or "props" (tea kettle, tea ladle, and thick tea container). *Optional: To help students create the imagined parameters of a tearoom, they may use blue painter's tape to outline the shape of the tatami mats on the classroom floor.

8. Have students take off their shoes and practice how to kneel and bow. (Students may refer to the photographs and directions in Handout C, Step 1.)

9. Direct students in each group to select their roles in the tea gathering and work together to reenact a serving of thick tea as indicated in Handout C, Steps 2-5. Please note that one of the student roles in this simulated tea gathering is the "invisible" director. This person's responsibility is to tell their respective group members what to say and how to act, according to the script.

10. After the student groups have practiced reenacting the tea gathering, have them memorize their roles and try conducting the tea gathering without the script or verbal aid of the "invisible" director.

Activity Tip: (If a group has more than five students, have "extra" students perform as "shadows". Shadows sit behind or next to another student and mime their actions. Alternatively, students can repeat the reenactment and have each other take turns.)
Wrap-Up:
After conducting the activity, ask students to reflect upon their experience simulating a tea gathering. Here are some suggested questions for class discussion:

In what ways do the host and guests show respect to one another?

How does the sentiment ichi-go ichi-e influence the tone and mood of a tea gathering?

How did the reenactment of the tea gathering make you feel? Describe the elements that contributed to this experience.

Resources:
Material costs: tea cloth ( chakin) $3.50, bamboo tea scoop ( chashaku) $8.00, tea bowlreplica ( chawan) $5.00, tea whisk ( chasen) $8.00. *Optional: As an alternative to purchasing these items, teachers may conduct an art activity in which students create their own versions of the tea utensils.

Asakichi Antique and Art & Tea Ceremony Store
Kinokuniya Bldg. Mall
1730 Geary Blvd San Francisco, CA 94115
Tel: (415) 921-2147
Website: www.asakichi.com

Suggested Reading for Teachers:
Sen, Shoshitsu. Chado: The Japanese Way of Tea. New York and Kyoto: Weatherhill/Tankosha Publishing, Ltd, 1979.
Varley, Paul, and Kumakura Isao, eds. Tea in Japan: Essays on the History of Chanoyu. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, 1989.

Suggested Reading for Students:
Sato, Shozo, Alice Ogura Sato, and Jeffrey Masturah (ILT). Tea Ceremony: Asian Arts and Crafts for Creative Kids. Tokyo: Tuttle Publishing, 2005.
Suggested Websites for Teachers and Students:

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Experience Chanoyu: A Japanese Tea Gathering (lesson)

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Content Standards (California): HSS 7.5: Students analyze the geographic, political, economic, religious, and social structures of the civilizations of Medieval Japan. VPA/VA7.3.1: Research and describe how art reflects cultural values in various traditions throughout the world.

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Primary source: The Seventeen Article Constitution written by Prince Shotoku

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Introduction

The 604 Constitution shaped morality and law in Japan, a country which had just begun to develop and become literate. In it, one can observe that the emphasis of Oriental law which seeks to prevent disputes, whereas Western law seeks to resolve disputes.

Authorship of the document is often attributed to Prince Shotoku Taishi (574-622). It was formally issued by the government of Japan in 604, then known as Wa.

Shotoku is also credited with the invention of sushi and his authorship of the 17 article constitution is the subject of some controversy. Some modern Japanese historians believe that Shotoku did not have the writing skills to write the Constitution. In any event, it has long been the practice everywhere to give credit for a legal document to the reigning monarch rather than to the actual scribe.

The history of Shotoku's constitution has always been tagged with controversy. As a national treasure, in 1949, the Japanese government struggled with the existence of several different versions of the 604 Constitution and finally chose one as authentic. However, in 1974, some Japanese historians publicly alleged that it was a forgery pointing out that some of the institutions it refers to only came into existence some hundred years later.

The 604 Constitution, known in Japanese as Jushichijo Kenpo, was certainly not in the form of contemporary law. Indeed, it more closely resembles biblical passages or the Muslim law style of governing social behavior and conduct, rather than prescribing official conduct and prohibiting crimes. As such, it is a typical Buddhist/Confuscius law, especially the latter in insisting on moral standards by government officials.

Nonetheless, it is the first document in Japanese legal history. According to some jurists, the 604 Constitution remained in force until it was replaced by a new constitution in 1890. Other even claim that since the 1890 law did not expressly repeal the 604 Constitution that where it is not inconsistent, it continues to apply to this day. However, on a any reading of the Constitution (see below), it is doubtful if any of the 604 document could now be used in a court of law.

Here is the translation prepared by W.G. Aston. There have been several translations but this is the most popular. However, upon occasion, the English appears stilted, likely a necessary evil in an attempt at Japanese to English translation in 1896. Still, one can imagine with delight the solemn and historic moments of reflection of Japanese scribes circa 604 as they crafted the nation's first law to fit their era.

One last word: it is not really a constitution in the legal sense of the word as the document does not purport to establish any form of a parliament. However, it is a national law, albeit moralistic in style, and does support the concept of a centralized state and in that sense, you really have to want to pull hairs to deny it the title of constitution.

Article 1
Harmony is to be valued, and an avoidance of wanton opposition to be honoured. All men are influenced by class-feelings, and there are few who are intelligent. Hence there are some who disobey their lords and fathers, or who maintain feuds with the neighbouring villages. But when those above are harmonious and those below are friendly, and there is concord in the discussion of business, right views of things spontaneously gain acceptance. Then what is there which cannot be accomplished!
Article 2
Sincerely reverence the three treasures. The three treasures, viz. Buddha, the law and the priesthood, are the final refuge of the four generated beings, and are the supreme objects of faith in all countries. What man in what age can fail to reverence this law? Few men are utterly bad. They may be taught to follow it. But if they do not betake them to the three treasures, how shall their crookedness be made straight?
Article 3
When you receive the Imperial commands, fail not scrupulously to obey them. The lord is Heaven, the vassal is Earth. Heaven overspreads, and Earth upbears. When this is so, the four seasons follow their due course, and the powers of Nature obtain their efficacy. If the Earth attempted to overspread, Heaven would simply fall in ruin. Therefore is it that when the lord speaks, the vassal listens; when the superior acts, the inferior yields compliance. Consequently when you receive the Imperial commands, fail not to carry them out scrupulously. Let there be a want of care in this matter, and ruin is the natural consequence.
Article 4
The Ministers and functionaries should make decorous behaviour their leading principle, for the leading principle of the government of the people consists in decorous behaviour. If the superiors do not behave with decorum, the inferiors are disorderly. If inferiors are wanting in proper behaviour, there must necessarily be offenses. Therefore it is that when lord and vassal behave with propriety, the distinctions of rank are not confused. When the people behave with propriety, the Government of the Commonwealth proceeds of itself.
Article 5
Ceasing from gluttony and abandoning covetous desires impartially with the suits which are submitted to you. Of complaints brought by the people there are a thousand in one day. If in one day there are so many, how many will there be in a series of years? If the man who is to decide suits at law makes gain his ordinary motive, and hears causes with a view to receiving bribes, then will the suits of the rich man be like a stone flung into water, while the plaints of the poor will resemble water cast upon a stone. Under these circumstances the poor man will not know whither to betake himself. Here too there is a deficiency in the duty of the Minister.
Article 6
Chastise that which is evil and encourage that which is good. This was the excellent rule of antiquity. Conceal not, therefore, the good qualities of others, and fail not to correct that which is wrong when you see it. Flatterers and deceivers are a sharp weapon for the overthrow of the State, and a pointed sword for the destruction of the people. Sycophants are also fond, when they meet, of dilating at length to their superiors on the errors of their inferiors. To their inferiors, they censure the faults of their superiors. Men of this kind are all wanting in fidelity to their lord, and in benevolence toward the people. From such an origin great civil disturbances arise.
Article 7
Let every man have his own charge, and let not the spheres of duty be confused. When wise men are entrusted with office, the sound of praise arises. If unprincipled men hold office, disasters and tumults are multiplied. In this world, few are born with knowledge: wisdom is the product of earnest meditation. In all things, whether great or small, find the right man, and they will surely be well managed. On all occasions, be they urgent or the reverse, meet but with a wise man, and they will of themselves be amenable. In this way will the State be lasting and the Temples of the Earth and of Grain will be free from danger. Therefore did the wise sovereigns of antiquity seek the man to fill the office, and not the office for the sake of the man.
Article 8
That the Ministers and functionaries attended the court early in the morning, and retire late. The business of the state does not admit of remissness, and the whole day is hardly enough for its accomplishment. If, therefore, the attendance at court is late, emergencies cannot be met. If officials retire soon, the work cannot be completed.
Article 9
Good faith is the foundation of right. In everything let there be good faith, for it there surely consists the good and the bad, success and failure. If the Lord and the vassal observe good faith one with another, what is there which cannot be accomplished? If the Lord and the vassal do not observe good faith toward one another, everything without exception ends in failure.
Article 10
Let us cease from wrath, and refrain from angry looks. Nor let us be resentful when others differ from us. For all men have hearts, and each heart has its own leanings. Their right is our wrong, and our right is their wrong. We are not unquestionably sages, nor are they unquestionably fools. Both of us are simply ordinary men. How can any one lay down a rule by which to distinguish right from wrong? For we are all, one with another, wise and foolish, like a ring which has no end. Therefore, although others give way to anger, let us on the contrary dread our own faults, and though we alone may be in the right, let us follow the multitude and act like men.
Article 11
Give clear appreciation to merit and demerit, and deal out to each it's sure reward or punishment. In these days, reward does not attend upon merit, nor punishment upon crime. Ye high functionaries who have charge of public affairs, let it be your task to make clear rewards and punishments.
Article 12
That not the provincial authorities or the Kuni no Miyakko (ancient local nobles) levy exactions on the people. In a country there are not two lords. The people have not two masters. The sovereign is the master of the people of the whole country. The officials to whom he gives charges are all his vassals. How can they, as well as the government, presume to levy taxes on the people?
Article 13
Let all persons entrusted with office attend equally to their functions. Owing to their illness or to their being sent on missions, their work may sometimes be neglected. But whenever they become able to attend to business, let them be as accommodating as if they had cognizance of it from before, and not hinder public affairs on the score of their not having had to do with them.
Article 14
Ye Ministers and functionaries! Be not envious. For if we envy others, they in turn will envy us. The evils of envy know no limit. If others excel us in intelligence, it gives us no pleasure. If they surpass it in ability, we are envious. Therefore it is not until after a lapse of 500 years that we had last meet with a wise man, and even a thousand years we hardly obtain one sage. But if we do not find wise men and sages, wherewithal shall the country be governed?
Article 15
To turn away from that which is private, and to set our faces toward that which is public - this is the path of a Minister. Now if a man is influenced by private motives, he will assuredly feel resentments, and if he is influenced by resentful feelings, he will assuredly fail to act harmoniously with others. If he fails to act harmoniously with others, he will assuredly sacrifice the public interests to his private feelings. When resentment arises, it interferes with order, and is subversive of law. Therefore in the first clause it was said, that superiors and inferiors should agree together. The purport is the same as this.
Article 16
Let the people be employed (in forced labour) at seasonable times. This is an ancient and excellent rule. Let them be employed, therefore, in the winter months, when they are at leisure. But from Spring to Autumn, when they are engaged in agriculture or with the mulberry trees, the people should not be so employed. For if they do not attend to agriculture, what will they have to eat? If they do not attend the mulberry trees, what will they do for clothing?
Article 17
Decisions on important matters should not be made by one person alone. They should be discussed with many. But small matters are of less consequence. It is unnecessary to consult a number of people. It is only in the case of the discussion of weighty matters, when there is a suspicion that the many miscarry, that one should arrange They should be discussed with many. But small matters are of less consequence. It is unnecessary to consult a number of people. It is only in the case of the discussion of weighty affairs, when there is a suspicion that they may miscarry, that one should arrange matters in concert with others, so as to arrive at the right conclusion.
References:

Duhaime, Lloyd, Japan: A Legal History

Duhaime, Lloyd, Timetable of World Legal History

Lee, K.D.Y., The Prince and the Monk: Shotoku Worship in Sinran's Buddhism (New York: State University of New York press, 2007)

Nihongi, Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697 (London: Keagan and Co., 1896), vol. 2, pp. 128-133 (translated by W.G. Aston)

Steenstrup, Carl, A History of Law in Japan Until 1868 (Tokyo: Brill Publishers, 1996)

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604: The Seventeen Article Constitution of Japan

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The 604 Constitution shaped morality and law in Japan, a country which had just begun to develop and become literate. In it, one can observe that the emphasis of Oriental law which seeks to prevent disputes, whereas Western law seeks to resolve disputes.

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Primary Source: Map of Kamakura

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Book: Zen Ties

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Book: The Tale of Genji written by Lady Murasaki Shikibu

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The Tale of Genji / Murasaki Shikibu; translated by Edward G. Seidensticker