gekokujĆ
Quick Summary
The term gekokujĆ (äžć äž) in Japanese history refers to a period where "inferiors overcome superiors". This phenomenon was particularly evident during the Muromachi period (1338â1573), especially in the Sengoku ("Warring States") period that followed the Ćnin War. During this time, the power of local leaders, including deputies of great shugo (provincial governors), increased significantly. These individuals often usurped the domains of their superiors, retainers overthrew their overlords, and branch families seized power from main families.1
This led to the rise of a new type of domain lord, the daimyo, who ruled their territories with their own laws, known as bunkoku-hĆ. The bakufu (shogunate) lost control over these provinces, and the daimyo consolidated their power by conducting land surveys, directly controlling farming villages, and reorganizing their territories around castle towns. This era was characterized by constant warfare among these lords, marking a significant shift in Japan's political landscape.1
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Japanese artMuromachi periodâŠpowerful, as the time of gekokujĆâthe world turned upside downâan inverted social order when the lowly reigned over the elite. The arrival of untutored provincial warriors and their retinues in KyĆto effected theretofore unthinkable juxtapositions of social classes engaged in similar cultural pursuits. Nevertheless, despite the complaints of many aristocrats,âŠ
Read MoreâŠpowerful, as the time of gekokujĆâthe world turned upside downâan inverted social order when the lowly reigned over the elite. The arrival of untutored provincial warriors and their retinues in KyĆto effected theretofore unthinkable juxtapositions of social classes engaged in similar cultural pursuits. Nevertheless, despite the complaints of many aristocrats,âŠ
Read More
Japanese architectureThe Muromachi periodâŠpowerful, as the time of gekokujĆâthe world turned upside downâan inverted social order when the lowly reigned over the elite. The arrival of untutored provincial warriors and their retinues in KyĆto effected theretofore unthinkable juxtapositions of social classes engaged in similar cultural pursuits. Nevertheless, despite the complaints of many aristocrats,âŠ
Read MoreâŠpowerful, as the time of gekokujĆâthe world turned upside downâan inverted social order when the lowly reigned over the elite. The arrival of untutored provincial warriors and their retinues in KyĆto effected theretofore unthinkable juxtapositions of social classes engaged in similar cultural pursuits. Nevertheless, despite the complaints of many aristocrats,âŠ
Read More