Availing himself of the valiant spirit of those times, Hideyoshi in 1592 made an expedition into "Ming," via Korea, seemingly to he avenged of the Mongolian invasion in the Kamakura Period. The royal palace of Korea was taken by Japanese forces, and a large body of Chinese reinforcement put to rout. Although the Chi nese suggestion of reconciliation was accepted by Hideyoshi, the fraud practised by Chinese envoys put him in such a rage that large forces were immediately mustered for the second in vasion, which was frustrated by the death of Hideyoshi (1598 A.D.).
Being fully aware of the smouldering senti ments of hostility, Hideyoshi, just before his death, entrusted the administration of the state to the hands of Tokugawa Iyeyasu of Yedo (the present Tokio), who was illustrious for his rank and renown. After the death of Hideyoshi, however, the generals — such as Ishida Mitsu nari, Mori, Uyesugi and others —who had served under him, took up arms against Iyeyasu in the cause of Hideyoshi's son, Hideyori. The Tokugawa forces were led by Iyeyasu, assisted by Asano, Kuroda, Kato and others. The op posing armies met on the Sekigahara Plain in Mino, and the Ishida party was utterly defeated, so that the administrative power came wholly into Tokugawa's hands (1600 A.D.).
5. Yedo (or Tokugawa) Three years later Tokugawa Iyeyasu was appointed Seii-Taishogun, and founded a Shogunal gov ernment in Yedo, which naturally increased in size and grandeur. His administrative suprem acy over feudal. lords was secured by being generous as well as authoritative. The succes sor of Hideyoshi, ruling in Osaka, hoped to be restored to the position his father had occupied, and there flocked to his standard many thou sands of °Ronins' (unenrolled samurai), but the result was an utter failure. Thus the illus trious house of Toyotomi having been de stroyed, the country entered upon a long era of peace.
The measures contained in Iyeyasu's laws for territorial government were of the most prudent nature. To avoid the excessive auton omy of territorial nobles, every feudal lord was required to live every alternate year in Yedo; the construction of castles was placed under strict limitations and by means of a careful territorial distribution, nobles were prevented from forming allies. He knew how to give
allegiance to the Imperial family, without sur rendering any actual authority. The encourage ment of learning and refined manners resulted in obliterating the cruel and rude customs of the people.
Believing it for Japan's commercial advan tage that friendly intercourse should exist with Korea, peaceful relations were resumed, and it became a custom to have an embassy of con gratulation sent from Korea on the occasion of the succession of a new Shogun. Under Iyemitsu, the 3d Shogun, a man of extraordi nary ability, the organization of the Shogunal government was perfected, while the supremacy of the Shogun was conspicuously enhanced. At this time the government rigorously perse cuted the Jesuits and their followers as danger ous to the welfare of the country, and Christian converts fled to Shimabara, where their head quarters was at last subdued, in 1638 A.D. It is believed that some of those defeated at Sekiga hara sided with the Christians to be revenged on the Tokugawa. Fearing the spread of Chris tianity, strict laws were enacted for the prohibi tion of foreign communication, and no foreign vessels were permitted to enter except those of Korea, China and Holland.
About two centuries and a half, from 1615 A.D., the year of the fat. of Toyotomi, down to the Meiji Restoration, was a period of tranquil lity, broken once by the Christian insurrection, and in it culture made wonderful progress, and the war spirit perceptibly diminished. During the celebrated era of Genroku (1680-1709 A.D.) when the 5th Shogun, Tsunayoshi, ruled, the highest seat of education was established by the Shogun's order, and the grandson of the cele brated scholar Hayashi Doshun appointed its president. This encouragement of education was imitated by the feudal nobles, who also established schools in their respective provinces, and vied with each other in getting men of learning. The most distinguished of these sa vants were Ogiu Sorai, Ito Jinsai and Aral Hakuseki. In that period the `Non dance, °Jorurip music and the dramatic play enjoyed wide popularity, and costumes and furnitures were of the most luxurious nature. It was at this time that the famous vendetta of the 47 Ronins took place (1702 A.D.).