...2010 Professor Ravina Legends of the Samurai The Faces of Bushido Bushido, however it is defined, has had a profound impact on Japanese society. Translated, Bushido means “Way of the Warrior” and so it can be defined as a type of code of conduct for samurai. Besides being simply a code applied to Japanese samurai alone, Bushido has also been said to be an integral element in the fabric of Japanese culture and society. Although there is no formalized official written document specifically stating what Bushido is, it remains an entity that has become the quintessential element of Japanese society. Of all the interpretations on what Bushido is, two of the most popular are the Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo and Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe. However, both of these writings are influenced by the time period in which they were written, and experiences of their respective authors. By evaluating certain influences on the interpretations of Bushido and the contradictions in them one is able to see how each is using their own version of Bushido to justify the author’s position or achieve a certain end. Bushido as a term itself was not used much later on, but the code itself, although unspoken, can be seen Japanese literature throughout the ages. Starting with the Shoku Nihongi the term “bushi” is used as well as the term “Saburau”, which was applied to those who accompanied nobility. One of the earliest forms of a type of written code of conduct that has Bushido qualities...
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...Drew LeBlanc Phy/ 105 Comparison Essay March 17, 2013 The Samurai are one of the most ancient warriors known to any civilization. They lived by a code of ethics and honor that many people can learn from at any day in age. Samurai lived and trained by a code of ethics known as Bushido “samurai warrior”, and would die for there beliefs. The biggest thought of the Samurai is education through training. The Samurai came about because they were developed to assist the government on there plans of action. Many different people were establishing armies around Japan to try and overthrow the government that they did not believe in. The Samurai were used in the beginning to keep the laws of the government enforced, and taking out all those who opposed the law of the land. After a few years the Samurai took over as the government making their 900 year stake as the warrior class. The Samurai were seen as almost nobility in the eyes of many due to there mysterious ways, and because of the such high regard people viewed them as. One of the most notable Samurai warriors was Miyamoto Musashi. Miyamoto Musashi was known as one of the best swordsmen who ever lived. He most notable victory was when he took down an opposing school by himself when he was only thirteen. He defeated his opponent, who had a sword, with a wooden training sword that he was very proficient with. Towards the end of Musashi's life he wrote a book called The book of five rings which taught many different ways...
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...Bushido: Code of the Samurai By Allen Meeks Samurai live by a code ethics called Bushido. Bushido in Japanese means the way of the warrior. It was loosely based on chivalry. They live by honor and courage. They live and die for their masters. They go into battle fearless. They care about their appearances and usually are artists or poets. They master the martial arts, are frugal, and always have honor in death. Honor and death is what this report is about. Seppuku is a ritual in which a samurai will perform suicide as a way for an honorable death. It usually was performed when a samurai didn’t want to be killed by an enemy or if he has disgraced himself. It was also used if he dishonored his master. A samurai will take a short blade, or tanto, and stab it into his belly and slice left to right disemboweling himself. Meanwhile, a second assistant usually a family member or friend would slice the neck leaving the head hanging by a little piece of skin. It was thought as a bad omen to completely separate the head from the body. The very first act of seppuku recorded was done in 1180 by a Minamoto Yorimasa during the Battle of Uji. But it was not just a ritual performed by samurai. It was also a form of capital punishment as well. This way was only for the common person. They did not have the benefit of having their head cut off. They had to go through the agonizing torture of entrails on the ground and they bleeding to death. Seppuku would be punishment for anything...
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...The Last Samurai – Traditional and Modern Economies A traditional economy is an economic system that relies on a strong social network and is based on primitive methods and tools, whereas a modern economy relies on production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods. In the film, The Last Samurai, western Japan fights against the rebelling Samurai who do not wish to modernize and rid of their traditions. The vast differences between a traditional and modern economy are shown throughout the film as both civilizations express different means of production, military capabilities and cultural values. The reign of Emperor Meiji was one of the most revolutionary eras in Japanese history as Japan underwent dramatic changes in its government, economy, and culture. The nation opened its doors to the west and embraced a new world of cultural influences. Japan was transformed into an agrarian society with an industrialized economy and a strict military regime. Revolutionized Japan created modern weaponry such as guns and automatic weapons that were made in industrial factories. Instead of carrying goods using horses, Japan modernized using wagons and trains which made transportation of goods more rapid and efficient. In the film, we can see the paved streets and buildings of western Japan, the use of modern clothing, and advanced military technology. Conversely, the Samurai represent a traditional economy by their use of weapons, transportation, and cultural...
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...The loud clunk of swords was all you could hear from the mile away. Brutal screams are deafening as a small family watches from a distance. Although samurai and knights seem very different, they were mostly alike. Their armour and format in which they did tasks/practices was also indistinguishable from each other. Many individuals think that samurai and knights were very different, but this is simply not accurate. Two crucial similarities between the knights and samurai was that they made alluring paintings and poetry, along with promises that they arranged before their death. First of all, both samurai and knights made the beautiful poetry and splendid artwork that people today may see in museums currently. As located in Document F, Samurai Death Poem, is about how one samurai discussed how short a lifespan really is. Also found in the same document, A Knight’s Death, it talks about how they wish they could have more time on Earth. They both have made different points in their poetry, but they came up with the same message. Both samurai and knights wanted to send a signal through the paintings that they created. A majority of the art was about life and landscapes. Art was an escape away from the battlefield, they could just simply...
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...HARAKIRI Hanshiro Tsugumo the main character, arrives at the house of Lyi to request a place to kill himself or to commit “seppuku” a politely way to call Harakiri. In that time many samurais ended without work and in poverty. The honorable way under the samurai code of ending that was to commit Harakiri. He was informed that the leader will not tolerate bluffers, and told him about the story of a young samurai, Motome Chijiiwa. Motome was a young samurai teacher, he was married to Hanshiro’s daughter, Miho and had a son called Kingo. Miho and Kingo got sick; this made Motome go to the house of Lyi hoping to receive a few coins to pay a doctor. Desperate for a job or at least some money, many unemployed warriors attempt the "suicide bluff". This was that they went to a wealthy clan requesting permission to perform Harakiri and sometimes the leaders will offer money or a job to avoid a bloody mess. But Motome didn’t have luck doing this and he was forced to kill himself by three samurais, Omodaka Hikoru, Hayato Yazaki and Umenosuke Kawabe. Motome only have a bamboo blade because he sold the real one to help Miho, and was demanded to cut his belly with this, this was an agonizing way of die and to end his suffering he was decapitated. In the movie was said that a samurai should die with a true blade because a blade was a warrior’s soul. Hanshiro at first didn’t say that he knows Motome, but after being accused of doing suicide bluff, he started telling the story of how he knew...
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...the late 400 the conditions that led to the development of feudalism in western europe and japan were that the roman empire fell then divided among weak kingdoms. Were the samurai and knights similarities greater than differences? The similarities between samurai and knights were greater, than the differences. This can be shown by looking at three areas social problems, training and armor, and code of honor, life, and death. The first area of important similarities was social problems. According to Document A social order in feudal Japan and Europe were very similar. In Japan they had emperor, shogun, daimyo, samurai, peasant farmers, Artisans, trade people, and merchants. The social order in...
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...More than a thousand years ago, in 1000 to 1600 CE, two armies of warriors, Samurai and Knights, fought to protect their separate leaders. The Samurai and The Knights both had duties they were required to do that were very alike such as: following social systems that brought order in their societies, participating in time-consuming training, and adhere to a certain Code of Honor that shared both similar rules and punishments. Starting with Social Order in Feudal Japan and Feudal Europe, both countries had quite comparable Social Pyramids. In Japan the pyramid went along the lines of : “Merchants, Artisans, Warriors, Daimyos or Feudal Lords, Shogun, and lastly the Emperor.” (Document A) In Europe the Social Pyramid was very similar going in the order as follows: “Peasant Serfs, Artisans, Knights, Lords, King, and lastly the Pope” (Document A), which was the main ruler...
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...Samurai & Knights Where the similarities between samurais and knights are greater than the differences? Yes they had shared more similarities than differences. The Samurais What were the characteristics of the samurai culture?The samurais had many unique cultural characteristics. One of the samurais characteristics or the cultures is that they had a social pyramid.The samurais are the 4th on the social pyramid.The samurais are skilled warriors who owed loyalty and military service daimyos for land or regular payment with families ,made up of 10% of japanese population.The only reason that the samurais had a social pyramid is because to show how Japan was structured. Another cultural thing the samurais had to do was that they had to follow a certain code.The code that they had to follow was “Honor empathized and loyalty and bravery above all else.” The reason they had to follow the code of the conduct is because this is a skilled warrior’s way. The Knights...
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...A knight, cowboy, and a samurai were not just fighters, but also warriors that followed an unwritten code of conduct. A samurai a japanese warrior that is described in many tales their code of chivalry. The origin of the “The Tales of the Heike” was believed to be written down by priests as a collection of stories. The text is a reflection of the conflict between two clans the Genji and the Heike. The Heike clan holds all the power at the beginning but by the final blow the Genji clan defeats the Heike clan. The story not only show the struggle between the two clans, but also represents the code of Bushido that samurai’s followed in life. The text “The Tales of the Heike” gives examples of Samurai that abides to “The Bushido Code: The Eight Virtues of the Samurai.” Four of those virtues practiced in the text are rectitude, benevolence, loyalty, courage. Rectitude deciding one’s way of conduct without wavering like choosing to fight or dying. A...
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...One fact is that the samurai and knights lived by a strict code. They also had many similarities and differences. For starters they both wore protective armour and were skilled in combat. Another similarity is that they went through a strict training process that started when they were young. Some differences between the two were that the samurai originated in japan and the knights were brought up in europe. Another difference is what there armor is made up of. Samurai and Knights have many similarities and differences. Two similarities are that they are both skilled in combat and wear armour. The samurai were trained in archery and are skilled in martial arts and to ride on horseback. The knights are similar they train in martial arts and...
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...Assignmen2: Samurai Culture in Japan GVPT 280 The Samurai culture of Japan The Samurai culture was seen for the first time during the 12th century during the first military dictatorship. They last until 1868 when they were disbanded. The word samurai translates to “those who serve”. In the beginning, samurai was armed guards for wealthy land owners. Over the years the samurai developed into what we know of them today. An elite military group. To become a samurai, it started at an early age. They was taught and lived by a code of honor, it was called bushido or “way of the warrior. There are 7 virtues of the bushido. The virtues were morality, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor and loyalty. They was taught in a very strict way. They was taught swordsmanship, horsemanship, archery and martial arts. They was taught to know suffering, not to want wealth or praise, taught it is better to die then dishonor one’s self and most of all obey his master or lord. The samurai was well educated in reading and writing. Some samurais became business men and politicians throughout their history. The samurai had their own religion which was called Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism is coming to enlightenment through mediation. True Zen is coming face to face with one’s self. It was also tried into their teachings at early ages. The most iconic items of the samurai was their swords and their armor. A samurai carried...
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...think alike. While warriors in feudal Japan and Europe had their similarities, they also had their differences. European warriors were known as “knights”, while Japanese warriors were “samurai.” Both knights and samurai had a code of ethics they were to follow; the codes that the knights had to follow was chivalry, and the samurai were bound by bushido. Both European and Japanese warriors wore armor. However, their armor had very many differences. For example, knights typically...
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...In Tokugawa Japan, “the way of the samurai”, also known as bushido, is defined by William De Bary, author of Sources of Japanese Tradition, as a samurai code of ethics in which one “reflects on his own station in life, gives loyal service to his master if has one, strengthens his fidelity in associations with friends, and with due considerations of his own position, devotes himself to duty above all” (206). The general purpose of bushido is a “total sacrifice of self-autonomy” (De Bary 207) as well as a samurai’s “willingness to die rather than dishonor their lord” (Lu 262). Chushingura, translated by Donald Keene, expresses this romanticized definition of bushido which is dramatized through extreme self-sacrificial and duty-motivated actions...
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...In the Western world, the Japanese are well known for their intrepid knight-like warriors, the Samurai. During Japan’s feudal warring states period, Samurai first appeared as honorable and talented solders who faithfully served their lord. Since then, they have left a lasting legacy and impact all across the globe. Samurai have become the subjects of many movies, television series, and writings, becoming a massive culture icon. They’re skill with a sword is legendary and their code of Bushido, or the way, epitomizes the gentleman warrior. The impact of the samurai is so great that even in modern times, their practices are still carried out. One of the most notable instances of this is the suicide of Nogi Maresuke, a distinguished Japanese...
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