japanese bushido

Bushido throughout time

-The 4 time periods-

-8th century earliest texts

-Kojiki (711 CE)

-Shoku Nihongi (797 CE)

-Kokin Wakashu (Early 10th Century)

1192-1600 - Lead-up to the Edo Period

-Rise of the Shogun (1192) - Relatively constant state of conflict

-Rise of the daimyo and samurai in society

-Unwritten code of honor

-Rise in practice of Zen Buddhism

-Loyalty focused around clan and daimyo

-First use of term "bushido" is applied

Tokugawa (Edo) Period

-Samurai class becomes political authority

-Bushido concepts become written law

-Period of peace

Post-Shogun Japan

-Reformation of Japanese politics

-Bushido legacy

Bushido Philosophy

Historically and religiously tied to Shintoism

Follows Zen Buddhist style of teachings

Bushido values for a warrior:

• Martial arts mastery (primarily the sword)
• Zen-enlightenment through training
• No fear of death
• The 7 virtues for character

Seppuku

History

-Ancient Japanese mythology - 716 AD

-Arose in 12th century with rise of Samurai class

-Most prevalent during  Sengoku period

-Continued as regular practice until Meiji Restoration

*Most recent public occurrence was Yukio Mishima (1970)

-Often used in battle to avoid capture or defeat, but also several ritualized versions arose

Voluntary Seppuku

-Used upon order or death of a samurai's daimyo, in place of capital execution, or required for a military treaty

-Highly ritualized event that would take place in front of spectators and would require preparation

-A kaishakunin (a second) was used in most cases.

-A horizontal cut across the abdomen with aTantō, followed by a beheading by the kaishakunin

-Most well-known version

kanshi

-Voluntary act of protest against lord

-Cause and bandage mortal wound of one's self

jūmonji giri

-A more painful version of Seppuku

-An additional vertical cut

-No kaishakunin would be present

Capital Punishment (Sengoku & Edo Periods)

-Forced version of Seppuku, used when a samurai has committed murder, rape, treason, theft, or corruption

-If a convicted samurai refused to commit seppuku, it could be carried out by an executioner

-Did not result in honor

Video!

http://youtu.be/g5RRiSJ8Q6U?t=2m54s

47 Ronin

-Famous 18th century event for Japanese culture

-Demonstrates Bushido ideals of loyalty and honor over death

Kusunoki Masashige

-Brilliant Samurai tactician during 1330s

-Exemplar of loyalty to emperor

Sakai Incident

-1868 Incident that resulted in 11 French sailors dead

Legacy

-Adoption into Imperial policy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPxeCFcl-D4

-Heavy pressure on failure in industry

-Adoption of philosophies into Zen culture

-Popularity in modern culture