HISTORY OF BUSHIDO :: BOOK01 _ HONOUR!
THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR _ VISUAL EXHIBITION 01
HISTORY
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HISTORY OF BUSHIDO :: BOOK01 _ HONOUR!
THE WAY OF THE WARRIOR _ VISUAL EXHIBITION 03
HISTORY
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BUSHIDO VIRTUE01
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HISTORY
Life is growth. If we stop growing, technically and spiritually, we are as good as dead.� _Morihei Ueshiba
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
What is Bushido?
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13th Century Bushido
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19th Century Bushido
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Modern Day Bushido
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Samurai Life
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Westernisation
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7 Virtues
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HISTORY Bushido literally translates to “The Way of The Warrior” and is the code of conduct followed by the Samurai warriors of historical Japan. You might think the Samurai warriors of Japan are pretty much no more, and you might be right but the culture and tradition of Bushido is still engraved in Japanese culture and plays an undeniably important part in the countries psyche in any_every walk of life.
“Bushido” was first used in Japan during the 17th century. It came into common usage in Japan and the West after the 1899 publication of Nitobe Inazo’s Bushido: The Soul of Japan Bushido developed between the 9th and 20th centuries and numerous translated documents dating from the 12th to 16th centuries demonstrate its wide influence across the whole of Japan. Samurai warriors always served a master. Bushido often had a list of 7 untold, but acknowledged virtues.
Bushido originates from the samurai moral code stressing frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death. Born from Neo-Confu- This Bushido exhibition takes the idea of ci anism “The Way of during “Bushido is the code of The Warrior” times of moral principles which broadly and fopeace in Tokuga- the samurai were required cuses on the portrayal and wa Jaor instructed to observe.... history of the pan and warrior in culfollowMore frequently it is ture throughing Cona code unuttered and out history, fucian with specific texts, unwritten....” focus to Japan. Bushi do was also influenced by Shinto Bushido! the exhibition covand Zen Buddhism, allowing ers the idea of a warrior code the violent existence of the from movies,to poetry to art. samurai to be tempered by Bushido! at Tate Modern plays wisdom and serenity. The word special attention towards Ja08
WHAT IS BUSHIDO? pan and the Samurai but isn’t restricted to Japan and the Samurai. Offering a contemporary approach to the idea of an exhibition and targeting students of all ages.
ethics and made into a comprehensive system that stressed obligation or duty. The samurai was equated with the Confucian “perfect gentleman” and was taught that his essential function was to exemplify virBushido was tue to the lower classes. Obedience to authority was but duty came The supreme stressed, first even if it entailed obligation of violation of statute law.
Though the name not used until the 16th century, the idea of the code developed during the the samurai Kamakura period In the mid-19th century (1192–1333). Its was to his lord, Bushido was made the precise content basis of ethical training even if this varied historicalfor the whole society, might cause with the emperor rely as the samurai class came un- suffering to his placing the feudal lord der the influence as the object of loyalty parents. of Zen Buddhist and sacrifice. As such it and Confucian contributed to the rise thought, but its of Japanese nationalone unchanging ideal was mar- ism and to the strengthening of tial spirit, including athletic and wartime civilian morale up to military skills as well as fear- 1945. This is an exemplary case lessness toward the enemy in study of the concept of Bushibattle. Frugal living, kindness, do being engraved in Japanese and honesty were also highly culture, the virtues and philoregarded. But the primary obli- sophical ideals of Bushido can gation of the samurai was to his easily apply to any walk of life. lord, even if this might cause suffering to his parents. During the Tokugawa period (1603–1867) Bushido thought was infused with Confucian 09
HISTORY
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WHAT IS BUSHIDO?
The Kojiki is Japan’s oldest existing book. Written in 721, it provides early indication of the values of the Bushido ideal, including references to the use and admiration of the sword of Japanese warriors.
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HISTORY The 13th century was an incredibly important time period for the Samurai, this was well before the Western rule over Japan and modernisation of Japan in regards to taking over traditional ideals to an extent.
siderate warrior. The warriors in the Heike Monogatari served as models for the educated warriors of later generations. These ideals were vigorously pursued in thewarrior society and thought of as the proper form of the Japanese man of combat. By the time of Imagawa Ryoshun’s “Regulations” at the beginning of the 15th century, the Bushido ideal was fairly clear, and the term itself came into widespread use.
From the literature of the 13th to 16th centuries, there exists an abundance of references to the ideals of Bushido. Carl Steenstrup noted that 13th and 14th century writings (gunki monogatari, translating to war tales) “portrayed The sayings of the bushi in their “If a man does not Sengoku-period natural element, investigate into the retainers such war, eulogizing as Kato Kiyomasa such virtues as matter of Bushido and were genreckless braverally recorded daily, it will be ery, fierce family passed down difficult for him or pride, and selfaround the turn less, arguably at to die a brave and of the 16th centimes senseless tury when Japan manly death.” devotion of mashad entered a ter and man.” period of relative peace. Kato was a legendary The Heike Monogatari chroni- warrior who banned even recicles the struggle between the tation of poetry, stating: “One Minamoto and Taira clans for should put forth great effort in control of Japan at the end of matters of learning. One should the 12th century — a conflict read books concerning military known as the Gempei War. matters, and the virtues of loyClearly depicted throughout alty... one’s intentions should the Heike Monogatari is the be to grasp the long and the ideal of the cultured and con- short swords and to die.” 012
13TH CENTURY BUSHIDO
The Tale of Hogen, a Heiki Monogatari - or war tale. War tales played an instrumental role in defining the Bushido ideal of a warrior.
The Tale of Hogen (above) literary and historical classic is believed to have been completed in the Kamakura period ca. 1320. Its author or authors remain unknown.
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13TH CENTURY BUSHIDO Kato Kiyamasa _ 1561 - 1611 Kato Kiyamasa was a legendary and ferocious samurai of the Azuchi Momoyama and Edo perid. Kiyamasa played an instrumental role in the formulisation and application of Bushido ideals into Japanese youth from a young age. Kiyomasa was one of the three senior commanders during the Seven-Year War (1592–1598) against the Korean dynasty of Joseon. Together with Konishi Yukinaga, he captured Seoul, Busan and many other cities. He defeated the last of the Korean regulars at the Battle of Imjin River and pacified Hamgyong. Kiyomasa was an excellent architect of castles and fortification. During the Imjin war, he built several Japanese style castles in Korea to better defend the conquered lands. William Scott Wilson describes Kato Kiyomasa thus: “He was a military man first and last, outlawing even the recitation of poetry, putting the martial arts above all else. His precepts
show the single-mindedness and Spartan attitudes of the man, [they] demonstrate emphatically that the warrior’s first duty in the early 17th century was simply to ‘grasp the sword and die’. Contemporary accounts of Kato describe him as awe-inspiring, yet not unfriendly, and a natural leader of men.” Kiyamasa is a hugely controversial character too. Kiyamasa was a a devoted member of Nichiren Buddhism. Kiyomasa was noted for brutally suppressing Christianity. At the battle of Hondo, he ordered his men to cut open the bellies of all pregnant Christian women and cut off their infant’s heads. In his later years, Kiyomasa tried to work as a mediator for the increasingly complicated relationship between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyori. In 1611, en route by sea to Kumamoto after one such meeting, he fell ill, and died shortly after his arrival.
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HISTORY Recent scholarship in both Ja- trends. This relatively pacifispan and abroad has focused on tic bushido was then hijacked differences between the sam- and adapted by militarists and urai class and the bushido the- the government from the early ories that developed in mod- 1900s onward as nationalism ern Japan. Bushido increased around in the prewar period Bushido was the time of the Ruswas often emperorWar. used as a so-Japanese centered and placed The junshi suicide of much greater value on propaganda General Nogi Marethe virtues of loyalty tool by the suke and his wife on and self-sacrifice than the death of Emperdid many Tokugawa- government or Meiji occasioned era interpretations. and mili- both praise, as an exBushido was used as ample to the decaytary, who ing morals of Japan, a propaganda tool by the government and doctored it and criticism, explicmilitary, who docitly declaring that the tored it to suit their to suit their spirit of bushido thus needs. Scholars of exemplified should needs. Japanese history not be revived. agree that the Bushido that spread throughout modern Ja- During and before World War II pan was not simply a continua- in Japan, Bushido was pressed tion of earlier traditions. into use for militarism, to present war as soul-cleansing and More recently, it has been ar- death a duty. This was pregued that modern bushidō dis- sented as revitalizing tradicourse originated in the 1880s tional values and “transcending as a response to foreign stimuli, the modern.” Bushido would such as the English concept of provide a spiritual shield to let “gentlemanship,” by Japanese soldiers fight to the end. As the with considerable exposure to war turned, the spirit of bushWestern culture. Nitobe Inazo’s ido was invoked to urge that Bushido interpretations fol- all depended on the firm and lowed a similar trajectory, al- united soul of the nation. When though he was following earlier the Battle of Attu was lost, at016
19TH CENTURY BUSHIDO tempts were made to make the more than two thousand Japanese deaths an inspirational epic for the fighting spirit of the nation.
described as being not propaganda but out of sympathy with the enemy, such sympathy as only bushido could inspire.
Yukio Mishima, the famous Arguments that the plans for writer, was outspoken in his the Battle of Leyte Gulf, involv- by-then anachronistic commiting all Japanese ships, would ment to bushido in the 1960s, expose Japan to serious danger until his ritual suicide by sepif they failed, were countered puku after a failed coup d’état with the plea that the Navy be in November 1970. permitted to “bloom as flowers of death.” The first proposals of organized suicide attacks met resistance because while bushido called for a warrior to be always aware of death, but not to view it as the sole end, but Bushido would prothe desperate straits brought vide a spiritual shield about accepto let soldiers fight to tance.Such atthe end. As the war tacks were acclaimed as the turned, the spirit of true spirit of bushido was invoked Bushido.
to urge that all de-
Denials of mistreatment of pended on a resolute prisoners of war and united nation. declared that they were being well-treated by virtue of bushido generosity.Broadcast interviews with prisoners were also 017
HISTORY
Samurai of the Satsuma clan, during the Boshin War period, circa 1867. Hand-colored Photograph by Felice Beato
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MODERN DAY BUSHIDO Bushido was widely practiced, values - based off of Buddhism, varying little over time, and Shintoism and Confucianism across the geographic and so- - but it was closely related to cio-economic backgrounds of Samurai, as the Samurai’s days the samurai, who at one time and importance in society were represented up to 10% of the waning, with western laws and Japanese population. The first sensibilties, so too did the Meiji era census at the end prominence of Bushido - the of the 19th century counted code of conduct the Samu1,282,000 members rai and at extension of the “high samuthe Japanese society Gone were held so dear. rai”, allowed to ride a horse, and 492,000 the days of members of the “low Emperor Meiji abolsamurai”, allowed to the Kimono. ished the samurai’s wear two swords but The common right to be the only not to ride a horse, in force in favor man aspired armed a country of about 25 of a more modern, to wear suits, western-style, conmillion. read western scripted army in 1873. As Japan started to Samurai became literature ‘Shizoku‘ - a warrior modernise itself at the dawn of the industrial and wear class merged with age at the end of the the Samurai, a name western 19th century, Japan of high class but little found itself becoming use. Former Samuclothes. westernised with new rai retained some of ideals and new motheir salaries, but tivations. Gone were the right to wear a the days where the common katana in public was eventuman wore a traditional Kimono ally abolished along with the - the Samurai traditional attire, right to execute commoners instead the common man as- who paid them disrespect. The pired to wear suits, read west- last samurai conflict was arguern literature and wear western ably in 1877, during the Satsuma clothes. Bushido at it’s core is a Rebellion in the Battle of ShiJapanese philosphy and set of royama. 019
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Armoured samurai with sword and dagger _ Circa 1860
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MODERN DAY BUSHIDO
Samurai o-yoroi armour from the Tokyo National Museum. __ circa 2008 __ The Samurai’s attire and general traditional sense barely changed from the 12th century to the 19th century, going to show how well thought out and designed and suitable for purpose the Samurai’s gear was. It’s a common misconception Samurai are the people in Kimono’s, the often seen traditional clothing. This isn’t the case, around this text is some examples of various Samurai battle gear.
Saigo Takamori with his officers, at the Satsuma Rebellion. circa_1877 021
HISTORY Samurai were the military no- late 8th and early 9th centubility of medieval and early- ries, Emperor Kammu sought modern Japan. Although often to consolidate and expand his we assume the Samurai no lon- rule in northern Honsho, but ger exist on a legitimate level, the armies he sent to conquer and we’re right they don’t. the rebellious Emishi people Many Japanese still live a life lacked motivation and disciof solace practicing the life pline, and failed in their task. of a Samurai and the code of [citation needed] Emperor Bushido, the only difference is Kammu introduced the title of now there’s law preventing you Shogun, which means military from chopping someones head commander, and began to rely off for being disrespectful. By on the powerful regional clans the end of the 12th century, to conquer the Emishi. samurai became almost entirely synonymous with bushi, Skilled in mounted combat and the word was closely as- and archery, these warriors sociated with the middle and became the Emperor’s preupper echelons of the warrior ferred tool for putting down class. The rebellions. samurai warZen Buddhism spread among These followe d riors then a set of the samurai in the 13th f o r m e d rules that century and helped to shape clans and c a m e began to to be their standards of conduct, formulate known as particularly overcoming fear t h r o u g h bushidō. natural of death and killing While the progress samurai and the numbered less than 10% of Ja- current situations, the earpan’s population - their teach- ly fundamental principles of ings can still be found today in Bushido. both everyday life and in modern Japanese martial arts. Zen Buddhism spread among the samurai in the 13th century In the early Heian period, the and helped to shape their stan022
SAMURAI LIFE dards of conduct, particularly came to terms with these realovercoming fear of death and izations in the battlefield. killing, but among the general populace, traditional Buddhism A Samurai was fiercly loyal towas favoured. The Sengoku ji- wards his lord and master, the dai (“warring-states idea of allowperiod�) was marked A Samurai without ing your masby the loosening of to be murmaster was ter samurai culture with a dered was people born into oth- called a Ronin, disrespectful er social strata someshameful, often throughout and times making names the Samurai Ronin believed in for themselves as war- history riors and thus becom- were feared and the concept ing de facto samurai. of Seppuku. In this turbulent peri- had a loose, or no The ritual suiod, bushido ethics becode of conduct cide by means came important facof disembowtors in controlling and elment via a maintaining public order. dagger. Not all samurai had a master though, a samurai withThe philosophies of Buddhism out a master was called a Ronin, and Zen, and to a lesser extent often throughout history Ronin Confucianism and Shinto, in- were feared and had a loose, or fluenced the samurai culture. no code of conduct and no one Zen meditation became an im- to answer to so a Ronin tended portant teaching due to it of- to be volatile. One of the greatfering a process to calm one’s est examples of Samurai bravmind. The Buddhist concept ery and loyalty is Torii Mototada of reincarnation and rebirth who faced tens of thousands led samurai to abandon tor- with a few hundred and fought ture and needless killing, while till death to allow his master to some samurai even gave up vio- flee, changing Japanese hislence altogether and became tory. Buddhist monks after realizing how fruitless their killings were. Some were killed as they 023
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SAMURAI LIFE
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HISTORY The relative peace of the build naval arsenals, such as Tokugawa era was shattered Yokosuka and Nagasaki. By the with the arrival of Commodore end of the Tokugawa shogunate Matthew Perry’s massive U.S. in 1867, the Japanese navy of Navy steamships in 1853. Perry the shogun already possessed used his superior firepower to eight western-style steam warforce Japan to open its borders ships around the flagship Kaiyō to trade. Prior to that only a Maru, which were used against few harbor towns, under strict pro-imperial forces during the control from the Boshin war, under the Shogunate, were alcommand of Admiral Gone were Enomoto. A French lowed to participate in Western trade, the days of Military Mission to Jaand even then, it was pan (1867) was estabbased largely on the the Kimono. lished to help modidea of playing the The common ernize the armies of Franciscans and Dothe Bakufu. The last minicans off against man aspired showing of the origione another (in ex- to wear suits, nal samurai was in change for the crucial read western 1867 Shogunate forcarquebus technology, es in favor of the rule literature of the emperor in the which in turn was a major contributor to and wear Boshin War (1868– the downfall of the 1869). western classical samurai). From 1854, the samuThus began the era clothes. rai army and the navy of Japan’s Westerniwere modernized. A sation and rise as a Naval training school major export base for was established in Nagasaki the West, soon Samurai warin 1855. Naval students were riors rank in society wouldn’t sent to study in Western na- mean nowhere near as much as val schools for several years, it did, this idea of Samurai’s destarting a tradition of foreign- cline has been covered widely, educated future leaders, such even in movies, such as The as Admiral Enomoto. French Last Samurai which is covered naval engineers were hired to deeply in Book02. 026
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The relative peace of the Tokugawa era was shattered with the arrival of Matthew Perry’s huge U.S. Navy steamships in 1853. Perry used his superior firepower to force Japan to open its borders to trade.
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HISTORY Bakumatsu shogunal troops in 1864. From Illustrated London News, October 8th, 1864.
In defining how a modern Japan should be, members of the Meiji government decided to follow the footsteps of the United Kingdom and Germany, basing the country on the concept of noblesse oblige. Samurai were not a political force under the new order.
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WESTERNISATION Samurai wearing kusari katabira (chain armor jackets) and kusari zunin (chain armor hoods) with hachi gane (forehead protectors). _ circa 1870
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HISTORY The Samurai warriors over in a samurai who knew he was time consolidated an almost defeated, disgraced, or morunwritten and unsaid set of tally wounded. It meant that principles, a code of conduct he could end his days with his each and every Samurai warrior transgressions wiped away and strived to follow. Over time and with his reputation not merely in the 20th century the Samu- intact but actually enhanced. rai have been roThe cutting of manticised as alThe relationship the abdomen reways being noble the samubetween learning leased and honourable rai’s spirit in the warriors, this is and the way of the most dramatic obviously not fashion, but it warrior is clearly always the case, was an extremely articulated, one painful and unbut it mostly was. These are pleasant way to being a natural the 7 virtues die, and somethey followed, partner to the other. times the samueach book menrai who was pertions and relates to a virtue, forming the act asked a loyal this is the first book in the se- comrade to cut off his head at ries and so virtue is honour. the moment of agony. Bushido expanded and formalized the earlier code of the samurai, and stressed frugality, loyalty, mastery of martial arts, and honor to the death. Under the bushido ideal, if a samurai failed to uphold his honor he could only regain it by performing seppuku (ritual suicide). In an excerpt from his book Samurai: The World of the Warrior, “In the world of the warrior, seppuku was a deed of bravery that was admirable
Bushido includes compassion for those of lower station, and for the preservation of one’s name. Early bushido literature further enforces the requirement to conduct oneself with calmness, fairness, justice, and propriety. Other parts of the bushido philosophy cover methods of raising children, appearance, and grooming, but all of this may be seen as part of one’s constant preparation for death, with honour.
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7 VIRTUES
01 Justice
02 Courage
03 Benevolence
04 Respect
05 Honour
06 Honesty
07 Loyalty 031
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