Samurai  侍

Evolution of the samurai

Most people's view of a samurai comes from one of two eras: the end of the Sengoku ("warring states") Period (end of 16th century, background picture), or the end of the Edo Period (mid-late 19th century).  This is largely influenced by the abundance of manga, anime and TV dramas based on these two times e.g. NHK Taiga Dramas such as Gunshi Kanbe, Ryomaden, Shinsengumi, Musashi or the very popular Rurouni Kenshin series.

 

Examples of student-generated questions can be found at the bottom of this page - CLICK HERE.

 

The following video will give you a general introduction to the origins of the samurai.

 

                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What questions come to mind after watching this?  What do you want to learn more about?  I would welcome any suggestions or questions here. 

 

“The samurai was the only member of society allowed to bear arms, and indeed it was his duty to be armed at all times.” (Hillsborough, 2010, p.xvi). 

                                                      

The samurai made up the highest rung of feudal society even though they accounted for less than 10% of the population.  Generally, they were more educated than people in the other classes, which were peasants/farmers, artisans and merchants.  Since the Japanese economy was based on agriculture though, the peasants accounted for the greater portion of the population and were one step below samurai in social importance.

 

Seppuku  (Harakiri)

 

Notes on Seppuku

“The way of the warrior is found in dying,” states an ancient precept of samurai mores, suggesting that a noble death was the pinnacle of a samurai’s life.  Herein are the brief tales of samurai who preferred “to die a thousand deaths than live a life of infamy as a coward,” but who believed that “to die without accomplishing one’s objective was to die like a dog.” (Hillsborough, 2010, p.xvi)

 

“To the samurai, seppuku epitomized a courageous life through a stoic and noble death.  Self-disembowelment was not only an agonizing form of suicide, but also an opportunity for the samurai to display his inner purity by exposing his bowels, the seat of his courage.  It was often a legal form of punishment through which the condemned man could avoid the ignominy of execution.  It was a vehicle of apology, and a means of absolution for the miscreant to prove his sincerity and redeem honour for himself, his family, his clan, and his liege lord (daimyo).” (Hillsborough, 2010, p.53)

 

“Since his arrest, his greatest fear had been that he might be put to the ignominy of the executioner’s sword.  Of this he would now be spared, and permitted to die as honourably as he had lived.  And though his body was sick and depleted of its once formidable strength, he was determined to die as a samurai.  He would achieve beauty in death, the culmination of a life given to practice in the way of the sword and the noble code of the warrior.” (Hillsborough, 2010, p.65).

 

Tale of the 47 Ronin

 

Watch the following video on the grave site of the 47 ronin.  However, you may be surprised to hear a different version of the story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Questions from students

After a basic introduction to the topic of the Samurai, here are some examples of questions that arose from 13 year old students (Year 8 in Australia).  They are excellent examples of where discussions could lead, or mini-research projects.

 

If you were a samurai, what era would you have liked to live in?

 

Who is your favourite of the samurai?

 

Is there any evidence of the samurai culture left in the area where you (me) live?

 

What were the preferred martial arts for samurai to learn?

 

Are there different types of samurai swords?

 

Why didn't the samurai just get rid of the Portuguese/Europeans when they arrived?

 

What were the consequences if a samurai refused to commit seppuku?

 

Why did they build their castles out of predominantly wood when stone would be more strategically beneficial?

 

How did the samurai know the anatomy of the body so well to know where to slice their enemies?

 

When and why were the ninja invented?

 

What kind of tactics were involved in Samurai fighting and how did these link in with the Bushido code?

 

How did western influences change Japanese warfare and society?

 

 

References

 

Hillsborough, R. (2010). Samurai tales: Courage, fidelity and revenge in the final years of the shogun. Rutland, Vt: Tuttle.

 

Lehmann, J. (1982). The roots of modern Japan. New York: St. Martin's Press