Introduction
This research aims at understanding the development of the Samurai culture as a worldview that it became through its a thousand years of existence. The culture of the samurai is interesting as it developed from the simple armed support to the landowners, into the feudal leadership of the country of Japan. The code of ethics and unity that brought the Samurai together is of a very unique status in the society as it developed in a people that would otherwise be expected to remain servants. In most civilizations, the guards and other security servants often retain their servant status due to their loyalty and dependence on the employers for financial support. Interestingly, the samurai, even while depending on the landowners for stipend, became one of the most historic clan in world history. This paper revisits the history of the Japanese clan Samurai, their norms and values, their religion, and the development of the Samurai as a worldview. The research sort to understand the unique integration of the samurai culture to the foreign religion that later became their trademark religion. An interesting point to note is that the Samurai developed the integrity and honor they are known for, through the integration with different systems and their rise and fall over the millennium of their existence. I concluded that the Samurai are not just a historical part of Japan; their culture became a worldview that in all its aspects should be celebrated.
History of the Samurai
The samurai as the name suggests were basically the clan that protected the landowners. Before the 12th century, the samurai simply supported the wealthy landowners who were shut out of power. In the 12th century, Japanese political powers started shifting from the emperor and his nobles. The big estates held by the heads of the clans allowed then to regain power. The power shifts led to the Gempei war which the Minamoto clan won against the dominant Taira when Minamoto Yoshitsune led them to victory. Yoshitsune’s half-brother, Yoritomo, would later establish the center of government at Kamakura which shifted the Japanese political power to the samurai, (Heisig et al. 33). Yoritomo led the clan by redefining the privileged status of the Samurai. He took the power to declare one a samurai in order to achieve this, (Turnbull, 2013, 54). Coincidentally, the Zen Buddhism was introduced in japan in the same period from china. The religion provided the samurai with a unique code of behavior that was easy to adapt to. The Samurai also developed honor for the sword and bestowed the man’s honor to it, (History.com). This brought art into the sword making which developed to the inclusion of many artistic developments including the Sharkskin handgrips. The 14th century was marked by constant conflict after the victories over two different Mongol invasions. The feudal system lacked its pillar central authority and it was up to the local lords to maintain order. However, even with the political unrest, the economy of japan grew significantly and the art developed with the aid of Buddhism philosophy and the samurai culture. Other forms of art developed and so did the painting art.
After the end of the Sengoku-Jidai in 1615, japan went into the longest streak of prosperity and peace which the samurai took full responsibility: only this time the government was through civil means. At this period, Japan was led by Tokugawa Leyasu who led through the Confucianism system. At this period, the Samurai and Buddhism had integrated well with the development of Confucianism which emphasized duty and loyalty. During this period, the principles of Bushido emerged and developed the samurai warrior spirit. Even though the Bushido emphasized piece, honesty, kindness, and care, it turned most Japanese samurai to bureaucrats, (History.com). They would carry two swords to show off their privilege. In the 19th century, the involvement of the western powers brought about the biggest threat to the samurai and the feudal system. The temptations to trade with the outside powers especially those from the west led to the end of the samurai reign. Soon after, the feudal reign was toppled by the union between two powerful clans and the betrayal by some samurai warriors that led to the imperial restoration (Turnbull, 2011, 67). The samurai attempts to regain control were in vein as they were quashed by the new Japanese army. The major blow was the government’s decision to convert samurai stipends to government bonds which ensured the samurai had little source of income.
Even after the loss that japan encountered during the Second World War, the incorporation of the Bushido into its moral conduct brought about the rise to the Asian economic powerhouse it is today, (Rankin 28). Japan used the same strategy of honor it had applied in the building of the army after the First World War in the rebuilding of its economy after the Second World War. Today, the people of Japan study the history of the samurai and their legacy is taught to the new generation. Festivals are prepared over and over again in order to pass the knowledge to the next generation and honor the warriors of the past.
Problem Statement
Human life changes every thousand years, every century and every day. However, psychological aspects such as moral principles, ethics and relations between people remain more or less the same. In some social groups, the values are so highly esteemed that they influence the culture of a whole nation for centuries. One such group in Japan is samurai warriors. The aim of this work is to provide the most complete and accurate discussion of the samurai ideology, to study its origins, specificity and role in the history and culture of Japan. The theme of my topic stays real as the impact of the historical backdrop of the military class that existed for over a thousand years was so solid in Japan of the past that without it, it’s difficult to comprehend the history, customary society, and each aspect of today's life of present day Japan. But the study of the ideology of the samurai is not only interesting from a historical, but also from a philosophical perspective. After all, the word “Samurai” symbolizes not only a professional soldier, artfully destroying any target. It is also associated with Bushido, the samurai code of honor, the ease with which a human being encountered danger, and also the traditional rite of seppuku by means of which a person willingly and consciously took his life by his own hand.
In addition, nowadays the same as before, the Japanese society honors medieval warriors, expressing it in carrying out numerous festivals devoted to samurai stories. As in the past, these holidays are aimed at educating the youth in the spirit of the samurai tradition, reminiscent of the warrior’s class of the past. Although formally samurai was canceled in the second half of the 19th century, Japanese society today actually values many principles of the military class of the previous centuries (Josephson 38).
The philosophical and religious aspect of the samurai worldview is also an important aspect to consider and investigate. Samurais, among other things, are known for their loyalty, fearlessness, and ability to concentrate. For achieving the required level of control over the body and the mind samurais were practicing not only martial arts but meditation as well. I am going to discuss Buddhism, and in particular one of its forms called Zen.
One of the main attracted characteristics that attracted samurai to the teachings of Zen is their simplicity. A samurai did not want to burden his mind by the study of religious literature. Zen Buddhism appealed to samurais because it was instrumental in honing their self-control, composure, will power—the qualities so necessary for a professional warrior (Religion and Zen).
In conjunction with the self-discipline and communication are other quality imparted to soldiers by Zen practices. Among them is the unquestioning obedience to the master and the military commander. Zen methods greatly improved the military and sportive capabilities of the samurai. The decisive role in fencing, archery, and hand-to-hand fighting, swimming, and other disciplines was attributed to mental faculties to a greater extent that those of body. Mental poise and self-control, developed by Zen practices, is prevalent here (Religion and Zen).
The main method (way to know the truth) in the training system for Zen was meditation that is contemplation in a sitting position, in a very relaxed posture with legs crossed, emptying the mind any thoughts. Thus, the religious system played a decisive role in the formation of the ideology of the samurai. Among the main principles of the samurai morals are the following: loyalty to the master, politeness, courage, truthfulness, simplicity and abstinence, contempt for personal gain and money. All these principles were easily dealt with due to the attitude to death. The code instructed that if a samurai had two options, then he had to choose the one that led to death, and precisely because of this a samurai could bear the stresses of his life. The samurai ideology has infiltrated the mentality of the nation, and its characteristics remain relevant to this day.
Along with the above mentioned basic principles, the samurai ethics included a number of minor ones that are inextricably linked with the main and defining the actions and behavior of the samurai. The ability to control themselves and manage their feelings was brought by samurais to the greatest perfection. Mental health is an ideal of bushido; the samurai ethics, therefore, treated this principle as a virtue and highly valued it. A clear illustration of the ability of self-control is the samurai ritual of seppuku.
The attitude of the samurai to death repeatedly celebrated in literature and repeatedly confirmed with historical examples is certainly not something exclusive to the peoples of the Far East. On the contrary, it was natural for the whole Taoist-Buddhist philosophy and the worldview, determining the life of a person as a link in an endless chain of rebirths. The intrinsic value of life on earth was very low for a devout Buddhist of any kind. Buddhist thesis of the impermanence of all things is the basis of all of the Japanese culture.
The Samurai Culture started as a military code and developed into a worldview. It became a philosophical way of understanding nature and incorporated their religion and way of life. The integration with the Zen Buddhism gave it an oomph that developed the art and culture that the people of japan and the rest of the world understand today. The culture of the Samurai is not just a part of history, it is a worldview the developed through culture, religion, art, and military force.
Literature review
Over the years, different scholars have raised divergent issues relating to the contemporary culture of the Samurai. Albeit numerous authors have devoted significant attention to illuminating the Samurai culture, not all of them, capture the true picture the constituent elements. Some authors have even written conflicting reports, which contradict the statements of others, making the knowledge base of the Samurai culture rather confusing at best. Regardless of the contradictions in the extant reports, knowledge ought to emanate from the truth, which may not at times be easy to obtain.
Even when corroborative evidence is a measure of truth, it ought to be with a measure of caution because it might not necessarily be evidence at all, but an indication of collaboration so that whatever appears as a fact is, in reality, imaginative fragmentation. In a bid to sift through the quagmire of available information on the way of life among these renowned Japanese warriors, this article makes a critical review of some other articles that address the subject from differing perspectives. Some of the articles are quite recent, even to the point of attempting to relate present-day corporate culture with the Samurai culture. That notwithstanding, this review is a mix of secondary and primary literary sources critically assessed and pitted against one another to ascertain the veracity of their claims.
The review of literature will delineate facts by different authors including Inazo Nitobe, Yasouka Masahiro, and Ben-Ari, et al. among others. It is momentous to highlight that the distinct authors exhibit a divergent choice of diction in documenting their attitude towards the samurai. However, most of the authors use the following words in defining the samurai including “fascinating,” “legendary,” and “noble,” which all point to a mind that has been awe-inspired by the samurai. Essentially being awestruck is not a flaw in its right; such a state of mind that can impair one’s sense of judgment. With time, it causes such an individual to exhibit biases in the assessment of the subject. However, Putnam and Lewis manages to maintain an even keel while giving a rendition of ten cultural aspects of the Samurai and is even careful to point out that they were erroneously depicted as people of above average height while in reality they were of relatively diminutive stature.
Inazo Nitobe wrote and published a book titled, “Bushido: The Soul of Japan” highlighting intricate facts about the samurai culture. From this book, it is rather apparent that the Japanese society has undergone commendable transformations since the 19th century. In the yesteryears, Japan existed as an isolated feudal society that had undergone minimal change by the time. However, the Japanese started a revolution, change in the modern nation in the last century.
During the transformative era, Inazo Nitobe came about to compose his ethos about the Japanese people, the Samurai. Through his enlightenment of the society, he found Bushido, which in real sense is the Way of the Warrior. This is more of a source of virtues that his people came to value and treasure selflessly. He was the sole initiator and inspiration between the virtues of courage. Courage became the driving force the Samurai people in following the footsteps of a warrior. Rectitude was an additional virtue that came to establish and distinguish the samurai people from the rest of the world.
Benevolence was also a fundamental virtue among the people of Samurai. Benevolence or altruism involves being kind and meaning well for others. Inazo also became the pioneer and founder of the Samurai spirit of politeness, a virtue that still manifests in the people of Japan in the modern society. Sincerity also presented itself as a driving force behind the revolution of the Samurai people. Besides, loyalty became fundamental in the Samurai’s leadership, which still majors in the current Japanese society.
Honoring people is another virtue that emerged as the core value of the Samurai people. Among other values that later became prevalent in the Samurai culture are among others self-control together with rectitude. The book also presents a relation with the indigenous traditions among others Buddhism, Shintoism together with Confucianism, which offers the Samurai moral guidelines that have since passed from one generation to the current Japanese society.
Yasouka Masahiro authored a book dubbed ‘New Discourse on Bushido Philosophy’: Cultivating Samurai Spirit and Men of Character for Imperial Japan. The book presents ‘Bushido’ as the ‘Way of the Warrior,’ which has since proven to establish the Japanese people on grounds values and virtues. The ‘Bushido’ presents a clear reflection of the Samurai spirit including ethical values and moral standards of the Japanese people. Between the year 1898 and 1983, Yasouka lived to propagate self-cultivation of his people as part of the Confucian nationalist perspective on jinkakushugi (‘personalism’.)
In trying to prevent his people from the apparent debilitating effects of materialistic ideologies together with the effete life of urban regions, Yasouka came up with some vital aspects of culture. He drew most of his motivation from Tokugawa-era reflections in relation to the Bushi (warriors). Besides, Yasouka’s motivation originated from the late Meiji musings on not only Bushido but also budo, which refers to the Japanese martial arts. Yasouka came out of explicitly exhorting all the Japanese men to avoid selfishness and in turn embrace the old Samurai spirit of self-sacrifice. He asserted that it was only through virtues that they will be able to stand the test of time and detrimental forces of old.
Selflessly, Yasouka instilled in Japanese men to act and behave as outstanding men of character and virtue (jinkakusha). He also urged them to become and remain loyal to the state that at the time was an empire, having its Emperor. In so doing, Yasouka established a distinct character among the Japanese people that has since helped it maneuver through various challenges and came out strong. The current ethics in the Japanese culture owe its origin to the teachings of Samurai’s motivation Yasouka. Yasouka’s bushido discourse presented itself as the guide in times of war to the Japanese empire.
It also expressed the Samurai anxiety over the issue of mass political participation at a time when radical ideologies were rather prevalent. Yasouka also became more concerned about the Samurai political stability, which made him urge women that lived a feminine analog to that of Bushido to support their men. Through Yasouka’s several insights about values and virtue, the modern Japanese culture finds a common ground on which to base its political, social, and economic progression.
The Samurai Ethics: A Paradigm for Corporate Behavior by Fujimura Shinya
Fujimura’s article presents yet another detailed examination of the ancient Samurai ethics that act as the basis of the Japanese culture. The book shows virtues and character as the foundation of economic, political, and social developments in the Japanese culture. Even though a continuous consideration of ethics in a society does not have to experience rapid growth, the book is quick to point to the fact that it is not the ultimate goal of economic existence. The Samurai ethics considers morals first before the economic well-being of a nation. In so doing, the nation does not have to follow the long process in order to find a path to economic contentment but instead enable a favorable environment for social development. The Samurai ethics have since permeated the country’s corporate culture and have been on the forefront in informing the country’s social developments.
So far, the samurai culture has only produced a series of discrepancies bordering on confusion, and when one looks at what the term ‘samurai’ implies, even more, confusion results as different people give distinctive explanations. On the one hand, Ben-Ari, et al. (116) through their editorial dubbed, "Legacies of the Sword: The Kashima-Shinryu and Samurai Martial Culture" reiterated, “samurai means, "to be on one's guard" (Ben-Ari, et al. (116). On the other hand are authors like Shin (1064), who say, “the word means "one who serves"” (Shin 1064), yet others like Putnam and Lewis only term him/her as an elite warrior.
The myriad of definitions only leaves the ardent reader at a loss regarding what to take as the definition of the word samurai. Nevertheless, all three approaches may be brushed off as having not come from people who hail from the samurai culture. It is imperative to note that the trio comprises of Occidental origins. The premise begs the question “how it is that one can come up with an article whose title contains the words?” “Learning Bushido from Abroad.” If the very embodiment of Bushido has the foreigners confused as to how to describe him/her, it stands an excellent chance that the westerner shall not give an appropriate rendition of bushido, which is relatively abstract a concept when compared to the tangible samurai.
It is imperative to note that Putnam and Lewis (183) through their article titled, "Saints and Samurai: The Political Culture of the American and Japanese Elites" introduce another twist to the samurai culture discourse, religion. Without a doubt, from the beginning of the discussion, all that has been mentioned has been the manner of dress, the virtues and vices of the samurai visa a vie their culture, but the previous authors have omitted anything that regards religion. It remains a mystery whether they had a religion although one would be compelled to answer such a question in the affirmative, given the virtues attributable to their culture: loyalty, honor, and heroism, courage (Putnam and Lewis 183).
However, when Putnam and Lewis (183) says that religion helped them resolve issues concerning life and death, it shows that religion came to the samurai much later, possibly when the white man came with the bible in one hand and gun in another. Whatever the case may be, the samurai remained an elite force as long as they never had a religion, but still had a moral code that guided their actions towards other people. They had their flaws, as the discussion has revealed, but it is possible that the entry of religion was the cause of imbalance that heralded the fall of the samurai; and that is a discussion for another time.
Methodology
The primary sources used are the ones that incorporated all the ideas from various religious and philosophical influences are documents and legends related to Bushido Code, as well as researcher’s works and books on the topic. Also, among the primary sources, it is important to use diaries and letters of samurais and their contemporaries from various periods in the history of Japan and compare them. The secondary sources such as books on Japanese history will help us to learn about the mentality of samurai warriors is the historical context, namely, the financial status of the warriors and what wars they had to wage for their masters. I used books and scholarly articles on Zen Buddhism, Shinto, and Confucianism to demonstrate the framework of the Samurai thoughts. Also, I tried to show how meditation helped them to become more disciplined and made them fearless in the face of death.
One of the main and most interesting primary sources that used is the book “The Forty-Seven Ronins” written by A. B. Mitford. I am going to analyze the text in terms of Zen and Buddhism, The book provides a great example showing how samurais in the 18th century can defy their ethics, however, acting with great honor in order to avenge their master. The book talks about a samurai master that defied the bushido code and withdrew a sword inside the Edo castle, leading him to commit seppuku as a punishment for the crime. However, unlike a normal samurai forty-seven of his warriors did not commit seppuku to follow their master and instead they decided to avenge him, they then became ronins. We then further see how they fight their way to Kotsuke and due to his high ranking grant him the honor of committing seppuku instead of executing him. However, Kotsuke appears to be an iniquitous samurai, like many of whom we see today that only appear religious from the outside; he couldn’t die an honorable death forcing Kiri to behead him. Finally, the ronins show their braveness and commit seppuku as the master sentenced them.
Analysis
The samurai existed as a culture even before the 12th century but it was in the 12th century that the opportunities arose for them to develop into the dominant group they became. First it was the power struggles that provided them with the financial support they need for survival and the advancement of their skills. The landowners who happened to be keeping a distance from the emperor need protection and service. They provided the stipend that supported the samurai financially. Financial support is important for economic development of any society. As a society, the samurai managed to improve their standards of living and by the weapons, the swords they are famous for. They were also excellent archers meaning they need the arrows and other materials.
The 12th century also provided the samurai with the opportunity to get involved in other activities like trade. Their presence as the political fields provided them with a higher bargaining power. The fall of the emperor provided them with the best opportunity to take over the reins of power. The dependence on the stipend from the landlords ensured that they would have a different system of governance that wasn’t based on fear and force. The fiduciary system they rolled out brought about economic progress and a quarter century of peace and prosperity. The period has been referred to as the most peaceful period that the Japanese have had in history. These political capabilities developed a culture of leadership in the samurai society.
Religion too, had a lot to play in the development of the samurai. The introduction of Buddhism from China coincided with the age of prosperity for the samurai. This is no coincidence is observed keenly. The methods of worship of the Zen Buddhism relation integrated effectively with the norms of the samurai culture. The roles of meditation in ensuring patients, belief in one’s self, concentration, and integrity were all in line with the duty and loyalty principles of the samurai. This religion fit the activities of the samurai and became an important part of its future.
With a combination of Zen Buddhism beliefs and the cultural norms of the ancient samurai community, the society gave birth to the Bushido principles that encouraged integrity and loyalty. Most importantly, the Bushido principles brought about piece and respect among the samurai and between them and other members of the Japanese community. The success of the samurai in overcoming many different struggles within the society for over a thousand years reflects proper organization and coordination. The samurai were both organized and men of honor. Honor was at the hurt of the Bushido principle. The samurai managed to run the government better than the emperor with peace and respect because they valued honor and integrity.
These developments developed a united society with good moral guidance and values. The norms within the samurai community enabled the coexistence of power and religion. It enables the community to incorporate honor, respect and loyalty. A combination of religion and power gave the samurai purpose for existence. It provided them with a future and described their origin. These are the most important aspects of the development of a worldview. Like the Christianity worldview developed through the roman rule through the papacy, the samurai rose into a worldview with the help of the landlords’ stipend.
The samurai as a worldview has a lot more in common with Christianity than just leadership and religion. Christianity evolved with different influence into the society. One of the biggest influences was through art. The samurai was also an art in itself. The dressing of the samurai was made of elegant combination of dressing materials. For example, the samurai armor was an attractive piece of art that made them stand out. Another piece of was the sword in which the man’s honor was vested. The samurai decorated their swords to represent what the men believed their honor was worth. They would carry two swords as a show of their privilege within the society. Honor was also a source of purpose which helped in the development of the samurai culture. The development of a culture is dependent on factors that people can share in order to give them a sense of belonging. The honor and the Bushido gave the samurai a sense of belonging.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Through the development from the landowners’ armed support to the fiducial governors of Japan, the Samurai developed a legacy. They developed their own philosophical integrity that led to the ultimate warrior. The incorporation of religion and code of ethics developed the culture into a worldview. The Samurai became a way of life, one which the people of Japan still identify to. The culture gave the samurai origin, the Zen Buddhism gave them purpose while the Bushido gave them the means to achieve their purpose. A worldview is made of an origin, a purpose, and the means to achieve the purpose. Most importantly, a worldview provides a person or a community with something to believe in. The samurai believed in the ultimate inner self.
Farther research is needed on the samurai culture as a worldview in order to determine the changes the culture has gone through and the ways in which it integrates into the modern world. A worldview cannot be destroyed as it is not a system but a way of life. It simply develops and adapts to take more integrated forms.
Annotated Bibliography
The articles in this bibliography were selected according to their relevance to the research and their credibility for use in an academic paper.
Ben-Ari, Eyal, Karl F. Friday, and Seki Humitake. "Legacies of the Sword: The Kashima-Shinryu and Samurai Martial Culture." Pacific Affairs 72.1 (1999): 116. Web.
This article provides the description of the samurai and their honor as place upon the sword. The honor of the man was considered to be vested in his sword.
Masahiro, Yasouka. Yasouka Masahiro’s ‘New Discourse on Bushido Philosophy’: Cultivating Samurai Spirit and Men of Character for Imperial Japan. Print.
This article analyzes the Bushido philosophy and its development. The Bushido philosophy was an important aspect of the Samurai culture.
Nitobe, Inazo. Bushido: The Soul of Japan. Print.
This article describes the Bushido philosophy and its importance to the society in Japan. The Bushido philosophy was not just for the samurai but for all Japanese.
Putnam, Robert D., and Lewis Austin. "Saints and Samurai: The Political Culture of the American and Japanese Elites." Political Science Quarterly 91.1 (1976): 183. Web.
This article describes ad brings about a comparison between the samurai and the political culture in the U.S.
Shin, Mina. "Making a Samurai Western: Japan and the White Samurai Fantasy in The Last Samurai." The Journal of Popular Culture 43.5 (2010): 1065-1080. Web.
This is an analysis of the “the last samurai”. The article describes the author knowledge of what a samurai really is.
Shinya, Fujimura. The Samurai Ethics: A Paradigm for Corporate Behavior. Print
This article describes the principles that made up a samurai. These are the principles that guided the behavior of a samurai warrior.
History.com. “Samurai and Bushido.” History. A+E Networks, 2009. Web. 28 February 2016
This article describes the history of the Samurai through the millennium of their reign.
Turnbull, Stephen. The Samurai: a military history. Routledge, 2013.
This is a description of the rise and reign of the samurai as a military force in japan.
Rankin, Andrew. Seppuku: A history of samurai suicide. 2011.
Szczepanski, Kallie. "History of the Samurai." About. com Asian History (2012).
This is a description of the history of the samurai as a culture and as the members of the Japanese society.
Turnbull, Stephen. Samurai-the World of the Warrior. Osprey Publishing, 2011.
This is an explanation of the activities that transpired in the life of samurai warrior. It describes the life and behavior of a samurai warrior.
Heisig, James W., Thomas P. Kasulis, and John C. Maraldo, eds. Japanese philosophy: A sourcebook. University of Hawaii Press, 2011.
This book describes the history and existence of different philosophical paradigms that make up japan as a society.
