A Brief History of Samurai
The Samurai are one of
history’s most iconic groups of people. War was a central theme in the history
of Japan, and for much of its history, warring clans ruled the country. Most of
the wars were regarding control of land. Only a fraction of the land was
suitable for farming. Samurai eventually rose out of the struggle for land
control.
The Legend Of The Divine Warrior
660 B.C. was an important
date in the history of Japanese warring clans. Legend holds that Jimmu Tenno
was named head of a confederation of war tribes. Tenno, also known as “The
Divine Warrior,” conquered the people in the Kinki region. They settled in the
Yamato area, eventually leading to the rise of the Yamato dynasty. The leaders
of Yamato were believed to have divine origin.
The Yamato dynasty often
launched military campaigns against tribes on the Asian mainland, with targets
including Korea and China. These conquests allowed Korean and Chinese culture,
technology, and martial arts to infiltrate Japanese society.
Samurai Weapons And The Bushido Code
Ancient Yayoi warriors were
instrumental in developing weapons, armor, and a code that became a central
influence for the Japanese Samurai. Over time, weapons, armor, and strategies
continued to change with the landscape of technology and battle types. A major
change took place in the 5th century when horses were introduced to
Japan. The famous Samurai code was developed from the Chinese warrior virtues
and eventually morphed in to the Bushido (Way of the Warrior) code.
The Bushido code was at the
heart of the principles and conduct of a Samurai warrior. The Bushido
philosophy, “freedom from fear,” meant the warrior could transcend the fear of
death. This supposedly endued him with the peace and power he needed to serve
faithfully, loyally, and die well. “Duty” is a major teaching of the Samurai.
Types Of Samurai Swords
Samurai wore two swords, one
on each hip. The long sword, called a katana, was longer than 24 inches in
length. The shorter sword, called a wakizashi, was 12-24 inches in length.
Samurai’s often named their samurai swords, believing the sword was the soul of the
warrior. Ancient swords had a straight blade and originated from China and
Korea. Eventually, they adopted a sharper sword, with a curved blade. The sword
was a very important, highly respected piece of Samurai culture.
The Dark Side Of The Samurai
Though the warrior culture
was heavily steeped in honor and respect, the Samurai also had a gruesome and
disturbing heritage. From testing newly forged swords on the bones of a corpse
or condemned criminals, to their grisly suicide ritual, the Samurai were
definitely not peaceful people. The latter in particular, called seppuku, was
required by Samurai culture if a warrior broke the code or was likely to be
captured. The performer was required to cut his stomach with a sword and a
friend cut off his head shortly after. This was also performed formally with a
long ceremonious ritual, including bathing, writing a death poem, and eating a
final meal. Seppuku was seen as a very honorable way to die.
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