Code of the Bushido
By Matt Arrell
The fact of the matter is, that the Code of the Bushido was a very crucial and ritualistic part of the Japanese's participation in World War 2. The Code of the Bushido was originally created by the Legendary Samurai. In many movies and books and video games you will see a samurai depicted as a majestic warrior, and they usually hade a female friend. True, they were somewhat majestic, but most samurai were homosexual. They had little respect for women.
Throughout his life, a Samurai would be known by several names. At birth, a samurai was given a name by which he would be known until he partook in a ceremony that made him an "adult". These were occasionally chosen to sound fancy, or warrior-like. An example of this would be that Takeda Shingen was born Katsuchiyo, or '1000 Victories in Succession', or 'Victory Forever'.
A samurai received his first "adult" name after he went through a ceremony held on his 14th birthday.
The word bushido literally means "Way of the warrior." The word Bushido is derived from two different words, bushi, meaning "warrior" and do meaning "the way." The Code of the Bushido is actually five different things combined: Fidelity: Fidelity towards their lord and their fatherland. Respect towards parents, brothers and sisters. Assiduousness, steadiness. Politeness: Respect and love. Modesty and correct etiquette. (Note how the "politeness" section of the five attributes of the Code of the Bushido is rather short.)
Virility: Valor, courage, and bravery. Hardness and coolness. Never lose self control. Patience and endurance. Promptness (always be ready to fight.) Thruthfulness: Sincerity and honesty. Sense of honour and justice. Simplicity: Simplicity and purity. Over many generations and years the Samurai was the ideal archetype of the highest honour. Samurai were basically the foundation for a long and complex development process for the Japanese society. The word samurai is derived from the word Saburai, which is derived from Saburatu, wich means "being the servant of a master." A samurai without a master is called a "ronin." There are several different categories of the Samurai, one being the ronin. The second one Gokenin, or the honourable servant. The third is the Sokei, or the monk samurai. The Samurai has a rather long creed... Which I'll show you now! I have no parents; I make the Heavens and the Earth my parents. I have no home; I make the Tan T'ien my home. I have no divine power; I make honesty my Divine Power. I have no means; I make Docility my means. I have no magic power; I make personality my Magic Power. I have neither life nor death; I make A Um my Life and Death. I have no body; I make Stoicism my Body.
I have no eyes; I make The Flash of Lightning my eyes. I have no ears; I make Sensibility my Ears. I have no limbs; I make Promptitude my Limbs. I have no laws; I make Self-Protection my Laws. I have no strategy; I make the Right to Kill and the Right to Restore Life my Strategy. I have no designs; I make Seizing the Opportunity by the Forelock my Designs. I have no miracles; I make Righteous Laws my Miracle. I have no principles; I make Adaptability to all circumstances my Principle. I have no tactics; I make Emptiness and Fullness my Tactics.I have no talent; I make Ready Wit my Talent. I have no friends; I make my Mind my Friend. I have no enemy; I make Incautiousness my Enemy. I have no armour; I make Benevolence my Armour. I have no castle; I make Immovable Mind my Castle. I have no sword; I make No Mind my Sword. As you can see... it is profound... in a profoundly odd sort of way... Samurai usually would rather fight alone, one on one. In battle a samurai would call out his family name, rank and accomplishments. Then he would seek out an opponent with similar rank and fight him. When the samurai has killed his opponent he severs his head. After battle he takes the heads of his enemies back to show proof of his victory. Heads of generals and those of high ranks were transported back to the capital and displayed for the officials and others. The only way out for a defeated samurai was death or ritual suicide: seppuku. Seppuku--or disembowelment or hara-kiri (belly slicing)--is when a samurai stabs a knife into his abdomen and literally disembowels himself by cutting out his guts. After the samurai disembowels himself another samurai, usually a kinsman or friend, slices his head off. This form of suicide was "performed under various circumstances: to avoid capture in battle, which the samurai did not believe to be dishonorable and degrading, but generally bad policy; to atone for a misdeed or unworthy act; and perhaps most interestingly, to admonish one's lord". A samurai would rather kill himself than bring shame and disgrace to his family name and his lord. This was considered an act of true honor.
