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Samurai Religion

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Samurai warriors led some of the most complex and interesting lives of any kind of warrior. They were expected to be top notch warriors but just as importantly, they needed to be “highly cultured and literate.” Samurai were experts in things that you would only expect a noble or rich person to be able to do, such as calligraphy. They were nothing like what you would think a person in the military would be like today. To further explore the many facets of their lives, this paper will discuss their religion, the Bushido Code, fighting as a Samurai, and the history of Samurai in Japan. Samurai practiced Zen Buddhism which helped them in many ways throughout their life as a warrior. Buddhism was introduced to Japan by the ruler of Southwest Korea …show more content…

The Bushido Code was an unwritten code that determined how a person should live honorably. The eight virtues of the Bushido code are Righteousness, Heroic Courage, Compassion, Respect, Integrity, Honor, Loyalty, and Self Control. These virtues were extremely important to the samurai and if broken, the only way to redeem oneself would be to commit Seppuku (ritual suicide.) It was believed that cutting the abdomen released the Samurais spirit in the most dramatic way possible. There have been many books written on the Bushido code, and many people today adhere to its world renowned …show more content…

They were first really used in the Heian Period around the 8th century AD. Their main purpose was to keep the people of the country in order and to prevent revolts. After this wealthy land owners, would hire them and basically create their own armies to challenge the government. One of the most powerful of these “armies” challenged the government and took it over. A new government that was led by the samurai warriors was put in place and ruled Japan for most of the second millennium AD. When the Edo period took place starting in the 1500s, there was little need for Samurai because of the general peace across the country. Feudalism came to an end in 1868 and many samurai became bureaucrats, teachers, and artists. Today most of their history is left and can be seen throughout Japan. There are over 100 castles in Japan today that are featured as museums where one can observe what the life of a samurai might have been

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601 Words | 3 Pages

The knight had to change their armor because of the new weapons, and for more protection the knight had changed their armor to covering their whole body so their foot, their head, and their legs. The samurai had armor that had iron scales tied together, lacquered, and then bound into armor plates with silk or leather cords.(I got my information in document D) they also had their right arm free so they can draw their bow faster. The samurai training started out with childhood school with unique combination of physical training, poetry training and spiritual training. When they were young they studied kendo the art of fencing, with bamboo sticks. The moral code of the samurai, and zen buddhism.

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There were many similarities and differences between Samurai and Knights, but I believe that the differences are greater than the similarities, in other other words I believe that there are more similarities than differences. The Samurai were honorable warriors in Japan that were loyal to his Daimyos. The Knights were honorable warriors in Europe who were loyal to his lord. I’m going to analyze documents related to social position, training and armor, and their beliefs. To better determine if the differences are greater than the similarities.

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Young warriors studied the moral code of the samurai, Zen Buddhism and Kendo (Doc. C). A knight begins his journey at age four or five (DOC C). A knight would be sent at age seven or eight, he would be sent to serve as a page to his father’s overlord or to a powerful relative (Doc. C). With a blunted or wooden sword, refining his skills and receiving some religions instructions (Doc. C). Samurai were expected to live according to Bushio, a strict emony called genpuku (Doc. C).

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A knight at seven or eight would serve as the fathers overload or be more powerfully relative. The samurai warriors wouldn't have to accompany their master by feeding him, going on the battlefield with him, dress him, care for his horses, then they would be deemed worthy to become a

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All of this leads to an impact on military, feudalistic society and Japan’s history. To commence, Samurai’s are important in Japanese history because they helped start feudalism and the Shogun’s rule. It all started when the central government had no authority over the large landowners. The Daimyo refused to pay their taxes, so when the Jurisdiction came to collect, the daimyo had this huge army of Samurais.

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Also stated in “The Way of the Samurai,” and “Le Morte d’ Arthur,” the codes that a samurai follows is Bushido and Chivalry, the moral code that a knight follows (Doc. E). In Bushido, a samurai keeps a state of peace between other people, but uses his weapons only when necessary. One will be respectful between father and child, older sibling to younger sibling, and husband to wife. In Chivalry, knights are to be helpful to

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Japan’s rich history of power, wealth, and influence had many remarkable eras. One of the more notable periods in Japanese history was that of the Tokugawa Period (1600-1868). The Tokugawa Period was talked about in Musui’s Story, an autobiographical book, written by Kokichi Katsu. (Katsu ix) Katsu wrote Musui’s Story for three main reasons: to share how he had transformed from a low-ranking samurai to a well-known hero, to show his sense of self, and to serve as a cautionary tale for his descendants.

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From the Kamakura Period of the late twelfth century to the Meiji Restoration in the nineteenth century, the samurai have held prominent positions as noble warriors in Japanese society. They have come to be famous in modern, Western pop culture as the fierce, stoic guards of feudal Japan, but their practices and rituals extended beyond wielding katanas and donning impressive armor. Samurai practices were rich and complex, with strict codes, ritual suicide, and a history of influencing culture and politics (“Samurai”). Samurai code was influenced by traditional Japanese culture, Zen Buddhism, and Confucianism. Bushido, or “Way of the Warrior,” was the code of conduct the samurai class were expected to uphold.

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When Buddhism was imported from China to Japan, it brought over a full political force with it. Buddhism had a crucial role in helping develop medieval Japanese politics. Though it started with the elite then made its way to the peoples of japan, Buddhism slowly entwined into Japanese culture. It first established its self in the Nara courts when The Soga took over First, it is important to observe a brief history on how Buddhism made its way into japan to understand its true influence. Buddhism in its original form, was founded by Siddhartha Gautama.

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(Carrol) Japan was very traditional during the Tokugawa Shogunate; there were a number of changes under the shogun rule in Japan which were very similar to those seen in the industrial revolution in England. The shogun also tried to close japan to western influence, by prohibiting things such as Christianity

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what really fascinates me is that the samurai weren’t a rare elite force; however, they were an entire social class and they were about 10 percent of Japan’s population at that time. What really grabbed my attention is the way the dress up, they were stylish and at their time they were rock stars in their style of clothing. The samurai dressed up to move with speed, to have freedom of movement and travel. The weapons were unique

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“To guard against external influence, they also worked to close off Japanese society from Westernizing influences, particularly Christianity. When the Tokugawa shogunate grew increasingly weak by the mid-19th century, two powerful clans joined forces in early 1868 to seize power as part of an “imperial restoration” named for Emperor Meiji.” This restoration was the beginning of the end of feudalism, or the way of structuring society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour, in Japan. The Tokugawa regime acted to exclude missionaries because of suspicion of foreign intervention and colonialism. Eventually, they issued a complete ban on Christianity in Japan.

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1529 Words | 7 Pages

They were bound to a specific lord, or daimyo, and also bound to their communities by duty and honor. This code of honor is known as Bushido, and comes from the word bush, which means “warrior.” The Japanese word do means “the way.” So Bushido means, “the way of the warrior.” This code evolved from an earlier period when samurais were archers and horsemen.

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Introduction In 1876, Captain Nathan Algren, an ex- United States Army Captain is traumatized by experience fighting in the civil war and Indian war. Algren accepts a job by a Japanese businessman to train the Imperial Japanese Army to inhibit a samurai rebellion, led by Katsumoto Moritsugu. He sails to Japan. Most of the soldiers being trained are just slightly better than peasants and farmers that are not experienced.

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Buddhism is from the 6th century that came from China. They believe in wisdom, virtue and concentration. As times changed, the households have also changed. Many families have their elder parents living with them and marriages are no longer “arranged”. The country of Japan contains several thousand islands.

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