HIS350 T2.1 DQ
.docx
School
Grand Canyon University**We aren't endorsed by this school
Course
HIS 350
Subject
Arts & Humanities
Date
Dec 22, 2024
Pages
2
Uploaded by SuperHumanHedgehogMaster1928
The samurai warrior of Japan and the Confucian scholar of China have come to be almost stereotypes of their respective cultures, especially in the period under discussion. What do these "ideal" types tell us about the larger cultures in which they reside? How do their differing codes, honor and violence for the samurai and knowledge and right conduct for the scholar, manifest themselves in the policies and organization of their states?The Confucian scholar and the samurai warrior of Japan held very different values. The Confucian scholar valued morals, knowledge, and wisdom whereas the samurai warrior valued honor and loyalty. For the samurai, their code was known as Bushido, or “the way of the warrior” and it was centered on loyalty (Cotterell, 2011). In Japan, a samurai’s role within society was to serve their lords and the shogunate or emperor. They helped to maintain social order and defended during times of battle. “Samurai were the armed retainers of the provincial aristocracy, not the throne…” (Cotterell, 2011). It was a samurai’s duty to remain loyal to their lord and through extension of their lord, the emperor. This reflects how important hierarchy was in Japanese society. Confucianism played a large role within Chinese culture and government. In order to serve as a civil servant, one was tested on their knowledge of Confucian texts (Cotterell, 2011). This was done to ensure that the government was being run by those who are morally upright and educated. The scholar’s focus on knowledge and right conduct showed itself in the organization of the state because Chinese bureaucracy valued social harmony and moral governance, hence by promoting values such as knowledge and morals it would promote these outcomes. In comparison, the samurai’s honor and inclination for violence highlighted military strength as Japan was often fighting off invaders as well as showing that military strength would promote social order. The samurai’s code of honor and loyaltywere used by the emperor or shogunate to enforce policies and hierarchy whereas the scholar’s code of morals and knowledge promoted governmental efficiency. Cotterell, A. (2011).Asia: A Concise History.John Wiley & Sons Publishing.
