Bushido, the Soul of Japan, a free book by Nitobe Inazo

[RubiconDecision]

For those who are sincere about honor and chivalry, here is the monumentally influential book by Nitobe Izano. The name order is reversed in the Japanese style as the surname is more important.

When Nitobe released his book, it was unusual. Here was an educated Japanese man of samurai ancestry who had become Westernized and had become a Christian in the Society of Friends denomination. That alone put him at odds with his peers, but then he married an American woman, which shocked her parents as well as his own. Sharing this ancient knowledge in English, especially coming from someone with descendants from the Emperor Kanmu, was unheard of and some even considered Nitobe to breaking the code of Bushido.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitobe_Inaz%C5%8D

His book later became the most read book in Japan on Bushido and influenced millions. It is a concise volume on Bushido and one that literally everyone could gain from reading. It had great personal meaning to me as a descendant of the samurai and as an American. It continues to be among my most treasured books, but what is more, it transformed my life as a young man and continues to transform my life an older seasoned man.

If you truly honor the samurai as disciplined soldiers of extraordinary merit, then I urge you to become more disciplined and simply say, "Japanese" when discussing the Japanese. It takes so little time. Today, we would not call the people of Deutschland... Nazis. In English we call them Germans. They are not perpetually named by the soldiers of a short period of time. The same should hold true for the Japanese.

If you truly wish for those of Japanese ancestry to assist you in understanding Japanese culture and history, for playing the game or modding it, then would it not behoove you to treat them with respect? That is if you are an honorable person at heart and sincere.
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12096

[Sharpe]

Interesting - I have a module on modernisation in Japan and globalisation.

Might make a nice source in an essay. Oh goody it's an ebook as well.

[RubiconDecision]

Interesting - I have a module on modernisation in Japan and globalisation.

Might make a nice source in an essay. Oh goody it's an ebook as well.

As that is off topic, I won't reply here. However if you pm me, I will be happy to provide you with some sources for your essay. In return I would ask that you yourself would reconsider the common English usage of "Japs".

[Sharpe]

Expect a PM from me some time next term haha. I've got to revise my current modules for now.

[RubiconDecision]

Here is an excerpt from Nitobe-sama's most excellent book ~1904 AD:
"
BUSHIDO AS AN ETHICAL SYSTEM.

Chivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than its emblem, the cherry blossom; nor is it a dried-up specimen of an antique virtue preserved in the herbarium of our history. It is still a living object of power and beauty among us; and if it assumes no tangible shape or form, it not the less scents the moral atmosphere, and makes us aware that we are still under its potent spell. The conditions of society which brought it forth and nourished it have long disappeared; but as those far-off stars which once were and are not, still continue to shed their rays upon us, so the light of chivalry, which was a child of feudalism, still illuminates our moral path, surviving its mother institution. It is a pleasure to me to reflect upon this subject in the language of Burke, who uttered the well-known touching eulogy over the neglected bier of its European prototype.

It argues a sad defect of information concerning the Far East, when so erudite a scholar as Dr. George Miller did not hesitate to affirm that chivalry, or any other similar institution, has never existed either among the nations of antiquity or among the modern Orientals.[2] Such ignorance, however, is amply excusable, as the third edition of the good Doctor's work appeared the same year that Commodore Perry was knocking at the portals of our exclusivism. More than a decade later, about the time that our feudalism was in the last throes of existence, Carl Marx, writing his "Capital," called the attention of his readers to the peculiar advantage of studying the social and political institutions of feudalism, as then to be seen in living form only in Japan. I would likewise invite the Western historical and ethical student to the study of chivalry in the Japan of the present.

[2]
History Philosophically Illustrated, (3rd Ed. 1853), Vol. II, p. 2.

Enticing as is a historical disquisition on the comparison between European and Japanese feudalism and chivalry, it is not the purpose of this paper to enter into it at length. My attempt is rather to relate, firstly, the origin and sources of our chivalry; secondly, its character and teaching; thirdly, its influence among the masses; and, fourthly, the continuity and permanence of its influence. Of these several points, the first will be only brief and cursory, or else I should have to take my readers into the devious paths of our national history; the second will be dwelt upon at greater length, as being most likely to interest students of International Ethics and Comparative Ethology in our ways of thought and action; and the rest will be dealt with as corollaries.

The Japanese word which I have roughly rendered Chivalry, is, in the original, more expressive than Horsemanship. Bu-shi-do means literally Military-Knight-Ways—the ways which fighting nobles should observe in their daily life as well as in their vocation; in a word, the "Precepts of Knighthood," the noblesse oblige of the warrior class. Having thus given its literal significance, I may be allowed henceforth to use the word in the original. The use of the original term is also advisable for this reason, that a teaching so circumscribed and unique, engendering a cast of mind and character so peculiar, so local, must wear the badge of its singularity on its face; then, some words have a national timbre so expressive of race characteristics that the best of translators can do them but scant justice, not to say positive injustice and grievance. Who can improve by translation what the German "Gemüth" signifies, or who does not feel the difference between the two words verbally so closely allied as the English gentleman and the French gentilhomme?

Bushido, then, is the code of moral principles which the knights were required or instructed to observe. It is not a written code; at best it consists of a few maxims handed down from mouth to mouth or coming from the pen of some well-known warrior or savant. More frequently it is a code unuttered and unwritten, possessing all the more the powerful sanction of veritable deed, and of a law written on the fleshly tablets of the heart. It was founded not on the creation of one brain, however able, or on the life of a single personage, however renowned. It was an organic growth of decades and centuries of military career. It, perhaps, fills the same position in the history of ethics that the English Constitution does in political history; yet it has had nothing to compare with the Magna Charta or the Habeas Corpus Act. True, early in the seventeenth century Military Statutes (Buké Hatto) were promulgated; but their thirteen short articles were taken up mostly with marriages, castles, leagues, etc., and didactic regulations were but meagerly touched upon. We cannot, therefore, point out any definite time and place and say, "Here is its fountain head." Only as it attains consciousness in the feudal age, its origin, in respect to time, may be identified with feudalism. But feudalism itself is woven of many threads, and Bushido shares its intricate nature. As in England the political institutions of feudalism may be said to date from the Norman Conquest, so we may say that in Japan its rise was simultaneous with the ascendency of Yoritomo, late in the twelfth century. As, however, in England, we find the social elements of feudalism far back in the period previous to William the Conqueror, so, too, the germs of feudalism in Japan had been long existent before the period I have mentioned.

Again, in Japan as in Europe, when feudalism was formally inaugurated, the professional class of warriors naturally came into prominence. These were known as samurai, meaning literally, like the old English cniht (knecht, knight), guards or attendants—resembling in character the soldurii whom Caesar mentioned as existing in Aquitania, or the comitati, who, according to Tacitus, followed Germanic chiefs in his time; or, to take a still later parallel, the milites medii that one reads about in the history of Mediaeval Europe. A Sinico-Japanese word Bu-ké or Bu-shi (Fighting Knights) was also adopted in common use. They were a privileged class, and must originally have been a rough breed who made fighting their vocation. This class was naturally recruited, in a long period of constant warfare, from the manliest and the most adventurous, and all the while the process of elimination went on, the timid and the feeble being sorted out, and only "a rude race, all masculine, with brutish strength," to borrow Emerson's phrase, surviving to form families and the ranks of the samurai. Coming to profess great honor and great privileges, and correspondingly great responsibilities, they soon felt the need of a common standard of behavior, especially as they were always on a belligerent footing and belonged to different clans. Just as physicians limit competition among themselves by professional courtesy, just as lawyers sit in courts of honor in cases of violated etiquette, so must also warriors possess some resort for final judgment on their misdemeanors."

[Dirtnapninja]

This book essentially invented the modern concept of Bushido. Prior to this even the word bushido was extremely obscure.

[RubiconDecision]

This book essentially invented the modern concept of Bushido. Prior to this even the word bushido was extremely obscure.

Define what you mean. Modern as a term refers to the 19th and 20th century to about 1950. After 1950 or so you have the postmodern period. If you mean that Nitobe wrote a modern book on Bushido, then that is technically correct given the publication date is written during the modern historical period. If you mean that he invented a modern form of Bushido, then no that is incorrect, but he did write a book explaining to Western Audiences the concepts of Bushido. If you mean that his form of Bushido is some flowery form and he invented that, that is incorrect too and technically you have to look to post-Sekigahara for the lofty kinds of chivalry that became a part of Bushido during the Tokugawa era that was largely a time of peace. So, wrong again.

Bushido is very old. See: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...597453-Bushido for a discussion showing the effect of spiritual systems, especially Confucianism on Bushido with the five relationships, and then later Zen Buddhism and clarity of mind or mushin (literally no-mind), but of course Shinto as well since it has to do with the kami and ancestral spirits and giri. Confuscianism dates to 550 BCE, but while there were warriors in Japanese history, only by the time of the Gempei Wars do we have the emergence of the bushi. Then we have some daimyo house codes written down very early at the end of the Heian period, so we see the true emergence of the samurai and bushido circa 1154AD or so and changing dynamically across clans and time periods.

[Dirtnapninja]

What we call Bushido was invented by Nitobe Inazo. Prior to his book, the very word Bushido was so obscure the Nitobe thought he invented it. The samurai did have codes and traditions of behaviour, but the code that Nitobe described in his book was created by him to give the Japanese Samurai a code similar to his notions of Chivalry. The Japanese government liked it so much they began to promote it. Nitobe's Bushido is not historical.

[RubiconDecision]

What we call Bushido was invented by Nitobe Inazo. Prior to his book, the very word Bushido was so obscure the Nitobe thought he invented it. The samurai did have codes and traditions of behaviour, but the code that Nitobe described in his book was created by him to give the Japanese Samurai a code similar to his notions of Chivalry. The Japanese government liked it so much they began to promote it. Nitobe's Bushido is not historical.

If you believe that, then it is unlikely that I can persuade you otherwise.

We both agree that the codes of the samurai existed. That retainers knew these codes and practiced them. Some broke them no doubt, and did so in order to use subterfuge, attack their own masters, and to consolidate power within a domain. The earliest elements of the spiritual codes of Confuscianism, Shinto, and Buddhism lent themselves to form the basis of these codes.

Post-Sekigahara, when the Hagauke was written, then a flowery version of Bushido came into being. Samurai looked to the past and to glory and honor, but for the most part those days were over. Only a few distinguished themselves in battle post-Sekigahara, but some made individual achievements in duels. Many studied at weapon schools, but the only means of acheivement of these practices was by dueling or recovering honor. The 47 Ronin comes to mind here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forty-seven_Ronin

By the way, the effect of peace while dulling the practical application of the martial arts, also allowed far more people to daily have the opportunity to study them deeply. Such practice lead to a honing of the martial arts, and not just to killing. In some ways, you could say that this expression of Bushido was not inferior but was in fact superior in some ways.

Yamamoto Tsunetomo, the writer of the Hagakure, was not so found of these samurai, though in time the 47 Ronin have come to exemplify the Bushido of that age, one that demanded loyalty at the cost of one's life when shame and dishonor had not only lead to the death of one's master, but also their own corporate shame and loss of status by becoming ronin.
http://judoinfo.com/pdf/hagakure.pdf

Nitobe wrote Bushido, the Soul of Japan in 1900. Is his idea of Bushido the same as the samurai house codes? It is at it's core, but it is also a flowery chivalry spoken through the lens of deep respect and nostalgia. In 1873, the Emperor Meiji ended the samurai as a class. From the time of the great peace of the Tokugawa era to 1873, the samurai were in decline. They had become bureaucrats, shadows of their ancestors. Nitobe, although a true believer in peace due to his Society of Friends (Quaker) spiritual beliefs, is also an descendant of the samurai himself.

The larger question is, can Bushido be the same when it is applied to those who are not of the samurai class, and hence the elite? Bushido was never meant to be for common soldiers, the new replacements for the samurai in 1873. It's like comparing Spec Ops with conscripts. In fact, one could make a real case of the loss of honor among Japanese soldiers when Emperor Meiji banished the samurai.

That isn't to say that no one can practice Bushido today regardless of their origins, or to malign postmodern soldiers. The end of feudalism and the end of the samurai marked a time when one's origins were not as important for war. There are positives and negatives to this. Realize too that while a rigid structure imposed by feudalism existed, people did raise from the peasant classes into the samurai. They usually died or were temporarily elevated, rarely maintaining their new status, and often becoming peasants, monks, artisans, or merchants later...if not outright banditry.

Miyamoto Musashi (Shinmen Takezo) was born an impoverish peasant, joined the losing side of Sekigahara, escaped with his life, and as a ronin went on to become one of the most impressive samurai swordsmen who ever lived. He is known as the Kensai, the Sword Saint.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyamoto_Musashi

Toyotomi Hideoyoshi began with peasant origins, and yet went on to be one of the greatest of the samurai as well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyotom...shi#Early_life

If we look at many of the giant corporate houses, we will find the descendants of the samurai. Many both invested in defense industries and hence became merchants as well as being soldiers after the Meiji edict. Many were zaibutsu and responsible for war attrocities in WW2.

If we say that Bushido (literally the way of the bushi (those who engage in War as knights i.e. samurai) never existed until Nitobe, then that would be false. We know that existed with the Gempei Wars. It was very much a living idea that changed based upon the location, the clan, and the ethos of the person practicing it. If we make the outrageous statement that Nitobe fabricated Bushido, then of course that is equally untrue.

If Bushido exists, then does it mean that all practiced it? That's a complex question. Did Richard the Lionheart, considered the flower of chivalry ever do dishonorable things? Of course. Did Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb ever do dishonorable things? Of course. Can we impress upon them our ideas of chivalry and then say that since they don't act like the way we think they should, and hence they are not chivalrous in hindsight? Well, that would certainly be revisionist and unfair. We can only compare people in the time period in which they lived.

Whatever Bushido is now has evolved today. That doesn't mean it isn't true. All ideas change in time, and one's character could only be improved by both reading Nitobe's book and what's more to practice that in daily life. Bushido existed even through the word might not have been used, in the same way that Karatedo (the way of the empty hand) existed before it was called a way, but merely a practical form of unarmed combat.

I encourage you to real the Ideals of the Samurai by William Scott Wilsonin order to see the English translations of the house codes of the samurai, and so to see that Bushido did in fact exist during the medieval period. Some of them can be freely read through google books. Look here for links to that:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...597453-Bushido
http://www.amazon.com/Ideals-Samurai.../dp/0897500814

A newer book on the samurai codes is out. It is one that I haven't read myself. There are very few works translated into English, even of the martial arts from the 20th Century in Japan. Even if one spent time in Japan and was fluent, many of the older works are likely in archaic Japanese forms and so extremely difficult to understand. Because some work was done to copy the movement of weapons into scrolls and books, we know but glimmers as to the real intent of those writers, and can only rely upon the postmodern teachers at the highest levels who pass them along to their finest students.

EDIT: I'd like to help the players of STW2 to understand more Japanese History, and not to create a whole new generation of what the Samurai Archives disdainfully calls "modern sammyrai".

Please read that brief article at the Samurai Archives and educate yourself so that you don't allow youthful exuberance to both falsely idolize and fancifully create a fake samurai history:
http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/ind...odern_Sammyrai

What I am discussing is not that kind of Bushido, but rather a true intentional look into Japanese history for the antecedents of the samurai by looking at history, their house codes, their spiritual beliefs, etc.

I've included the Hagakure above in a link. It was written between 1709-1716 AD.

Here is a link to a google books document on the Bushido Shoshinshu written by Taira Shigesuke (Daidōji Yūza). it was also written around the time of the Hagakure. It gives you something to compare that document to.
http://books.google.com/books?id=BXN...ed=0CC8Q6AEwAA
"As long as you keep death in mind at all times, you will fulfill the ways of loyalty and familial duty. You will also avoid myriad evils and calamities, you will be physically sound and healthy, and you will live a long life. What is more, your character will improve and your virtue will grow.

If people comfort their minds with the assumption that they will live a long time, something might happen, because they think they will have forever to do their work and look after their parents-they may fail to perform for their employers and also treat their parents thoughtlessly.

But if you realize that the life that is here today is not certain on the morrow, then when you take your orders from your employer, and when you look in on your parents, you will have the sense that this may be the last time-so you cannot fail to become truly attentive to your employer and your parents. This is why I say you also fulfill the paths of loyalty and familial duty when you keep death in mind." Taira Shigesuke

When we idolize our heroes, then they lose the essential quality of being human. It is better to take the Japanese ideas from Shinto and venerate those elders and hence revere them, but also to realize they were all too human. They made mistakes. They were not one-dimensional caricatures, but real people who sometimes had feet of clay. They were not invulnerable immortals but flesh and blood who could die in a moment from a sharp yari, a flung arrow, the tskui from a katana. Having your eyes opened in such a way, then when we read of the honorable acts that they did in moments of conflict, how much greater are those acts?

[Dirtnapninja]

Can you find me a single mention of Bushido, or a code like Bushido in Hagakure? Because I cannot. You mention the 47 ronin... The 47 ronin served a drunken lout that tried to stab an unarmed old man in the back. They then murdered the man and his houshold after their own master was forced to commit suicide for his crime. Their main job was procuring peasant girls for their lord to rape. Not really Nitobe's idea of Bushido.

[RubiconDecision]

Can you find me a single mention of Bushido, or a code like Bushido in Hagakure? Because I cannot. You mention the 47 ronin... The 47 ronin served a drunken lout that tried to stab an unarmed old man in the back. They then murdered the man and his houshold after their own master was forced to commit suicide for his crime. Their main job was procuring peasant girls for their lord to rape. Not really Nitobe's idea of Bushido.

Now you're just trolling. If you could be bothered to read my post, I showed another text from 1700 the Bushido Shoshinshu written by Taira Shigesuke. How da ya like them apples? 200 years before Nitobe wrote his text.

That's an interesting take on the 47 Ronin. Incidently it's a sacred shrine for all students of the traditional martial arts. But that probably would be lost on you. http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3000.html
The Shrine of the 47 Ronin at Sengakuji Temple

http://www.samurai-archives.com/ronin.html
The Samurai Archives has a slightly different take than dirtnapninja.
"The story of the 47 Ronin is one of the most celebrated in the history of the samurai. This was perhaps all the more so because it occurred at a time when the samurai class was struggling to maintain a sense of itself - warriors with no war, a social class without a function.


The tale could be said to have begun with the teachings of Yamaga Soko (1622-1685), an influential theorist who wrote a number of important works on the warrior spirit and what it meant to be samurai. His writings inspired a certain Ôishi Kuranosuke Yoshio, a samurai and retainer of Asano Takumi no kami Naganori (1667-1701), who led a branch of the powerful Asano family.

It happened that Lord Asano was chosen by the shogun, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, to be one of a number of daimyo tasked with entertaining envoys from the Imperial family. To assist him in this new duty, the Bakufu's highest ranking master of protocol, Kira Kozukenosuke Yoshinaka (1641-1702), was assigned to instruct him in matters of etiquette. Kira, it seems, was a somewhat difficult character and expected Asano to compensate him monetarily for the trouble, which Asano held was simply his duty. The two grew to dislike one another intensely, and Kira made every effort to embarrass his student. Finally, in April of 1702, the situation exploded within the shogun's palace - Kira insulted Asano once again, prompting the latter to draw his sword and swing at him. Kira was only wounded in the attack and Asano was promptly placed under confinement.

Striking another man in anger was against the law - doing so within the shogun's palace was unthinkable. Asano made little effort to defend himself during questioning except to say that he bore the shogun no ill will and only regretted that he had failed to kill Kira. "

[RubiconDecision]

Since words change over time, and yet take on a familiar meaning, it is often good to go back in history and uncover the original words that were used. By doing so then you can delve into the older terms and find better historical information. For example, the word samurai would not likely be the most correct word for the warrior class portrayed in Shogun Total War 2 for the Sengoku period.

Here's a concise article which discusses the changing term from the end of the Heian period and the Gempei wars onward.
http://www.jref.com/japan/culture/samurai.shtml

As you can imagine from a marketing standpoint, if you created a game that was largely sold to Western audiences, then having a game on the bushi would have induced odd shrugs of "what the devil is that game about?" Had they used the term saburai, then most people would have assumed it was a misprint, and yet that is likely the term used during the Sengoku period.

The term originates with saburau which means to attend. In fact, the Japanese boys name Saburo is not uncommon as a result.
http://books.google.com/books?id=M5-...aburai&f=false

Originally saburai-bito were minor court officials in the service of the Emperor, but saburai-dokoro were court officials specifically in charge of military matters.
http://books.google.com/books?id=p2Q...aburai&f=false
Yoritomo had created a special class of warriors who were in charge of law enforcement and particularly having to do with controling the ranks of the bushi.
http://books.google.com/books?id=oba...=0CDcQ6AEwAjgK

http://www.romajidesu.com/dictionary...%E6%89%80.html
http://books.google.com/books?id=eiT...dokoro&f=false

Bushi meaning men of arms, almost the same as men at arms that was used in England, dated back to the mid 700s. At that time tsuwamono was more generally used, and this term was more akin to a man of strength i.e. a warrior.
http://books.google.com/books?id=p2Q...=bushi&f=false

This is why finding the term Bushido is not going to help students of samurai history...you're looking for the incorrect Japanese word if looking for the warrior class of the Sengoku period!!!

What you should be looking for is mono-no-fu no michi or tsuwamono no michi. From the Kamakura period, the term kyuba no michi was also used.
http://books.google.com/books?id=p2Q...=bushi&f=false

Kyuba no michi means the way of the bow and horse (mounted archers). If unmounted, it probably was called yumi no michi meaning the way of the bow and arrow. It might also be called yumiya no toru mi no narai meaning the practices of those who hold the bow and arrow.
http://books.google.com/books?id=qtj...0michi&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=NR9...0michi&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=P-N...0michi&f=false

But there are still even more terms that bushido might be known from the Kamakura period onwards. It might be called chugi no michi meaning the way of loyalty or it might be called (my personal favorite) bushi-no kokorogiwa the Heart of the Bushi.
http://books.google.com/books?id=kO0...0michi&f=false

Another term that recalls the house codes is the buke no narai meaning the customs of the samurai houses. If you look at the Bushido topic in the D&D History section, I placed several links of those in there. Court officials had their own codes called the kuge no narai.

Speaking specifically of kenshin (self-sacrifice), then there are very early discussions of this subject in regards to the the complete giri (duty) of vassals to their liege lord. They can be found in the Bando musha no narai (the way of the warriors of the Bando [eastern warrior clan]), a 12th Century term from the Heike monogatarai.

This means that unless you're looking for those more correct terms used from the end of the Heian period through Sengoku Jidai then you're LOOKING FOR THE WRONG WORD!

Now you know a little more as an amateur Japanese historian.

If you like learning a little Japanese history because you appreciate the samurai or traditional martial arts, or you need information for modding, then would it not be important to facilitate this effort by banning the term jap samurai or even the word japs that have been used at the forum? Can you see why someone of Japanese ancestry wouldn't go to all the trouble of helping when they see those words used?

[RubiconDecision]

http://a-mushtaq1114-ahistoryof.blog...-mototada.html
1600AD Torii Ototada House Code
"Torii Mototada was a legendary legendary samurai, who served Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun.

Motatada's tale is the stuff of legend as he chose to stay behind at Fushimi castle and defend the castle as his lord, Ieyasu fled in an act of loyalty and Bushido as it was under attack from 40,000 followers of Toyotomi Hideyoshi.

In August 1600, Torii was forewarned by spies that an army of 40,000 battle-hardened followers of Toyotomi Hideyoshi were annihilating everything in their path on their march to Fushimi Castle. The 2000 man garrison at Fushimi Castle was badly outnumbered, yet escape for the men inside was still possible. In an act of loyalty to his lord Tokugawa Ieyasu, Torii chose to remain behind, pledging that he and his bastion would fight to the finish.

In a moving last statement addressed to his son Tadamasa, Torii described how his family served the Tokugawa for generations and how his own brother had been killed in battle. In the letter, Torii stated that he considered it an honor to die first so that he might give courage to the rest of the Tokugawa warriors. He requested that his son raise his siblings to serve the Tokugawa Clan "In both ascent and decline" and to remain humble desiring neither lordship nor monetary reward. Lifelong friends, Torii Mototada and Tokugawa Ieyasu parted ways sadly knowing that they would never see each other again:

"It is not the Way of the Warrior to be shamed and avoid death even under circumstances that are not particularly important.....For myself, I am resolved to make a stand within the castle and to die a quick death. It would not take much trouble to break through a part of their numbers and escape, no matter how many tens of thousands of horsemen approached for the attack or by how many columns we were surrounded. But that is not the true meaning of being a warrior, and it would be difficult to account as loyalty. Rather, I will stand off the forces of the entire country here, and...die a resplendent death."

More at the link

[RubiconDecision]

Takeda Samasuke Nobushige 1558AD House Code

"One must never be perfidious to his master. In the Lun Yu it says, "One should act according to the Way even in times of haste. One should act according to the Way even in times of danger." It says further, "When one is serving his master, he should exert himself."

One should not exhibit the least bit of cowardice on the battle-field. In the Wu Tzu it says, "He who would save his life shall lose it, and he who would give up his life shall save it."

One should take care in his activities so that he will be with-out negligence. In the Shih Chi it says, "If the master acts correctly, his retainers will perform well, even if given no commands. But if the master acts incorrectly, even though he gives commands they will not be followed."

One should exert himself in the martial arts absolutely. In the San Lueh it says, "There are no weak soldiers under a strong general."

One should not tell a lie in any situation whatsoever. In the oracles of the gods it has been said, "Although truth may not be rewarded at once, in the end it will receive the compassion of the gods and Buddhas." In battle, however, shouldn't one act according to the circumstances of the moment? In the Sun Tzu it says, "Avoid the enemy's strength, strike at his weakness. "2

One should not be the least bit unfilial toward his parents. In the Lun Yu it says, "In serving one's parents, one should use all his strength."

One should never treat his brothers carelessly. In the Hou Han Shu it says, "One's brothers are his right and left hands."

One should not utter a word about his own inadequacies. In the Oko it says, "When a man lets out a single word, the long and short of him will be known."

One should not use rough manners with anyone. With priests, women, children, the poor, and the elderly, one should be all the more polite. It is said in the Li Chi that, "One is safe when polite, but in danger when ill-mannered."

It is essential to develop one's self in the martial arts. In the Lun Yu it
says, "To study the heretical will only be damaging."

One must not be negligent in Learning. In the Lun Yu it says, "To study and not to think is darkness. To think without study is dangerous."

One should endeavor not to be negligent in any matter concern*ing deportment. In the Lun Yu it says, "When Confucius entered the ancestral temple of the Chou, he asked about everything."

One should not be excessive in refined pleasures. In Shih Chi it says, "When the banquet is in full swing, there will be confusion. When pleasure is at its height, sorrow appears. In the Tso Chuan it says, "High living is like drinking poisoned sake: it is unthinkable." Again, it says in the Lun Yu, "One should respect virtue as he loves a beautiful woman."

In matters both great and small, one should not turn his back on his master's commands. In the Lun Yu it says, "Water will conform to the shape of the vessel that contains it, whether it be round or square."

One should not ask for gifts or enfiefments from the master. In the Tso Chuan it says, "Reward without merit is unjust gain, and is an invitation to disaster."

One should neither grumble nor gossip. In the Lun Yu it says, "One should not flatter because he is poor, or be haughty because he is rich."

One should not turn his back on reproof

It is essential to act with compassion toward one's retainers. In the San Lueh it says, "Using the people is like using one's own hands and feet."

When a retainer is ill, one should go to visit the man with real concern, even though it may cause one some inconvenience. In the Chun Chan it says, "One should attend to his warriors as he would to his own thirst."

One should not forget his retainer's loyal deeds. In the San Lueh it says, "When good and bad are considered the same, re*tainers of merit will lose interest."

One should not turn his back on reproof. In the words of the ancients, "Good medicine is bitter to the mouth, but has effect on the disease. Faithful words hurt one's ears, but have value for one's conduct." Moreover, in the Shu Ching it says, "When the wood follows the inkline, it will be straight. When the master follows a remonstrance, he will become a sage."

When one's retainers are not without loyalty, and for some un*avoidable circumstances are in difficult straits, the master should give them assistance for a while. An old proverb says, "If one plans to abide in a place for one year, he should plant the five grains. If his plan is for ten years, he should plant trees. If one's plans are for his whole life, there is nothing like sustaining his retainers."

One should not go in and out of the palace by the back gate on his own business. An old saying has it, "Father and son do not sit in the same rank, nor do men and women sit together."

A man who has been alienated from his friends should make en*deavors in the Way of humanity. In the Lun Yu it says, "One should not deviate from the path of humanity for even the time it takes to eat his meal."

One must not be rude when being questioned about things by another. In the Lun Yu it says, "When one is mixing with friends, should not his words be sincere?"

One should not be lazy in attending to his everyday duties. In the Lun Yu it says, "If one has energy left after endeavoring in virtue, he should study."

Note: When one is attending his duties, he should at first go to where his fellows are gathered, and later withdraw to the rear. In short, it is essential for a person to consider well where he should be. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "One should not think that his companions will be the same after not meeting them for three days. This is true all the more for a Gentleman."3

No matter how intimate one may be with another, he should not gossip about trifling things in front of him. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "Think over a matter three times before let*ting out a word; think it over nine times before acting."

One should make endeavors in Zen meditation. There is a say*ing of the ancients that goes, "There is no particular secret to Zen. It is simply making a settlement of the matter of life and death." One should on no account tell people of other clans about the wrong-doings that have occurred in one's own. There is a saying that goes, "Good news never leaves the gate, but bad news travels a thousand miles."

At no matter what time of the day one returns to his home, he should send a messenger ahead of him announcing his return. When one comes home suddenly and witnesses the negligence of his servants, he will have to rebuke them. Moreover, if one made a searching examination into the details of such matters, would there ever be an end to them? In the Lun Yu it says, "It is criminal to pass the death sentence without first instructing about right and wrong."

No matter how unreasonably the master may treat a man, he should not feel disgruntled. In the Hsiao Ching it says, "Although one may think that the master is unfitting for his position, a re*tainer must do the work of a retainer." It is also said that, "The man who hunts a deer does not gaze at the mountains." It is fur*ther said that, "An underling does not pass judgments on a super*ior."

Concerning the chastisements of servants, if the crime is small, it should be left off with a rebuke. For a grave offense there is no doubt that a man should lose his life. Chiang Shih4 said, "If one would prevent the bud from leafing, he must, in the end, use an ax."

Note: If the death sentence is passed often for simply lesser crimes, will not men lose their wills, according to the circum*stances? In the Lu Shih Ch'un Ch'iu it says, "If the law is too strict, it will not be listened to; if prohibitions are many, they cannot be carried out."

One should not levy on the farmers more than their predeter*mined amount of labor duty. In the Chun Ch'an it says, "If there is oppression from above, there will be disruption below. If the people are heavily exploited, there will be no end to death sen*tences and they will kill each other off."

In the presenting of awards, no matter whether it is great or small, it should be done at once. In the San Lueh it says, "In the reward of merit, time should not pass by."

In putting people to use, one should assign them tasks accord*ing to their abilities. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "A good carpenter will not throw wood away; a good general will not discard a warrior."

There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "It is painful to hear the gong commanding a retreat, but a joy to hear the one that announces an advance."

One should not be negligent in having his armor in good order. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "A nine-story tower begins with the foundation."

When heading for the front, one should not be even a day be-hind the commander. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "It is painful to hear the gong commanding a retreat, but a joy to hear the one that announces an advance."

One should groom his horse well. In the Lun Yu it says, "As a dog protects a man, and a horse labors in his stead, they are ani*mals that do him good service."

When facing opposing forces, one should attack the place that has not yet been secured. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "The man who defeats the enemy often is he who does not win by means of formation." There is another saying that goes, "It is the custom of our clan to simply dash in at full speed, and give the enemy no respite."

During a battle, one should not chase the enemy far. In the Szu Ma Fa it says, "In chasing the enemy, one should not leave the ranks. By doing so he will bring confusion to his unit, lose order in his column, and waste men and horses."

If one's forces are winning a battle, it is better to push right on through without giving the enemy a chance to rally. While all of the enemy forces have still not been crushed, there is yet a chance for them to recover. In the San Lueh it says, "An attack is like the rising of the wind."

One should not praise the vastness or strength of the enemy in front of others. In the San Lueh it says, "One should not allow a man to speak of the good points of the enemy."

One's soldiers should not yell abuse at the enemy. An old saying goes, "Arouse a bee and it will come at you with the force of a dragon."

When a battle is approaching, one should treat his men roughly. Their anger thus accumulated, they will fight fiercely. In the Szu Ma Fa it says, "When one is dealing with a weak and powerless person, he should handle that person as though handling water. When dealing with the powerful and mighty, he should use the same respect as when handling fire."

One should never display a weak attitude, even though he may be with sympathetic relatives or retainers. In the San Lueh it says, "If a man loses his courage, his servants and soldiers will lose their respect for him."

One should not be fond of maneuvering too much. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "Wishing for too much, one will, in the end, get nothing. Why be fond of going too far from what is natural?" Moreover, in the Lun Yu it says, "Excess is the same as insufficiency."

When one would make a surprise attack on the enemy, he should avoid the major roads and seek out the lesser ones. Then attack. An old proverb says, "When easily seen, one should take the bypaths; when not easily seen, the whole army may be moved."

In all things, even though a person asks after one, is it not better to turn a blind eye? In the Pi Yen Lu it says, "Even if it is something one likes, it is better to be without it."

One should not fight over every incident that comes along. In the Lun Yu it says, "The Gentleman does not contend. If he does, is it not in something like an archery match?"

One should judge good and evil well. In the San Lueh it says, "If one good deed is disregarded, the good acts of all will decline. If one evil deed is praised, all will return to evil."

When food provisions arrive at the camp, one should distribute them bit by bit to those in service around him. In the San Lueh it says, "When the good generals of long ago were in charge of their soldiers, if wine was sent, they had it all thrown in the river. They then drank water from the streams like everyone else."

If one never makes an effort, it will be difficult to come up in the world. In the Lao Tzu it says, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

No matter how reasonable one's argument may be, he should not persist in it to a man of high social status. There is a saying that goes, "When words are many, one's position is damaged."

One should not torture himself over a single mistake. What is essential is one's presence of mind hereafter. In the Lun Yu it says, "When one makes a mistake, he should not be hesitant to correct it." It says further, "Making a mistake and not correcting it, this is a real mistake."

One should not have contempt for the elderly, regardless of their rank. In the Lun Yu it says, "One should respect the elderly as though they were his own parents."

One should not associate with people whose conduct is poor. In the Shih Chi it says, "If you don't know a man's character, in*vestigate who his friends are." There is another saying that goes, "A man should not mix only with the high or the low. The bush warbler that flits from flower to flower smells their fragrance with-out becoming familiar with them."

One should not doubt people too much. In the San Lueh it says, "Vacillation is nothing less than disaster for an army."

One should not criticize the mistakes of others. There is an old saying that goes, "Bestow on others what you yourself are fond of."

One should not carry maliciousness in his heart. In the Chun Ch'an it says, "If a malicious man is in a high position, his troops will fight among themselves to the last man."

When summoned by the master, one should not be the least bit tardy. In the Lun Yu it says, "When Confucius was summoned by the prince, he went off without waiting for his carriage."

One should not tell secrets to others, whether they be of mili*tary plans or otherwise. In the I Ching it says, "If the secret is not kept, there will be harm." In the Shih Chi it says, "Matters are brought to maturity by means of secrecy, words, when leaked out, are brought to nothing."

One should believe in the gods and Buddhas. There is a saying that goes, "When one is in accord with the Buddha-mind, he will often have strength added to him. The man who defeats others by evil means will in the end fall as he deserves."

When the army of one's allies is at the point of defeat, one should strive all the more. In the Ku Liang Chuan it says, "He who lays his strategies well does not fight. He who fights well will not die."

One should use a sharp sword, and should never wear one that is the least bit blunt. It is said that, "A blunt sword will not cut through bones."

One should talk of neither foodstuffs nor trade in front of others. There is an old saying that goes, "Metal is tested by fire; man is tested by what he says."

Even if one should be very intimate with another, he should think carefully before making a request of him. There is a saying of the ancients that goes, "Greedy for one more cup of wine, he loses a whole boatload of fish."

One should not criticize people unnecessarily in the presence of others. In the Chan Kuo Ts'e it says, "One should praise another's good points, but not talk about his bad ones."

Even if the enemy's forces are vast, one should attack if their defenses have been neglected. Moreover, one should think care-fully before attacking a well-defended enemy, even though his force may be small. In the Sun Tzu it says, "One should not attack an imposingly defended camp, nor should he try to obstruct the flag of a well-arranged attack. To strike at such a force, one should keep in mind the suddenness of the snake of Mt. Ch'ang. When its head is struck, the tail comes forth; when the tail is struck, the head comes forth; when its middle is struck, both head and tail are at its attacker. There is a method of attacking such an enemy."

One should not act with a sense of ennui in any matter whatsoever. Mencius said, "If one will earnestly persevere, he will be a follower of Shun. "5

The above articles are not to be carelessly or repeatedly brought to the ears of others. Rather, this should be thought of as my last testimony for you. Five and two multiplied are ten, but added are only seven. This is a secret oral tradition from the House of Shingen.


Eiroku Gannen (1558)
A good day in April
To the House Elders
Takeda Samasuke Nobushige

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The Iwamizudera Monogatari
Takeda Shingen (1521–1573AD)

One night Lord Shingen again spoke to those around him, say*ing, "regardless of whether a man's rank be high or low, there is one thing that will make it replete. Can any of you guess what that is?" After a while they all spoke up saying that they could not dis*cern what it might be, no matter how much they thought about it. Shingen then said, "If only a man will not do what he himself would like to do, and do those things that he finds unpleasant, his position, no matter what it is, will be replete."

One night Lord Shingen said, "It is the act of a man of low rank to prune off an astringent persimmon and graft a sweet one to it. A samurai of middle or upper rank, and particularly the lord of a province, would find many uses for an astringent persimmon pre*cisely because of its nature. This does not mean, however, that one should cut down a sprig that has already been grafted. Are not all things like this?"

****

A man with deep far-sightedness will survey both the beginning and the end of a situation and continually consider its every facet as important.

****

Lord Shingen said, "In this world, not only samurai, but also servants down through the lower classes are born with differing characters, and people are apt to misjudge them by appearance. First, men with discrimination' will be viewed as schemers; second, men with deep far-sightedness3 will be seen as cowards; and third, men with rough behavior will be mistaken for real warriors. These are great errors.

"A man with discrimination will leave off 70 percent of a matter, and speak of only the remainder.

"A man with deep far-sightedness will survey both the begin*ning and end of a situation and continually consider its every facet as important. When speaking up about something according to the results as he projects them, he will think of his wife and children beforehand and thus judge the situation in real terms. This is called far-sightedness. Men who do not have this quality view those who do as cowards, and are surely less mature.

"Again, a man who behaves with rough manner has neither dis*crimination nor far-sightedness, speaks unreasonably, and con*siders the terseness of the far-sighted and discriminating man as pusillanimity. When the time of battle has arrived, however, he thinks of his wife and children for the first time; and when his moment has come, his end will no doubt be wanting. Thus is rough behavior on the very verge of cowardice."

Lord Shingen said, "Because this man with rough behavior has neither discrimination nor far-sightedness, he further has not much of a sense of shame. Thus, even if his father and brothers were suddenly killed and the enemy apparent, contrary with his usual roughness, he would have no thought of striking that enemy at all. When competing in battle, the man with rough behavior will in*evitably fall short of even the run of the mill, and yet will make up various excuses and justifications for himself. This is entirely be-cause he lacks both discrimination and far-sightedness."

Again one night Lord Shingen said, "Just as contrivance and meditation are different, so are discrimination and quick-witted*ness. This can be understood by the fact that in this world there are those who have a sense of discrimination but are not quick-witted, and there are also those who are quick-witted but have no sense of discrimination. If this is not explained clearly, young people will remain none the wiser; so for their sake let us put it into other words. Discrimination is performed by the mind, while quick-wittedness is a function of ch'i (ki). Oversights are rare with people who have discrimination, but those who lack this quality and are only quick-witted will make many mistakes. This critique should be common among men of knowledge, but unlearned youth will rarely understand it."

Once Lord Shingen said, "It is essential for a man to have far-sightedness; for, having this quality, he will also have a sense of discrimination. When a man thinks through to the conclusion of things and is still unable to make his own discernment, if he is of high rank he may consult one of the capable elders, if of lower rank he may discuss the matter with the capable acquaintances he has among his relatives and comrades. Coming to a conclusion in this way, mistakes will be few. Thus, it is my humble opinion that far-sightedness is the foundation of discrimination.

"Generally, if men have a deep far-sightedness, are quick-witted, and are able to discern situations well, no matter to what problems they may apply themselves, their fame will remain to later generations. There is, for example, the legend of how Fuji*wara Fuhito regained a great crystal gem from the bottom of the sea with his discrimination and quick-wittedness. Using these qual*ities, Fuhito pledged his love to a sea nymph, begging her to dive into the sea and bring the gem to him. Although such means might be called duplicity, his discernment and far-sightedness are obvi*ously praiseworthy, for with this gem the fire of the sun and moon were obtained, and water procured. At the foundation in this case, too, was a quick awareness, both contriving and thoughtful.

"Be this as it may, there is but one thing concerning which all one's discrimination and quick-wittedness will never bring about successful contrivance or meditation. Each one of you try to tell what that is!"

None of those listening could think of anything, so Shingen laughed and said, "Man's life shrinks away, and there is little to be done about it."

One night, Lord Shingen quoted from an old proverb, and said, "Chen K'ung said to Emperor Wen of the Wei, `Encountering another, it is best to speak only a third part of what you have to say, and not yet open your heart completely. When a man is self-composed, he does not become completely intimate with another; when a flower is composed, it does not bloom all at once although the spring has come. Otherwise, yesterday's friend will become today's enemy, as yesterday's flower will become today's dust.' Thus, when one is speaking with a man about some deep matter and leaves off seven parts to speak only three, it is entirely to keep shame at a distance. But when one explains to a man lack*ing in discrimination that it is bad to speak out abruptly, he ends up not speaking at all. Likewise, a man who finds import in all things considers it bad to graft sweet persimmons to a tree that bears astringent fruit. Explain this to a man of little understand*ing, however, and he will cut off the graft that has long borne sweet fruit, once again grafting on a puckery one . . . all with an air of clear understanding. This is bringing on bad results with the intention of doing good, and is the manner of men who are lack*ing in discrimination. An old proverb says, `A little piece of gold may be highly valued, but if it gets in one's eye, the result will be darkness.' Isn't this about the same?"

One night Lord Shingen said, "Learning4 is to a man as the leaves and branches are to a tree, and it can be said that he should simply not be without it. Learning is not only reading books, how-ever, but is rather something that we study to integrate with our own way of life. One who was born in the house of a warrior, re*gardless of his rank or class, first acquaints himself with a man of military feats and achievements in loyalty, and, listening to just one of his dictums each day, will in a month know 30 precepts. Needless to say, if in a year he learns 300 precepts, at the end of that time he will be much for the better. Thus, a man can divide his mind into three parts: he should throw out those thoughts that are evil, take up those ideas that are good, and become inti*mate with his own wisdom. Doing this, he should have little to shame him.

"I would honor and call wise the man who penetrates this principle, though he lacks the knowledge of a single Chinese char*acter. As for those who are learned in other matters, however, I would avoid them regardless of how deep their knowledge might be. That is how shallow and untalented this monks is."

Once, Lord Shingen said, "In this world there are many kinds of men. There are those who have discrimination but no quick wit, those who are quick-witted but lack compassion; and those who have compassion, but not the ability to judge one man from the next. There are many—eight out of ten—in the reverenced upper classes who are useless in distinguishing one man from the next. Among those intimate with each other in the lower ranks, there are almost none at all.

"Thus, there are many different kinds of men, and if we look at this fact from a different angle we can see that their differences stem from having minds lacking in discrimination. If only a man will excel in discrimination, he will do well in any other field—quick-wittedness, far-sightedness, the ability to distinguish one man from another, and gaining in merit. Thus a man should know that discrimination is the foundation of all these other qualities. To improve his own sense of this quality, he should make it his aim each morning and his meditation each night."

Lord Shingen said, "When one is employing samurai from the time they are children, and looks ahead to their qualities as adults, there will generally be four differing types. Suppose that three samurai—one who has much experience in the Way of the Warrior, one who is very valiant, and one who is exceptionally clever at things—get together and talk over stories of warriors, military exploits, etc., in the company of four children.

"The first child will just sit with his mouth open and look at the speaker's face. The second will strain his ears and listen with his face inclined a little to the floor. The third will look at the speaker's face and listen, laughing periodically with a cheerful look about him. The fourth will get up and leave. These are the various types.

"First, the child who sits listening as though in a dream will, as time goes on, slacken in disposition, and, no matter how many times he is involved in military affairs, will remain incapable of discerning the situation. As his behavior will be without focus or continuity, he will not retain fitting and proper advisors, but will rather listen to the opinions of his good friends.

"Second, the child who listened to the stories of warriors with strained ears will be no problem in the future. He will become like those men with knowledge of martial affairs who served Yokota, a governor of Bitchu; Hara, governor of Mino; Obata, the Nyudo of Yamashiro, and Tada, the governor of Awaji during Nobu*tada's6 generation; and Yamamoto Kansuke and Hojo Ujiyasu in my own time.

"Third, the child who listened to the stories while laughing in an amused manner, in the future will inevitably become praised for his martial exploits. He will, however, go too far and become haughty, thus receiving people's spite.

"Fourth, the child who got up and left during the stories of warriors, will in the future, eight or nine times out of ten, be-come a coward. Even the two or three who do not become cow*ards will follow behind others. Such a man will walk about speak*ing with great authority and think of himself as worthy of great martial fame if he simply strikes off the head of a fleeing enemy who has fallen behind his own ranks in battle. If a real warrior has performed a true deed of merit, this man will imagine that although this feat, like his own, was in striking down a worthy enemy, the warrior's reputation as a brave man rests on the inter-cession of others. Thinking that men in this world are not so dif*ferent from one another, he will resent the real warrior, and let his mouth wag freely. Thus will one who left the discussions of warriors as a child, turn out on becoming an adult."

Once Lord Shingen said, "When the daimyo who rule an entire province employ men, they fancy only a certain kind of samurai, and respect those with the same behavior and deportment. These they employ and treat well, but I myself deplore such an attitude.

"My reason is that when a samurai of rank, either high or low, first learns the natural way of playing kemari,7 he sets up the four boundary marks in his garden.

"Particularly in spring, the cherry blossoms break out in color and the willow darkens with green. When the spring passes and these two trees have finished with their competition, summer comes, and at length goes by. With autumn, the leaves of the maple turn red, sad that they soon will fall. Though they are sung in various ways through the mist of the evenings and the autum*nal rains, when winter is at hand not a one of them remains.

Just at that time the eternally unchanging color of the pine mani*fests itself. It is like this, too, in the world of men; and thus the provincial lord who fancies only one kind of man is absolutely to be censured.

"However, it is laudable, I suppose, when a good general re*cruits only one kind of retainer. Three times four equals 12, after all, but three plus four only seven."

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Here is the Buke Shohatto (Various Points of Laws for Warrior Houses) created from 1615 to 1635 AD as edicts by Tokugawa Ieyasu and written to the various damiyo of the Han (Feudal Domains).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buke_shohatto

http://www2.uni-erfurt.de/ostasiatis...atto_1635.html
1. - The taste for the Way of literature, arms, archery and horsemanship is to be the chief object of cultivation.
2. - It is now settled that the Daimyos and Shomyos (i. e. the greater and lesser Barons) are to do service by turns at Yedo. They shall proceed hither on service every year in summer during the course of the fourth month. Latterly the numbers of their followers have become excessive. This is at once a cause of wastefulness to the provinces and districts and of hardship to the people. Henceforward suitable reductions in this respect must he made. On the occasions of going up to Kyoto, however, the directions given may be followed. On occasions of government service (i. e. military service) the full complement of each Baron must be in attendance.
3. - The erection or repairing of new castles is strictly forbidden. When the moats or ramparts of the present residential castles are to be repaired, whether as regards the stonework, plaster, or earth-work, a report must be made to the Bugyosho (i. e. the Magistracy at Yedo) and its direction taken. As regards the (Yagura, hei and mon) armories, fences and gates, repairs may be made to restore them to their previous conditions.
4. - Whether at Yedo or in any of the provinces whatsoever, if an occurrence of any sort whatsoever should take place, those (Barons and their retainers) who are there at the time are to stay where they are and to await the Shogun's orders (from Yedo).
(Editor's Note. - This enactment was entirely new; no such rule having existed previously.)
5. - Whenever capital punishment is to be inflicted, no matter where, nobody except the functionaries in charge is to be present. But the coroner's directions are to be followed.
6. - The scheming of innovations, the forming of parties and the taking of oaths is strictly forbidden. (Editor's Note. - New enactment.)
7. - There must be no private quarrels whether amongst the (Kokushu) greater Barons or (Ryoshu) the other Feudatories. Ordinary circumspection and carefulness must be exercised. If matters involving a lengthy arrangement should arise they must be reported to the Magistracy and its pleasure ascertained. (Editor's Note. - New enactment.)
8. - Daimyos of over 10,000 koku income, whether they be lords of provinces (domains) or lords of castles, and the heads of departments (monogashira) in personal attendance on them are not to form matrimonial alliances (between members of their families) at their private convenience (i. e. they must apply for the Shogun's permission before doing so).
9. - In social observances of the present day, such as visits of ceremony, sending and return of presents, the formalities of giving and receiving in marriage, the giving of banquets and the construction of residences, the striving after elegance is carried to very great lengths. Henceforth there must be much greater simplicity in these respects. And in all other matters there must be a greater regard for economy.
10. - There must be no indiscriminate intermingling (of ranks) as regards the materials of dress. Undyed silk with woven patterns (Shiro-aya) is only to be worn by Court Nobles (Kuge) and others of the highest ranks. Wadded coats of undyed silk may be worn by Daimyos and others of higher rank. Lined coats of purple silk; silk coats with the lining of purple; white gloss silk, coloured silk coats without the badge are not to be worn at random. Coming down to retainers, henchmen, and men-at-arms, the wearing by such persons of ornamental dresses such as silks, damask, brocade or embroideries was quite unknown to the ancient laws, and a stop must be put to it.
11. - Those who may ride in palanquins are all persons of distinction who are connections of the Tokugawa clan; lords of domains (Kuni) and lords of castles having 10,000 koku (bushels) and upwards; the sons of provincial Daimyo (beneficiaries), lords of castles; chamberlains and higher functionaries, and the legitimate sons of such (i. e. sons by their wives; but not sons by their concubines); persons (of any rank) above fifty years of age; of the two professions of doctors of medicine and soothsayers (astrologers, onyoshi) and invalids and sick persons. Apart from the above named, irregularities must be prohibited; but those who have applied for and received official permission to ride are not included in the prohibition.
As regard the feudal retainers in the provinces, those who may ride are to be definitely specified in each fief. Court Nobles, Abbots of royal or noble birth, and ecclesiastics of distinction are not to be included in this regulation.
12. - Retainers who have had a disagreement with their original lord are not to be taken into employment by other Daimyos. If any such are reported as having been guilty of rebellion or homicide they are to be sent back (to their former lord). Any who manifest a refractory disposition must either be sent back or expelled.
(Editor's Note. - The following seven articles are new enactments.)
13. - When the hostages given by subvassals to their mesne lords have committed an offence requiring punishment by banishment or death, a report in writing of the circumstances must be made to the Magistrates' office and their decision awaited. In case the circumstances were such as to necessitate or justify the instant cutting down of the offender, a personal account of the matter must be given to the Magistrate.
14. - The lesser beneficiaries must honestly discharge the duties of their position and refrain from giving unlawful or arbitrary orders (to the people of their benefices): they must take care not to impair the resources or well-being of the province or district in which they are.
15. - The roads, relays of post horses, boats, ferries and bridges must be carefully attended to, so as to ensure that there shall be no delays or impediments to quick communication.
16. - No private toll-bars may be erected, nor may any existing ferry be discontinued.
17. - No vessels of over 500 koku burden are to be built.
18. - The glebe-lands of shrines and temples scattered throughout the provinces (domains) having been attached to them from ancient times to the present day, are not to be taken from them.
19. - The Christian sect is to be strictly prohibited in all the provinces and in all places.
20. - In case of any unfilial conduct the offender will be dealt with under the penal law.
21. - In all matters the example set by the laws of Yedo is to be followed in all the provinces and places.
All the foregoing provisions, being in conformity with the previous enactments of this (Tokugawa) House, are hereby reimposed and definitely established and must be carefully observed.

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http://books.google.com/books?id=sBW...ed=0CDgQ6AEwAA

Tanaka Fumon is a Sensei of extreme diversity in the Japanese traditional martial arts. He is the author of the book Samurai Fighting Arts which I have included as a link. There may be a lot of good information within there that will assist not only a modder of STW in creating an authentic Japanese atmosphere for immersion, but also there are numerous details of sword movements, the yari, the naganata, the wakizashi, etc. It may help those who do animations. I hope it will.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fumon_Tanaka

He has numerous and elevated ranking in a plethora of Budo arts. There is a good amount of infighting within the world of Budo, and one may like his writings while others may not.

In a similar manner that I have tried, he explains the origins of the bushi into the samurai we know today. I think if you read what he says, it will compare favorably with my own feeble writing. Many of the Japanese words will no doubt help those researching into the arcane and esoteric world of the samurai. Realize that many of the words have been translated into English, and so a word like military strategy might be called Heiho by one Japanese author and may be called something else like Hyoho by another. It is entirely similar to the antiquated use of Chuang Tzu that I use versus the more correct Chinese translation Zhuang Zhou. Or the old way of spelling the word Koran versus the modern word Quran.

One should be careful to use the correct Japanese word, but one also must be cognizant that using the correct word will result in confusion for the player who may only know ten Japanese words in total. It is an opportunity to use the correct word, and no doubt will be welcomed by serious military historians.

Tanaka Sensei discusses reigi or etiquette in detail. You would be well served to understand Bushido to research what that means in relation to the dynamic unfolding history of Bushido. Warriors carrying razor sharp weapons and likely two swords had better understand reigi or face seppuku!
http://www.shinyokai.com/Essays_BudoReigi.htm
http://books.google.com/books?id=tgO...amurai&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=5D4...amurai&f=false
http://books.google.com/books?id=PYe...amurai&f=false

Reigi had as much importance to the formation and understanding of Bushido as The Five Relationships or kami veneration.

http://books.google.com/books?id=dqo...amurai&f=false
The Reigi of the Imperial Court filled 500 volumes.

These books are extremely rare and of course out of print in many cases. One three-volume set costs $350 if you can get anyone to sell their copies. Think, how few English speaking people both learn enough Budo and have a scholarly status in the medieval Japanese language and have actually been trusted enough by a Japanese Sensei to publish a tome as well? To assume that Bushido doesn't exist because you cannot do a google search and find it within five minutes is rather ridiculous considering all of that.

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Many of these sayings would be entirely appropriate for use in MTW2 loading screens as quotes. So instead of spending a lot of time tracking down famous quotes here are among the most important quotes of Bushido.

Likewise Sun Tzu's Art of War
http://suntzusaid.com/
or Miyamoto Musashi's Book of Five Rings would also be appropriate quotes.
http://archive.org/details/MiyamotoM...ingsgoRinNoSho

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I've discussed the importance of understanding Japanese definitions so you can do research and I have also discussed misconceptions about Bushido and what it means. Likewise I will attempt and likely fail to persuade some of you about what I see is the biggest impediment to understanding the samurai and Bushido.

There are many young people who decide to study Budo, the traditional martial arts of Japan. Being impressionable, they likely see some film or tv series that exaggerates the ability of the samurai or their honor or their fierceness. It happens in Hollywood, for they want to make things very compelling and larger than life to tell the hero's journey. Then people watch the hero on his/her journey and so live vicariously. The fact that they allow you to identify with the hero and also by that same resonance have product placement within the film or show advertisements during the tv show, is how they finance the production. Wise people should realize that and be aware of it. It is by no means unique to the samurai, but can be seen in the new History channel series on the Vikings. It is an epidemic in Hollywood and does a great disservice to the martial arts.

Budo and Bushido are not what you watch but what you do. One cannot be a practitioner of Budo unless one trains in martial arts not simply playing a computer game or watching a film. One cannot be a practitioner of Bushido unless one acts as a responsible chivalrous person. Both things form your character. As you mature you will do things that will either add to your character or subtract from your character. It is an active process. If one reads Bushido but then does the opposite, then one is not practicing Bushido at all, but is an example of the opposite of Bushido.

In the history of Budo and Bushido, the samurai and the students of the martial arts would often burn incense and make vows not to dishonor the school by misapplying the learned techniques of both of those arts. To misapply them dishonors the Sensei or Master who taught you.

Because a lot of young people might enter military service or be in the military already, then they also be attracted to Budo. Some people who are stationed in Okinawa or in other diverse places might learn the traditional martial arts from Sensei in those countries or they might learn modified martial arts in training from their drill instructors. They are practical martial arts, but some can be merely a series of kata or forms in which preplanned attacks and defense are repeated over and over again so as to build muscle memory. Then when you actually are in combat or in an altercation, then your learned muscle memory and not your normal instinct will result in a better offense or defense.

The main most problem is the association with the very negative historical atrocities by WW2 Japanese infantrymen in Manchuria as well as other similar atrocities in Okinawa with the samurai. Since these soldiers were NOT of the samurai caste and not truly immersed in Bushido, nor extensively trained in Budo, and the samurai had in fact been dissolved in 1873 and even the daimyo (clan leaders) reduced to a handful by 1888, then they cannot be compared to these soldiers whatsoever. Someone who is very biased, even rightly biased against war atrocities will link these soldiers to the samurai.

Over and over again, I have seen this linkage and it is a complete fallacy. I have been coming to the TWCenter since 2007 and in all that time I see those kinds of posts that attempt to connect the war atrocities and the infantrymen with Bushido. NO. Their actions are the very opposite of Bushido. Who in the world would wish to be like them, or to match up a system of discipline and chivalry with undisciplined craven behavior?

Do not be fooled by that kind of post. You will waste a lot of time puzzling that out, when in fact almost everyone could benefit from learning Bushido and Budo.

Learning about Bushido doesn't mean embracing suicide. If every samurai threw away their lives in such a wasteful manner then no army could withstand another. Instead look upon seppuku as a historical practice not unlike a Roman practice of wishing to not be captured but to take matters in their own hands. In history, a captured soldier would often be torn apart by the mob and used for spectacle.

The historical study of Bushido and Budo doesn't mean you wish to give up democracy or republic in your own lives and instead wish for a nobility and feudalism to be the new form of government. What an absurd idea! One might be interested by all kinds of historical or cultural phenomena and yet that doesn't mean that we wish to be precisely like the samurai.

As a young person, you are finding your Way, and this journey is the -do of Bushido. There are many journeys that one could undertake and yet that doesn't mean that to follow that Path one must do precisely what a medieval Japanese samurai would have done. Still such historical writings are relevant, just as reading the works of Julius Caesar might inspire us, yet we do not wish to be dictators.