Samurai+in+Feudal+Japan


 * Questions: **
 * How did the Bushido Code and the Code of Chivalry influence the lifestyle of a samurai and knight?
 * How did the weapons of a samurai affect their way of power, personality, and nature? [[image:http://download.gamespotcdn.net/d4/user_images/349/genjuro1_2.gif height="300" align="right"]]
 * Why was religion an important aspect to a samurai?


 * How did the Bushido Code and the Code of Chivalry influence the lifestyle of a samurai and knight? **

The Bushido Code strictly molded a samurai’s life, much like the knights code of chivalry. Both codes demanded the soldiers to live under honour, but they had a few crucial differences. While the code of chivalry encouraged knights to protect women and children and the weak, the Bushido Code had a few different requirements. Instead of protecting the weak, the Bushido code requires the samurai to “be true to the lord he served and his comrades”. Since Japan had a feudal system, the Lord expected obedience from his vassals. If a lord couldn’t for sure trust loyalty from his vassals, the entire system would have collapsed.This was their most important requirement in the code. They had to be so loyal to their daimyo (lord) and fellow comrades that they must be willing to give up their lives for them.

Samurai also had a duty of vengeance. If their master’s honour was tarnished or they were killed, the Samurai was required to get revenge. As revenge, they would seek and kill the one who is responsible. The most famous example of samurai’s upholding vengeance in the Bushido Code is told in a story called “47 Ronin”. It is probably the most famous samurai story of all time. The story tells about a “ young daimyo named Asano Naganori who was called to the palace at Edo. When a powerful court official named Kira Yoshinaka insulted him, Asano lost his temper and attacked him with a dagger. Kira was only slightly wounded but to draw a blade within the palace was great offense. Asano was ordered to commit seppukuand he obeyed. His lands were divided up and his samurai followers became ronin (samurai with no one to serve; they were close to outlaws). Forty-seven of Asano’s samurai felt that Bushido required them to avenge their lord’s death, even though officials had forbidden them to do so. Led by a samurai named Oishi, they carefully planned their revenge. For two years they pretended to be merchants or monks so they could spy on Kira. Early one morning, they attacked Kira’s home. After finding and fighting the guards, they found and killed their enemy. The ronin took Kira’s head to Asano’s tomb and then turned themselves in to the shoguns officials. The 47 ronin had broken the law. However, they had acted out of loyalty to their daimyo, and were granted a honourable death – seppuku. Their graves can still be seen at Sengakuji temple in what is now Tokyo.”

 The Bushido Code also emphasized honour and bravery, much like the Code of Chivalry. They weren't to be afraid of death in battle. And they weren't to be afraid of death in sacrifice to their lords and comrades. If they were beaten in battle, disgraced, felt like they didn't serve their lord well, or dishonored, the code would obligate them to commit a legal and ceremonial suicide called seppuku. To commit seppuku, the samurai would have to stab himself in the stomach, while another person stands by and cuts his head off. Rather than living without honour, the warrior would commit seppuku. Committing seppuku was a way for the warrior to make amends for their crimes, apologize, and regain honour.

 Both codes influenced honour, but to a different extent. Knights were to be honourable and protect children and women, but in practice, they weren't too chivalrous because it wasn't too strict. The bushido code of a samurai was very strict and would kill themselves if they had no honour within them. Religion was quite different as well. Religion was important to both, but they followed them for differ ent reasons. The code of chivalry required them to follow the church; therefore the knights played a big role in the church. On the other hand, the samurais chose to follow religion in order to improve concentration and such. As you can see the Code of Chivalry and the Bushido Code highly influenced the Knights and Samurais lives, only in different ways.


 * Seppuku Video-**

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 * How did the weapons of a samurai affect their way of power, personality, and nature? **

A Samurai’s sword was his key to dominance and power over others. They were used for intimidation and coercion, and swords like a katana and a wakizashi. Most katanas were made during the Muromachi period, which is 1392 to 1573. They were also one of traditionally made Japanese swords that were worn by the Samurai. It’s a single edged, curved, slender blade with a squared guard. The rise in popularity of the katana was believed to have been dye to the changing nature of close combat fights. This also led them to become arrogant.

The Samurai had reason to be arrogant, though. For once, they had to live by an extremely strict code of hour, and they enforced this code upon everyone. This also explains why they were so easily provoked. Most Samurai expected everyone to follow the same value and code that they did. If a peasant didn’t comply to a request or demand a Samurai gave out, they would be killed or challenged. In a culture that prized humility and devotion, the Samurai were arrogant enough to assume control of the whole of Japan. The Samurai walked the streets of cities like Kyoto and expected peasants to fall to their knees when addressed, and they killed anyone who didn’t comply. They expected complete and absolute submission, as they believed that they above most of the Japanese. Also, the life of a human life, especially the life of a peasant, was valued in Japan way below what it is today, which explains the reason Samurai were so quick to kill.

**Bibliography:** <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">"Bushido Code of the Samurai Warrior." Bushido Code of the Samurai Warrior. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">"How Samurai Work." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode','Lucida Grande',sans-serif;">"Japanese Swords" Wikiapedia N.p., n.d 22 May 2013