Bushido, which translates to “The Way of the Warrior”, is a Japanese code of conduct followed by a samurai warrior. It stems from the samurai moral code and emphasizes loyalty, frugality, a command of the martial arts, and honor unto death.
The Japanese dictionary Shogakukan Kokugo Daijiten defines bushido as, “a unique philosophy (ronri) that spread through the warrior class from the Muromachi (chusei) period.” In Nitobe Inazo’s Bushido: The Soul of Japan (1899), bushido is “the code of moral principles which the samurai were required or instructed to observe… More frequently it is a code unuttered and unwritten… It was an organic growth of decades and centuries of military career.”
Bushido evolved between the 9th and 12th centuries, with the violent way of the japan samurai moderated by the serene teachings of Japanese Shinto Buddhism. It was widely practiced across the country and hardly varied over time. Aspects of bushido became an official part of Japanese Feudal Law under the Tokugawa shogunate.
Early bushido writings
In the 1970s, Dr. Carl Steenstrup began translations of texts associated with bushido, dedicating a lifetime of studies on the ethical codes of well-known samurai clans such as Imagawa Ryoshun and Hojo Soun.
Early bushido literature of the 13th to 16th centuries covers filial piety, devotion to one’s lord, and respect to the Emperor. Also included are compassion for lower classes, the safeguarding of one’s name, as well as the requirement to behave with calmness, impartiality, and decency. Moreover, finding a proper death in combat, for the cause of one’s master, was clearly expressed.
Tenets and virtues
Under the bushido ideal, samurai warriors who fail to uphold their honor can regain it by carrying out seppuku (ritual suicide). In his book Samurai: The World of the Warrior, Stephen Turnbull describes seppuku as a way for a samurai to eliminate his wrongdoings and even enhance his reputation.
Bushido also encompassed methods of raising children, grooming, and appearance, all of which may be regarded as part of one’s continuous preparation for death; to die a good death with one’s honor intact was the ultimate goal in life for followers of bushido.
According to bushido, a good death was its own reward, with no assurance of future rewards in the afterlife. Notable samurai have held such beliefs in contempt, or expressed the knowledge that since their station involves killing, such rewards were precluded, especially in Buddhism. While influenced Buddhism, bushido is a contrast to religious belief, with a commitment to propriety for the sake of propriety.
The seven virtues of bushido that samurai warriors had to observe were: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty. Sometimes, filial piety, wisdom, and care for the aged were added.
