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To what extent did Japanese samurai recognize committing suicide as honorable?

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To what extent did Japanese samurai recognize committing suicide as honorable?

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In the chapter nine, Lord Kiso was overwhelmed and outnumbered in the combat. As Kanehira mentioned, there was “no body left on our side”, which indicated Lord Kiso stuck in an inferior position during the battle. The idea that dying with honor and dignity had played a predominant role in Japanese culture, which forbid Lord Kiso to surrender to his enemy. At this point, he had no choice but to commit suicide, preventing himself to be captured alive and humiliated.

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What was the largest influence when it came to seppuku? I believe that the when speaking about the samurai culture, and the medieval culture, you can see a very large difference between the 2. For example, the different forms of execution when it relates to ones honour, and the whole honour system in general. I could see that the samurai had more idealistic morals.

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Question: What was the signification of the description of the various armours of the samurais?
Reflection The women's role as a soldier in the samurai culture was very interesting. They acknowledged her capacities and said that she was worth a "thousand men" as a swordsman, that she was a great archer. Nevertheless, it would have been considered shameful that her lord, Lord Kiso, kept a woman during his last battle. This inconsistency revealed that even though women were considered to be equal to men in fighting, they were not treated the same way as male soldiers.

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Why do you think Kiso no Yoshinaka did not invite Tomoe, a legendary warrior in her own right, an opportunity to pursue an honourable death alongside Kanehira?

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Why do you think Kiso no Yoshinaka did not invite Tomoe, a legendary warrior in her own right, an opportunity to pursue an honourable death alongside Kanehira?

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Tomoe was a vital ally to Kiso, as she often led his troops into battle. However, Kiso forced her to leave his side when he planned to die with Kanehira. He did it to preserve his honour to not die with a woman, but it seems hypocritical to me. He has given the honour of Tomoe leading his men, but not the honour of allowing her to die with him. It feels like an act of self-preservation than an act of mercy to Tomoe.

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Question) why do the samurai where different coloured armour if they are trying to represent the same lord?
reflection) I thought it was interesting how much emphasis is put on the method of killing in battle. Graphic imagery of decapitation was mentioned multiple times throughout the reading. For example, heads would be torn off of the body or sliced off with a sword. The samurai would count the heads of those they killed to keep score and showcase their status, this is similar to how heads of enemies would be put on spikes after a battle in feudal Europe.

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Question: What might be the relationship between these "tales" and current modern-day Japan's culture of Samurai's? (movies, traditions, etc.)

Reflection: Death, throughout the reading, is seen as justifiable through the honor of one's name and/or title. However, despite this consistent theme, the concept of death as a whole is met with a sense of acceptance. The fear of dying is not seen as a passing thought in the life of a samurai. Whereas, death - as a collective whole - throughout history is often met with a sense of skepticism. The surrounding culture of death is not seen as another result of being a warrior, rather, an integrated form of society.

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1) At the beginning of the Tale of Heike, a portion of the story was dedicated to describing Lord Kiso's armour for battle. A question I had while reading was why a  samurai's armour was so important?

2) While reading The Death of Kiso, I gained a greater understanding of the idea of death with dignity. Lord Kiso and Kanehira were the last warriors and decided to kill themselves in order to preserve their honour and respectable reputation. Through this passage, I understood how dignity played a large role in samurai culture as it motivated their actions and decisions in battle.

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1) What examples are there of the samurai outwardly displaying their honour and power through action and appearance within the text?

2) What I found interesting was the strong emphasis on weaponry and armour within the narrative as a way to convey a samurai’s skill or power to the reader. The notable samurai are described as wearing thick armour with Chinese damasks and horned helmets, carrying oversized swords and mighty bows. It could be said that to the samurai in this text, their armour and weapons were an extension of their bodies and a possible outward display of their honour and pride as warriors.

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1) What is the significance of the artistic talents of Tadanori and Atsunori? Why do their opponents weep after their death?

2)There is an undercurrent of potentially anti-war sentiments through the Tale of the Heike. For example Naozane becoming overwhelmed after killing Atsunori and proclaiming "No lot is as hard as a warrior's. I would never have suffered such a dreadful experience if I had not been born into a military house!" It shows that the violent expectations for samurai did not go without psychological consequences for many warriors.

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im likin padlet so far

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Question: Atsumoris death and his proficiency and expertise in arts and poetry subsequently made the samurai that took his life become a monk after the war due to guilt. How is art and poetry valued in the Heian/Kamakura period?

The Tale of Heike was really interesting in that it presented two women on both ends of the spectrum where Tomoe the wife of Kiso was as powerful as typical male samurais and able to fight on the battlefield. Whereas Senju no Mae, the servant of a samurai warrior had the role of serving and tending to the needs of the Shigehira and even has a familial devotion where she decided to become a nun after his execution.

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Most of the war stories of Heiki kind of have a similar formula. There is someone who is of high status fighting and their action is informed by those fighting with them. For example, if someone wants to do some sort of action, someone would say to them, "The people will say..." based on this action so you're better off doing something else for the sake of your honour and mine. Most of the time they die anyway usually with their head being cut off then displayed as a sense of victory. That is if they stay and fight and do not flee, in stories where the person flees people do end up bad mouthing them and chastising them for the honour that they lack by their actions. I also like how in a number of the tales, the central character has some sort of skill that sets them apart from others, like being good with horses or a bow and arrow and their skill doesnt determine if they end up living regardless, as if to say that no matter what someones time will come and they must either die honorably by another or by their own sepuku

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Question: Why was Shigehira treated so well after being taken captive? I recall there was an explanation but I didn't quite understand it.

Reflection: Death readiness and dying with honour is obviously a crucial and possibly the most defining feature of samurai culture. What I found fascinating was how it influenced the actions of various characters. Furthermore, how from a foreign perspectives their actions despite being in pursuit of honour could actually come across as cowardice if you are not familiar with the culture (the specific example that comes to find is the actions of Lord Kiso at the Awazu Pine Woods).

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*) What might be the relationship between horseback riding and honor in feudal Japan?
*) Just as there was an aesthetic/social relationship with the flowers in this period, as well as a correspondence between the life of the warrior and the precariousness of a fading flower, the horse represents the dominion -and connection- of man with his environment. The idea we have of nature as a landscape -in which humans intervene- is modern; perhaps here the relationship is of a different register. Knowing how to see, feel and appreciate nature was a way of affirming that one also knew how to see, feel and value the movements of the body in combat.