Samurai Culture: the myth? Devotion to military arts:  Men of war, experts of weapons Sword, dagger, spear Longbow, the siege crossbow, arquebus, cannon –Wear fancy armor and helmets Practitioner of Bushido （武士道 )  Leader take the lead in the battle  Express death-defying loyalty to one’s lord Willing to commit seppuku personally, and mass suicide  Kill relentlessly; engage in massacres  Collect enemy’s chopped-off heads Patron of the literary and martial arts?  Daimyo were more likely trained in both the literary art and martial arts  Tea ceremony, flower arrangement, designs of tea house and garden Great concern for name (honor, face, fame, pride)

Samurai Culture: New Notion The image of the noble Samurai was created by the Samurai themselves in the 17th century, when they lost their functions in a time of peace. The image of the noble Samurai was created by the Samurai themselves in the 17th century, when they lost their functions in a time of peace. Yamamoto Tsunetomo ( ) : “ I have found that the Way of the samurai is death. This means that when you are compelled to choose between life and death, you must quickly choose death. ” Yamamoto Tsunetomo ( ) : “ I have found that the Way of the samurai is death. This means that when you are compelled to choose between life and death, you must quickly choose death. ” They portrayed themselves as noble warriors to justify their existence They portrayed themselves as noble warriors to justify their existence They promoted the image of bushido, the way of the Samurai, which is death, and exaggerate their sense of honor and loyalty They promoted the image of bushido, the way of the Samurai, which is death, and exaggerate their sense of honor and loyalty Samurai swerved allegiance Samurai swerved allegiance They were interested in reward and recompense They were interested in reward and recompense Would move from one side to another, depending on which side rewarded them more Would move from one side to another, depending on which side rewarded them more They were not willing to die for their lord They were not willing to die for their lord would retreat whenever they experienced casualties would retreat whenever they experienced casualties Prevalence of Seppuku has been exaggerated Prevalence of Seppuku has been exaggerated In most cases, they did it when they were about to be captured and executed In most cases, they did it when they were about to be captured and executed Samurai rarely used swords in battle Samurai rarely used swords in battle Swords were expensive Swords were expensive Spears were more often used Spears were more often used

Decapitation and disembowelment Decapitation Decapitation The samurai was rewarded by taking the head of a worthy enemy in battle The samurai was rewarded by taking the head of a worthy enemy in battle Disembowelment Disembowelment The samurai adopted belly-cutting as a means of showing courage or avoiding disgrace The samurai adopted belly-cutting as a means of showing courage or avoiding disgrace Used to follow one ’ s lord in death Used to follow one ’ s lord in death

Famous Civil Wars (I) 1185, DAN NO URA 1185, DAN NO URA Minamoto Yoshitsune (850 ships) vs. Taira Munemori (500 ships) Minamoto Yoshitsune (850 ships) vs. Taira Munemori (500 ships) 1189, Koromogawa 1189, Koromogawa 1219, Shokyu Rebellion 1219, Shokyu Rebellion , Onin War , Onin War

Famous Civil Wars (II) , Kawanakajima –Takeda Shingen vs. Uesugi Kenshin (both were samurai monks) Five battles 1561, 4th battle was especially bloody 1573, Mikatagahara – –Takeda Shingen vs Tokugawa Ieyasu vs Ogasawara Ujisuke (Tokugawa Ieyasu) 1574, Takeda Katsuyori vs Ogasawara Ujisuke (Tokugawa Ieyasu) 1575, Nagashino –Takeda Katsuyori (Shingen’s son) vs. Oda Nobunaga & Tokugawa Ieyasu 1583, Shizugatake –Toyotomi Hideyoshi vs. Shibata Katsuie 1584, Komaki and Nagakute –Toyotomi Hideyoshi vs. Tokugawa Ieyasu 1600, Sekigahara –Tokugawa Ieyasu vs. Toyotomi Hideyori’s supporters , Osaka and Tenoji –Tokugawa Ieyasu vs. Toyotomi Hideyori

The Samurai under the Tokugawa Tokugawa Ieyasu founded his bakufu in Edo, present-day Tokyo, in 1603 Tokugawa Ieyasu founded his bakufu in Edo, present-day Tokyo, in 1603 The shogunate lasted for 265 years ( ) The shogunate lasted for 265 years ( ) Two policies helped achieve a long-term peace Two policies helped achieve a long-term peace Hostage-taking system Hostage-taking system Called Sankin-kodai, “ serving the lord in shift ” Called Sankin-kodai, “ serving the lord in shift ” Codification of hierarchy and behavior Codification of hierarchy and behavior Division of the entire population into four classes: samurai, farmers, craftman, and merchants Division of the entire population into four classes: samurai, farmers, craftman, and merchants The samurai, although they ranked the highest, were deprived of right to pursue their profession of armed violence The samurai, although they ranked the highest, were deprived of right to pursue their profession of armed violence