A cord of Samurai (5) 2015/06/20

Samurai’s duty is, needless to say, to be a worrier. However Edo era, which last over 260 years, was peaceful period and little chance for Samurais to attend a war.

Although they prepared for fight by keeping daily hard military training, usually they served as administrative officers of governments.

At the same time, they studied hard about theory, history and culture. They deeply meditated how Samurai should live, or how Samurai could contribute to public, how Samurai could cultivate themselves to sacrifice themselves for public interest.

 

They reached to the high level of spiritual culture that Samurai should be ready for standing up for the great course or justice or public interests. For that purpose Samurai should cultivate themselves and be always ready for fight for their lives.

 

At Edo era people did not have affluent goods and foods but enjoyed sustainable peaceful lives with high quality culture. But at the end of Edo era they encountered military threats by western countries and they were forced to change the system of country and way of living.

Tokugawa Shogun returned the power of governance to the Emperor. All of district lords returned lord’s lands and people to the country. Samurai class was demolished and most of Samurais lost their privileges and became commoners.

Meiji restoration was done by such voluntarily abandonment by Samurais of their privileges. Through Meiji restoration they drastically and revolutionary changed the system of society by following western style, which might have invited a severe civil war between the haves and the have-nots.

However there were only several minor wars with total casualties of around 30,000. Meiji restoration owed lots to Samurai’s spirits. Despite of many discontent and complaint, leaders of Samurais willingly abandoned their privileges to realize the great course or to build new modernized country.

ousehukko　the Emperor and lords