Analysis of The Samurai Spirit Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analysis of The Samurai Spirit - member ExampleParadoxically, a more careful study of the Samurai, their code of charter, and their philosophy show their centering of feel to be simple, austere, balanced, and contemplative. These attributes are reflected in their customs, art, and architecture. The Samurai originated as Japans pre-modern warriors who quelled the uprising of the native Emishi ethnic music during the Heian Period. Subsequently, these warriors found themselves in the hire of wealthy landowners (known as feudal superiors) who grew apart and eventually declared themselves fencesitter from the central government and raised their own private armies. When the country was finally reunited again late in the 1500s under the Edo period, the Samurai were positioned at the top of the social caste system. Because of their mandate to defend their feudal lord or emperor, the Samurai developed an unquestioning loyalty and a reputation for fierce fighting skills and, therefore, were regarded In post to preserve the caste distinctions that emerged during the Edo Period, the Samurai were forced to reside in districts designated for them, in homes with a characteristic architectural style. The typical Samurai residence (sometimes called Samurai castle) is expansive and spacious, partly because the Samurai is accorded a level of prestige, and partly because he housed a sound retinue. As an illustration, the Aizu Bukeyashiki (Aizu Samurai residence) is depicted in the pictures shown at the end. This edifice served as the quarters that housed the highest rank and most venerable Samurai, his family, employees, and servants (Japan-Guide.com, 2012). There are a variety of rooms and section, numbering several dozen these would include a teahouse, gardens, an archery range, a rice mill, and of course several guest rooms. The Samurai is also known as bushi, from the term Bushido which literally translates to The Way of the Warrior (some bifurcations of the word cou ld be more closely translated to way of the sword - Marshall, 2012). The Bushido is the unwritten code of conduct and morality that embodies the standards of moral principles by which the Samurai were sworn to live by. The code, while evolving through the centuries, manifests the profound influence of paneling Buddhism, Confucianism, and Shintoism. These elements may be found in the painting, poetry, and lifestyle of the Samurai for instance, the preparation and serving of tea (a Chinese legacy) has been raised(a) into an art form in the cha no yu or tea ceremony. The cha no yu is a allegory for the Zen Buddhist influence in the Samurai lifestyle as well as the Japanese way of life Complicated and yet utterly simple, at once straightforward and deep (West & Seal, 2012).