Post/Author/DateTime	Post
unundindur 04-20-07, 10:07 AM	Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. I now have the material i need, and the task have been processed. That said, this thread have proved interesting on a larger scale, and I encourage everyone to continue posting, for the benefit of the forum. Greetings. I am writing a university-article about how people look at the term ”Samurai”, and in that regard I would appreciate if you would take the time to answer a few questions. You can be as spesific as you would like, and all answers are appreciated. Please take note though, that this thread is not meant for discussion. If you disagree with someone before you, please let that come forth in your own answers and not as a debate-post. The point of this task is to see what people think, be it historically correct or not. To give this some scientific value I also ask for a few personal facts (ca. Age, nationality, profession and relation to japan if any). Thank you. How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? What country do you hail from? What is your occupation/profession? What is your relation to japan if any? What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? If someone has the time for a more thorough interview (via msn), please send me a message and I will have one arranged in the nearest future. Thank you very much for your time. NOTE: I am fully aware that this forum is frequented by people with a different view on the subject than average Joe, but it is one of many sources which I hope in the end will give me a balanced result. My own view on the subject is neither to be judged by the to some seemingly dumb questions. -Rasmus Haugen Sandvik
katarl 04-20-07, 03:47 PM	If you are going to post an answer to the test, do not read until afterwards! Age- rounded 20 Country- England Occupation- full time student Relation- none whatsoever term- samurai- a japanese noble warrior, not unlike knights, who work for feudal lords ethics- samurai have a very strict but exceptionally racist ethic, they do not care for foreigners and show no honour to them. Soldiers nowadays work for the state not a person and show honour (or lack of it) relatively equally Bushido- way of the horse and bow- a martial ideology, a code of how to fight and why Qualifications- working as an elite warrior for a feudal lord in japan with legal responsibilities and freedoms. nowadays, a social rank (like knighthood in britain) with no real significance. Distinguishing- extremely tight personal honour in a shame (as opposed to a blame) culture high levels of integrity and loyalty to a figure (for good or ill) Idealism- definitely. like knights, they are romanticised as the ultimate warriors, and many myths of them exist, in fact for all intents and purposes they were identical to knights and fulfilled the same function in society. They did not fight gaijin with katana, only other samurai (unarmoured). Discussing it with my colleagues, we agree that typical samurai would lose to typical knights, having neither decent armour, shields or armour-puncturing weapons and being significantly shorter and weaker, and having inferior horses. My understanding of samurai comes from a friend obsessed with japanese culture, and much anime. I suspect that posting this on the oriental boards will produce a biased result, as will making answers from other posters visible. Oriental boards readers have a better understanding of japanese culture from increased interest, and previous posters will influence their answers.
narukagami 04-20-07, 04:08 PM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 23 What country do you hail from? USA What is your occupation/profession? Substitute Teacher What is your relation to japan if any? Returning to school for Japanese Studies. Personal interest in the study of such as a hobby. Have a few friends in Japan and Japanese friends currently living in the States due to befriending International Students at my previous college. Almost married one. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? "Japanese warrior caste." How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? In a general picture, very similar. But when you look into specific details more intricately, it varies. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Trick question ;). But seriously, "bushido" as we think of it today never actually existed. So to speak. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? It was a caste of society, the only qualification was to be appointed into the social position by birth or otherwise. There is no such thing as a modern samurai, as the social caste no longer exists. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Yes and no. Many things were remarkably similar, but there was a strong emphasis on "face". Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Ridiculously idealized. See above, and some other discussion threads, as to why.
KillerVole 04-20-07, 11:26 PM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 16 (I guess that rounds to 15) What country do you hail from? USA What is your occupation/profession? High School Student What is your relation to japan if any? None What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? When I hear the term "Samurai" it calls to mind Japanese warriors from the feudal period. It makes me think of katanas, as the weapon of the average "pop culture samurai", though I know that actual samurai used a wide variety of other weapons, including bows and spears. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? I think that they are pretty easily comparable. Most soldiers do their best to be honorable and ethical, though very few are paragons examples of either honor or ethics. There are always some bad apples, who do whatever they like. I think samurai honor can be over billed nowadays. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido was the code for Samurai honor, it was pretty popular, but did not mesh too well with what we would now consider honorable. It was not universally followed, and not a big thing for samurai of all periods. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? I think it is purely a historical term. Samurai were soldiers from the upper classes, who served lords as part of Japan's feudal system. If you are/were someone who fulfills these criteria, then you are/were a samurai. I doubt there are people around today who fulfill these. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Yes. They were the Japanese equivalent of knights, but more exotic from a western perspective. This touch of the unusual allowed them to gain a prominent, distinguished position in popular culture, one which has endured until today. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Yes. People think that samurai were superhuman, always honorable, supreme killing machines. They were people, just like everybody else. They just get more credit due to their foreign nature.
Lord Gwydion 04-21-07, 03:55 AM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 35 What country do you hail from? Originally from the U.S. What is your occupation/profession? Jr. High English teacher What is your relation to japan if any? Have been living here for 9 years, and speak the language fairly fluently. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? The first image the word conjures up is obviously of a historical Japanese warrior. Overall, though, I view the term as signifying the warrior-aristocracy of medieval Japan, rather than as a term for "warrior." It's a social class, not a job description, although I, like most of us, have been conditioned to think of the professional warriors first and foremost. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? I think there's a world of difference. Modern soldiers (from most nations) are taught to follow the Geneva Conventions and other "rules of war" and aside from occasional lapses, do tend to do so. Historical samurai warriors were a fairly ruthless lot, and many historical records have them performing some actions in battles that would be considered war crimes today, but were just taken as part of warfare at the time. Also, the modern soldier's training to follow the Geneva Conventions and other rules of war has no real correlation to the idea of Bushido, just as it has no real correlation to European Chivalry. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido is a romanticized notion, more or less created after the fact. I believe most warriors in medieval Japan were concerned with personal honor and most were loyal to their lords, but aside from a few clans with "house codes" there was no overarching "bushido" code for the samurai as a whole until late in the 18th or early in the 19th century, when the nation had been at peace and the warriors of the past were looked on and romanticized in stories. Yes, it's closely related to the term samurai, but only the modern fictional ideal of samurai, not the real historical samurai. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? In the past, being born into the samurai social class. In the present, descendents of those who were of the samurai social class might still think of themselves as samurai (I don't personally know any who do), but the class was abolished in the late 19th century, so technically no one is a samurai these days. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? While the arms and armor of samurai had a unique style (and I refer only to the appearance here, not the function), I don't think their fighting techniques or tactics in battle were unique. Mostly, the Japanese borrowed strategy from the Chinese, and tactics, as they always do, evolve to fit the needs of the current struggle taking place. Samurai have not been proven any better or worse than any other historical group of warriors. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Well, I already addressed this above, but yes, I do. Movies, novels, TV shows, comic books, video games, and other media have helped shape the romanticized image of the samurai into a pop culture image, typically of an unarmored wandering swordsman of surpassing skill. In reality, samurai were typically heavily armored bowmen (or arquebussiers) who, unless fighting in a campaign, likely stayed in their provinces. Just as the American cowboy has a historical basis for the pop culture image of a loner wandering gunslinger, there were some historical examples of the "idealized" samurai, but in both cases they were the exception to the rule in reality.
Yanagita Kunio 04-22-07, 07:59 PM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 25 What country do you hail from? United States What is your occupation/profession? Anthropologist-psychologist. Sometimes farmer-businessman. What is your relation to japan if any? Lived and educated there, ages 4-7. Used to be fluent in the language. Have done undergraduate and graduate coursework on Japanese ethnology and the kokugaku scholastic movement (hence the handle, as Tono monogatori is a personal favorite), as well as the Meiji-era recompiling of Japanese culture and history. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? Japanese heriditary social class tasked with military affairs, as well as some other administrative functions of the "enforcing a monopoly of violence" variety. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Neither modern soldiers nor samurai are/were homogenous enough to speak of their ethics as monolithic and cross-contextual rather than situational and individual. While it's difficult to adjust for the way the technology affects rules of engagement, and how geopolitics redefines both "area of conflict" and "who is a combatant," I would say that the modern soldier and the bushi of the past face(d) similar issues. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido is a term loaded with projections--some idealized, some cynically sculpted--about what the Samurai were or should have been, assembled to make an overarching ideology. Whether talking about Tsunetomo; Nitobe or Meiji-and-after propagandists; or just European scholars with a fetish for formulating universals, bushido tends to be a word that means "what I, the interpreter, view as core to the identity of the samurai, and which I wish to inculcate in those I instruct, whether or not they were present/salient amongst the actual samurai of the past." What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? Birth into a samurai household. Of course, in every caste/class system there are ways to "promote" or change status, but they tend to be unusual or only occur under unusual circumstances.... Do you think the samurai distinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Well, they're a warrior class that struggled to maintain a cohesive identity through a period of countrywide de-militarization (the Tokugawa). That's pretty distinctive (although I could venture some comparisons....) Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Idealized? Absolutely. Between the 1890s and 1940s a great deal of effort was put into turning the samurai into didactic two-dimensional figures, along with all the other ret-conning the Japanese government did.... There's the over-emphasis that samurai were blindly, unquestioning loyal, and the related-but-more-amorphous conception of their preoccupation with "honor." These assessments try to make universals out what was truly contextual and individual. "Face" and loyalty were nuanced, personal things.
spyone 04-23-07, 03:47 AM	Hello. I am not quite 40 years old, I am the Assistant Manager of a convenience store, a corporate owned store from an international chain. "Relation to Japan"? I'm a fan, I guess. I once knew a guy who had been born there while his dad was in the US Army (both his parents were English). I'm not sure what the question "What do you put in the term ”Samurai”?" means, and I have no idea how to answer it. I don't really think the moral outlook is comparable, both sue to different cultures and different eras. The value of the lives of non-combatants, the methods of warfare, the ease of identifying opposing forces, all these have changed completely. Bushido is the code of behavior that, boiled down to as few words as possable, meant total obedience. It is tied to "samurai" historicly, and this carries forward to the present day in that anyone who follows the code of Bushido can legitimately claim to be a "samurai", but the two terms are not inseperable. As mentioned above, just following the code of Bushido would qualify someone to call themselves a Samurai. Also, I think the term can be expanded to cover a wide group of vaguely related things. I think anybody who dedicates their life to behaving "honorably" could use the term "samurai" to describe themselves, especially if their profession is one of violence or violence-prevention. Thus, both a mercenary and a bodyguard might see themselves as "samurai" if they valued honor highly. Well, they were the professional warriors of their age, in the same way that european "knights" were: armies were made mostly of peasants who were mostly farmers but might have some combat experience, but the samurai or the knights were people who spent their time either in battle or training for battle. As such, they were disproportionately effective. (Except, of course, for those Samurai who were samurai in class only. That is, they came from the samurai class of society, but they were not professional fighters, instead serving as administrators or something else.) Like all things from past eras, samurais have been "romanticized" a bit. Yes, I think they have also been "Idealized". Reality never meansures up to what we want it to be. In reality in europe, the "damsels" were seldom great beautys, the towers were not very tall, and the dragons were metaphors at best. :)
HidaAkira 04-28-07, 08:25 AM	(note: I copy/pasted Kunio's responses that agreed with mine in order to save time) How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 25 What country do you hail from? United States/Norway (born in US, live in Norway, dual citizenship) What is your occupation/profession? English/Linguistics student. What is your relation to japan if any? beyond movies and popculture, little. My grandfather had some extensive business and personal contact there. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? Japanese heriditary social class tasked with military affairs, as well as some other administrative functions of the "enforcing a monopoly of violence" variety. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Neither modern soldiers nor samurai are/were homogenous enough to speak of their ethics as monolithic and cross-contextual rather than situational and individual. While it's difficult to adjust for the way the technology affects rules of engagement, and how geopolitics redefines both "area of conflict" and "who is a combatant," I would say that the modern soldier and the bushi of the past face(d) similar issues. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido is a term loaded with projections--some idealized, some cynically sculpted--about what the Samurai were or should have been, assembled to make an overarching ideology. Whether talking about Tsunetomo; Nitobe or Meiji-and-after propagandists; or just European scholars with a fetish for formulating universals, bushido tends to be a word that means "what I, the interpreter, view as core to the identity of the samurai, and which I wish to inculcate in those I instruct, whether or not they were present/salient amongst the actual samurai of the past." What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? Birth into a samurai household. Of course, in every caste/class system there are ways to "promote" or change status, but they tend to be unusual or only occur under unusual circumstances.... Do you think the samurai distinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Well, they're a warrior class that struggled to maintain a cohesive identity through a period of countrywide de-militarization (the Tokugawa). That's pretty distinctive (although I could venture some comparisons....) Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Idealized? Absolutely. Between the 1890s and 1940s a great deal of effort was put into turning the samurai into didactic two-dimensional figures, along with all the other ret-conning the Japanese government did.... There's the over-emphasis that samurai were blindly, unquestioning loyal, and the related-but-more-amorphous conception of their preoccupation with "honor." These assessments try to make universals out what was truly contextual and individual. "Face" and loyalty were nuanced, personal things. Håper dette hjelper.
Westbound 05-09-07, 01:34 AM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 33 What country do you hail from? USA What is your occupation/profession? Freelance Writer/Researcher What is your relation to japan if any? Spent two years there as a high-school exchange student, and I loved it. I return just about every other year to visit my "family." I have learned much, and I am skilled in Kendo from my time there. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? The Samurai is the noble caste, the caste that is allowed to command troops, raise armies, and possess and tax lands. Samurai basically means "servant" or "to serve" depending on who translates Japanese for you, and the caste itself is a complex stratified mini-society in and of itself, complete with a rank structure. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Depends. Real samurai could learn much from Bushido, which didn't really come into existence until the Tokugawa Shogunate was well underway, and samurai were bored to death because of the few conflicts that ever occured. For most of samurai history, especially during the Age of the Country at War, samurai warriors were not all the courageous, honorable men (and sometimes women) that they made out to be. They were often quite cowardly in many instances. Basically, most of them were mercenaries; they fought to be paid, and often times most of these warriors would fight just a little bit, just enough to kill one or two enemies, behead them as proof of their effort, then present them to his "lord" to get paid. If he thought the other side would pay more, or was the winning side, he could very well change sides if he demonstrated to his current employer that he fought and proved that he was willing to die for him. Sincerity was, and still is, a huge thing in Japanese society, more important than honor. Modern soldiers, depending on who they are and what nation they serve, are far more honorable than most historical samurai. Most soldiers don't change sides when things go bad. Most of them don't even surrender in the face of incredible odds. True, their behavior may not be as cultured or refined; manners is also a huge deal in Japan, especially in the days of the Samurai. The typical soldier, especially in the West, especially in America, is far more skilled than the samurai warrior, but that's because of the nature of warfare in the present day. The modern soldier has to respond to threats that the modern samurai could never dream about; artillery, automatic weapons, nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, he has to administer first aid, and a lot of other things related to his daily job, both on and off the battlefield. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido means Way of the Warrior, and it is a code of ethics that address duty, loyalty, honesty, compassion, and responsible moral behavior. This did not particularly apply to those of the Samurai profession, though it was specifically addressed to Samurai. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? A person is a Samurai when he becomes employed, basically, and learns the meaning of service and leadership. Bushido is extracurricular. Whether he behaves like one or not these days is strictly up to him. He need not carry a sword, but I'm of the belief that if a man cannot defend himself, he cannot be considered a warrior. A samurai must be able to serve his lord and those in his charge in as many capacities as he can. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Yes, in many ways. One person I talked to described samurai warriors as a sword cult, embuing reverence in their sacred weapon, the Katana, in a manner unheard of in anywhere else. Little wonder, though, since the Katana is probably the finest of swords, with the most exquisite craftsmanship. For the most dedicated samurai, the ones who felt more in touch with Bushido, everything they did was wrapped in ceremony and ritual, especially where it came to warfare. They could be utterly fearless when they wanted to be, and completely steadfast in their pursuits. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Yes. Films such as The Last Samurai and games like Legend of the Five Rings depict the samurai romanticized by Bushido and tales like the 47 Ronin. The Last Samurai, in particular, was extremely one-sided, favoring the dying samurai culture rather than the new, industrialized culture the Emperor was using to bring Japan into the modern age. What that film didn't tell you was how brutal, how ruthless samurai were, and the sort of oppression they imposed on the peasants they protected. The average Japanese man and woman were glad to see the samurai go, because for 200 years they were utterly unnecessary, and held onto a simpler day and age without firearms, field artillery, and industrialization.
Westbound 05-09-07, 01:34 AM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 33 What country do you hail from? USA What is your occupation/profession? Freelance Writer/Researcher What is your relation to japan if any? Spent two years there as a high-school exchange student, and I loved it. I return just about every other year to visit my "family." I have learned much, and I am skilled in Kendo from my time there. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? The Samurai is the noble caste, the caste that is allowed to command troops, raise armies, and possess and tax lands. Samurai basically means "servant" or "to serve" depending on who translates Japanese for you, and the caste itself is a complex stratified mini-society in and of itself, complete with a rank structure. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Depends. Real samurai could learn much from Bushido, which didn't really come into existence until the Tokugawa Shogunate was well underway, and samurai were bored to death because of the few conflicts that ever occured. For most of samurai history, especially during the Age of the Country at War, samurai warriors were not all the courageous, honorable men (and sometimes women) that they made out to be. They were often quite cowardly in many instances. Basically, most of them were mercenaries; they fought to be paid, and often times most of these warriors would fight just a little bit, just enough to kill one or two enemies, behead them as proof of their effort, then present them to his "lord" to get paid. If he thought the other side would pay more, or was the winning side, he could very well change sides if he demonstrated to his current employer that he fought and proved that he was willing to die for him. Sincerity was, and still is, a huge thing in Japanese society, more important than honor. Modern soldiers, depending on who they are and what nation they serve, are far more honorable than most historical samurai. Most soldiers don't change sides when things go bad. Most of them don't even surrender in the face of incredible odds. True, their behavior may not be as cultured or refined; manners is also a huge deal in Japan, especially in the days of the Samurai. The typical soldier, especially in the West, especially in America, is far more skilled than the samurai warrior, but that's because of the nature of warfare in the present day. The modern soldier has to respond to threats that the modern samurai could never dream about; artillery, automatic weapons, nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, he has to administer first aid, and a lot of other things related to his daily job, both on and off the battlefield. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido means Way of the Warrior, and it is a code of ethics that address duty, loyalty, honesty, compassion, and responsible moral behavior. This did not particularly apply to those of the Samurai profession, though it was specifically addressed to Samurai. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? A person is a Samurai when he becomes employed, basically, and learns the meaning of service and leadership. Bushido is extracurricular. Whether he behaves like one or not these days is strictly up to him. He need not carry a sword, but I'm of the belief that if a man cannot defend himself, he cannot be considered a warrior. A samurai must be able to serve his lord and those in his charge in as many capacities as he can. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Yes, in many ways. One person I talked to described samurai warriors as a sword cult, embuing reverence in their sacred weapon, the Katana, in a manner unheard of in anywhere else. Little wonder, though, since the Katana is probably the finest of swords, with the most exquisite craftsmanship. For the most dedicated samurai, the ones who felt more in touch with Bushido, everything they did was wrapped in ceremony and ritual, especially where it came to warfare. They could be utterly fearless when they wanted to be, and completely steadfast in their pursuits. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Yes. Films such as The Last Samurai and games like Legend of the Five Rings depict the samurai romanticized by Bushido and tales like the 47 Ronin. The Last Samurai, in particular, was extremely one-sided, favoring the dying samurai culture rather than the new, industrialized culture the Emperor was using to bring Japan into the modern age. What that film didn't tell you was how brutal, how ruthless samurai were, and the sort of oppression they imposed on the peasants they protected. The average Japanese man and woman were glad to see the samurai go, because for 200 years they were utterly unnecessary, and held onto a simpler day and age without firearms, field artillery, and industrialization.
Ryuu_Tenshi 05-09-07, 12:57 PM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 20 What country do you hail from? United States of America What is your occupation/profession? College Student What is your relation to japan if any? I'm an East Asian Studies major; my mother is a theatre professor who focuses on the performance and culture of Asia. I attained shodan in taijutsu (unimpressive, I know. basically I'm a n00b) and both my brother and mother train in that (I... don't know what rank they are. 2nd or 3rd? something?). Finally, I enjoy japanese anime and videogames. I will be studying abroad in Japan in the fall. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? I'm... not sure what you mean by this. To me, they're a social class emerging around the Muromachi (or was it Momoyoma? The period just following the Heian) period in direct response to the increased warfare between the various feudal lords of the time. Differing from the courtiers, they were not as educated or as refined, at least until the Edo period when in many ways they BECAME courtiers. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? The main difference is that the samurai were an entire social class all their own, usually at the very top of the ladder (I think it went nobility > samurai > farmers > artisans > merchants in the Edo period). Today's soldiers are usually not, and in fact disrespected by the populace of their countries of a whole due to the connotations that being a soldier carries. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido is the Way. It is a code of honour and ethics that warriors were to follow. It was something which came out of the samurai culture and represented the ideal samurai. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? In the past? Being a member of the Samurai class, either by being the son of one or named one by another through your occupation. Today... today, I think the romanticism would require one to truly stay to the heart of bushido. Do you think the samurai distinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Again, it was a matter of social status and class, as far as I can tell. Also, a matter of training. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Yes. There's this image of samurai as all noble, heroic warriors... it's very similar to the Western ideals of the cowboy, or the noble knight in shining armor. The idealized samurai always follows Bushido, and is much like the figures chronicles in the Tale of Heike - tragic figures who are fully aware of the Buddhist concept of the impermanence of all existence, made even more poignant by the fleeting nature of their own existence as warriors. The truth is that samurai were basically just high-class, highly trained soldiers, and little else. Some of them really were the noble heroes of legend - just as many were simply men trying to make their way in the world doing what they did best (which happened to be fighting). And some were little more than average thugs. Others were painters or poets, living lives not much different than the Heian courtiers, doing little more than painting and going to theatre. I may have gotten some things wrong... I only just got an in-depth look at this stuff this semester and that was through the lens of an Art History class (it's very interesting how many artists were also samurai, particularly in the Edo period) *edit* Having glanced over other responses, this thread makes me HAPPY. Heck, this FORUM makes me happy :D it's so nice seeing other East Asian scholars (particularly those who know more than me and who can easily correct my somewhat mistaken assumptions about certain things.)
extraordinarilyAverageJoe 05-09-07, 11:42 PM	NOTE: I am fully aware that this forum is frequented by people with a different view on the subject than average Joe Hey. I resent that. :P How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 20 What country do you hail from? USA What is your occupation/profession? student/tutor What is your relation to japan if any? none What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? I'll apologize in advance for this one. It's fairly disorganized, as I was just writing down whatever popped into my head. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by this question, but I'll answer as if it was, "What do you associate with the term, 'Samurai.'" Mostly anime characters, I suppose, but I am aware that these are dramatizations, and not historically accurate. I guess what I essentially think of is the warrior caste of feudal Japan. I doubt if there is an all-encompasing ideal that is "samurai," because I can't imagine the role going unchanged over the years, but I also don't know the subtle particulars from time to time. I just think of the guys with armor that looks like they're wearing a lot of thin rectangles, and sometimes with a mask as a part of the helmet. There is, of course, the swords, which were fairly important, although I also think of archers. As far as the battlefield went, I picture the samurai as heavy cavalry. I also believe that the style of battle tended to concentrate more on opponents fighting each other in a series one on one encounters, as opposed to the unit formation (I don't know what to call it) fighting that is generally recognized as more effective. They were also, supposedly, honorable, though that term could seem tenuous when looking back across years and cultures. Obedience to one's liege lord was very important, as I understand it. I also think of women when I think of samurai, though the female role was, obviously, different from the male's. This I don't know very much at all, but I do understand that they were bound by many of the same codes as they males. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Well, I don't know much at all about either one, as such things inevitably distort in war. I know that rape, pillage, etc. was commonplace in times of war, and modern ethics discourages that sort of thing (in theory, that is), which I see as a good thing. It's hard to use phrases like, "more moral" in these types of questions though. Samurai were apart of a different time and culture, and so I can't really make any difinitive judgements on that count. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? When I think of "bushido," I mostly think of what modern day martial arts instructors will tell people, and how it's about self perfection, or some other such ideal. I know it is generally attributed to the samurai, but I was under the impression that this code came relatively late in Japan's history. I know it was some sort of code, or way of life, though I don't know any of the tenants. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? In the past, I believe it was mainly a matter of birth, though some people could be granted samurai status by a lord. Today I don't know that anyone could really call themselves samurai; the term is much too idealized by the public at large, and there is little need for heavily armored cavalry. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? I believe the main destinguishment of samurai from other warriors was the way that they were expected to behave. I'd guess that they would be better trained, as they would have more time and resources than a farmer called to fight, but this is just conjecture on my part. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Today I believe it is, and I see it mainly as something that comes from a larger subculture of American youth (and possibly other so-called "western" nations) which see Japan as a whole as somehow idealized, or at least better than here. It largely seems to come from interest in anime and manga (or, perhaps the other way around), but in most circles who would think much at all about samurai, I would guess that Japan is somehow seen as "better" than western culture, and Samurai are treated likewise. Samurai are also popular in the movies and on TV, and they always seem to get the "larger than life" roles, so I would say that they are idealized in this way as well.
Mogarth_Warheart 05-14-07, 01:20 AM	* How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 20 * What country do you hail from? USA * What is your occupation/profession? Student * What is your relation to japan if any? none * What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? A Warrior of Feudal Japan * How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Depends on the time period In Edo era japan I would say more about show then actual warfare So high ethics and Moral but pre-Edo in the Time of the Waring States I would say that Moral was high but not as high as Edo era and ethics were low. As of this date id say the Modern US army has higher Moral the San Goku (sp?) period japan and only slightly higher Ethics . * What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido is what you get from warriors who have had to much peace and have gone soft. I see it closely related to Edo era samurai. * What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? No one in the present could be called a samurai. There will never be anymore. In the past Edo era it would be anyone born into it. * Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? No * Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Not particularly . and now that i think about it yes i guess it is due to anime and crappy hollywood movies.
Gerald_Whitecollar 05-18-07, 07:33 PM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 20. What country do you hail from? United Kingdom. What is your occupation/profession? Full-Time Student. What is your relation to japan if any? None. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? Noble-blooded feudal warriors of Japan who followed bushido and fought for their liege lord (if they had one, otherwise they were ronin). How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Although modern soldiers do not follow bushido they are supposed to follow the Geneva Convention, it's all a mix really, although modern soldiers are less honourable it is otherwise hard to compare the two, both try to get the follower to treat their foes decently. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido: The Way of the Warrior, a warrior code which includes the tenets of rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honour, glory, and loyalty, and the terms are supposed to be closely related. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? In the past it required to be of noble blood and the willingness to serve your liege lord combined with martial training, however nowadays they as a class no longer exist but the samurai bloodlines still do. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Yes, because they should have devoted themselves to the tenets of bushido (a bit akin to european knights and chivalry), which other warriors were not obliged to necessarily. Also because they were of noble birth and as such likely were better armed and armoured than non-noble warriors. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Yes, I see Samurai as idealised in popular culture, whether movies, books, anime, roleplaying games (although frankly if there is that much difference it's no longer really a mimic of real life), or other such as immortal and powerful warriors with likely near-superhuman reflexes or some such.
The Edda 06-14-07, 11:06 AM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 18. What country do you hail from? United Kingdom. What is your occupation/profession? Full-time student. What is your relation to japan if any? None. What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? A knight of Japan, ranking high in a feudalistic caste system, dignified and obsessed with honour yet a soldier nonetheless. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? In many ways the ethics of the samurai were not ethical at all. While the modern military uses tactics that try and end conflicts with as little bloodshed as possible -- and even then, quick deaths, not drawn out ones -- samurai would test weapons out on convicted prisoners, hold seiges, and lead very, very bloody battles. (I think?!) What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Bushido is a code of honour that all samurai seek to follow as closely as possible. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? In the past? Probably being born into a samurai family and acting like a samurai. In the present? I'm not really sure...do samurai really exist any more? Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Yes; they were as much cultural leaders as military leaders, and tried to live a controlled and dignified life governed by formal etiquette and social graces. They were not just mercenaries out to kill. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Oh yeah! I think the retrospective view most people hold on samurai today presents them as being far more interested in decorum and order than their historical counterparts. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that they have become as idealised as pirates. ('Discuss' :-D)
aelryinth 06-14-07, 05:31 PM	How old are you (rounded to nearest 5)? 37 What country do you hail from? USA What is your occupation/profession? Student/Teacher What is your relation to japan if any? None What do you put in the term ”Samurai”? The ruling caste of pre-Modern Japan. How do you look upon modern soldiers moral and ethics compared to that of the samurai? Considerably more empathic, humane, and less ruthless, which is typical of evolving moral codes versus all military codes of older times. What do you put in the term ”Bushido”, and do you see this term as closely related to the ”Samurai” term? Like the Chivalric code, a matter of conduct for the warriors of Japan to follow in order to make them more then mere brutes with swords. In essence, a control program put into tradition. What do you think qualifies a person to call himself a Samurai (in the past and/or present)? Birth, or being elevated to such status by a ranking member of that caste. Do you think the samurai destinguished themselves from other warriors in some way, if yes, in what way(s)? Samurai is a caste designation. warriors of the caste were distinguished by their reserved right to wear the daisho, and later by their imposed tradition of adherence to bushido. Do you see the term ”Samurai” as idealized, and if so, how? Many of the realities of the Samurai are glossed over and idealized in the interests of natural pride, as is common with all sorts of military traditions and heroes the world over. ===Aelryinth
narukagami 06-14-07, 05:35 PM	Just so you all know, its June, most Universities have already finished their spring semester and have been done since may. This topic was posted in January. I'm sure its all over with and there is no longer need to answer these questions. EDIT: Nevermind I didn't notice the edited addition to the OP's post.