Demonstração no Dia do Samurai (24/abr/2006)
Samurai
The History of the Samurai
By Niten ADM
Honor. Justice. Perfection. Loyalty.
Those are some words associated to the Samurais, the warrior class of feudal Japan whose influence can still be perceived in the way of living and thinking of the Japanese people.
The samurai emerged as a social class during Japan's feudal period and dominated
The Modern Samurai are those who, in modern times, apply the BUSHIDO and practice the arts of the sword.
the country for almost
eight centuries (from the eighth to the ninth century C.E.). To be a samurai was to have grate social prestige, since the warrior class occupied the highest posts in the Nipponic military dictatorship, called the Shogunate or Bakufu.
At first, the samurai's function was only collecting taxes and serving the Empire. But, from the tenth century onward, the figure of the samurai started to take shape, as they began accumulating several military functions, reaching its apex in the 17th century.
We call the martial styles created by the samurai
Kobudo (古武道).. It was by means of the practice of these styles that the samurai perfected their technique, strengthened their spirit, and aimed at their self-improvement through the cultivation of discipline and self-control. But what mede those warriors unique was their famous code of honor and conduct: the
Bushido. In addition to the philosophy assimilated by the samurai, Bushido had precepts for the correct behavior when facing all kinds of situations.
"The One who serves"
Samurai (kanji: 侍) means literally "one who serves", a legacy from when they were directly subordinated to the Emperor. Another term often used to refer to the samurai is Bushi (武士), which means "warrior." This term is the root of the word Bushido (武士道), or "the Way of the Warrior".The last Samurai
In 1868, the Meiji Restoration abolished the samurai class and established a national army in the western style. Even with those reforms, the samurai didn't let their traditions die. The sword arts created during the feudal period kept being cultivated and transmitted from generation to generation, up to the present days. The Bushido code survived in its purest form inside the Kobudo dojo.
Nowadays, the arts of the ancient samurai are practiced with the objective of helping people overcome obstacles in their everyday lives and acquire tranquility, self-control, discipline, and self-confidence.
Therefore, the
Modern Samurai are those who, in modern times, apply the Bushido's philosophy and practice the arts of the sword, keeping alive a 800 years old tradition.