The Way of the Warrior Bushido - 1198 Words

Introduction The term ‘Bushido’ has over the years developed from the traditional translation of ‘the Way of the Warrior’ towards the more modern notion of a â€Å"national spirit of Japan, especially the military spirit.† This paper will analyse the impacts that various religious traditions such as Shintoism, Buddhism and Confucianism have had on shaping the classical ideals of the bushido code and the influences that the bushido code played on the actions of the kamikaze fighter pilots during World War II. Impacts of Confucianism on Bushido Confucianism’s major impacts on the bushido code have come from its ethical teachings, primarily those from the Five Relations. Historians suggest that Confucianism was introduced into Japan via merchants who travelled across the East China Sea from neighbouring Korea and China as early as the 4th century AD. If this view is accepted it would make Confucianism one of the earliest foreign religions introduced into Japan thus playing an imperative role in shaping Japanese ideology. The Five Relations sets out the appropriate behaviour one must show to his superiors. This includes: that a vassal must show his master loyalty, a child must show his parent respect, a wife must show her husband affection, a younger sibling must show his older sibling precedence and friends should treat each other with honesty. The teachings of the Five Relations can be witnessed in many aspects of the bushido code. One example is the Lord-Vassal andShow MoreRelated The Samurai and the Bushido Code Essay1016 Words   |  5 Pages The samurai were à ©lite warriors in Japan during the 1200’s to the early 1700’s. Fifth century Japan saw conflicts with Korea and China, but Japan had a very untrained army, with a clumsy Calvary, and poor infantry men (Blumberg 1). 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