Transcript Samurai - Devine Consult

SAMURAI
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 It
was during the
Kamakura period
that the warrior
class began to rule
in Japan.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
The
Shogun was
the ruler and he
enforced law
through the
power of The
Samurai.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 About
10% of the
population at this
time were from the
warrior class.
 Yet, most of the
population were
farmers.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 Samurai
would
serve the Shogun
in return for land
or other rewards.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
Yet,
some
Samurai were
masterless and
were known as
“Ronin”.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI

A masterless Samurai
was generally
considered to be a
shameful eventuality,
yet some of them
focussed on their
swordsmanship
rather than on service
within a feudal
hierarchy.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 The
Ronin were an
anathema in a feudal
system as they were
largely uncontrollable
as they owed no duty
to a master.
 They were said to be
chief adversaries of
the status quo.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 The
Samurai were expected to:
a) Show a good example
b) Live by Buddhist teachings
c) Follow Confucian ways of life
d) Protect the feudal lord from
enemies
e) Live by Bushido
f) Serve their masters
g) Commit seppuku on their
master’s death.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 Samurai’s
only fought
equals or those of equal
military rank or
worthiness.
 Often they called out
their names before
battle.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 The
Samurai were
especially key during
the invasions from the
Mongols in the 13th
century, although they
were assisted by the
Kamikaze or “divine
winds” in forcing the
Mongol retreat.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
Samurai were rewarded
for their military efforts
and some became very
wealthy and powerful.
 One of the traditions of
warrior life included
seppuku or ritual suicide.

© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
It
was also known as
“hari kari” or cutting
the stomach.
The stomach was
thought to be the place
the spirit resided.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
Seppuku
was a form
of ritual purification
and a way to save
one’s honour or
accept responsibility
for a major error.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 Upon
a Samurai’s
death, the women of
his household were
also expected to
commit “Ojigi” a
form of seppuku
where a knife was
thrust through the
throat.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI

As the Tokugawa
period progressed the
Samurai’s role
changed from pure
warrior to
governmental
administrator and
hence they developed
a power that made
them indispensible.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
However,
they still
retained a power to
assassinate any
commoner who
showed them
disrespect.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
It
was finally in
Emperor Meiji’s
Restoration period
when the right to
be an exclusive
armed force was
removed.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 They
were
replaced by a
western-style
army of
conscripted
members in
1873.
© Karen Devine 2013
SAMURAI
 The
Samurai could no
longer wear katana
publically and lost the
right to execute
commoners who
showed them
disrespect.
© Karen Devine 2013
PAUSE POINT
• Watch this film on
The Samurai.
© Karen Devine 2013
QUESTION TIME
• Are there
modern day
Samurai?
© Karen Devine 2013