CONTENTS
The Way of the Samurai
Honour and Face
Courtesy and Etiquette
Schools, Styles, Masters and Disciples
THE WAY OF THE SAMURAI
The Seven Tenets of Bushidou – the Way of the Samurai – are the simplest answers to the question of ‘What is honour?’. These tenets were set down in the first days of the Empire by the First Lord of the Pine Clan, Song Shu Arai. They define and distinguish a samurai from a commoner; a samurai can always be told by his behaviour.
Yuki (Courage, Valour) – A samurai must have strength of heart to take risks in service of Lord and Clan. It is not the absence of fear, but the standing above the emotion of fear and continuing regardless.
Jin (Compassion, Benevolence) – The wisest samurai understand that mercy is fundamental to the Order of Heaven. A samurai who spares the life of an enemy proves himself better.
Gi (Honesty, Rectitude) - Truth and right action are demanded of a samurai. Those that lead a good, honourable life and carry an enlightened soul have nothing to fear from the truth.
Rei (Courtesy, Etiquette) – Samurai maintain their strength of arms, but it must be understood that respect has its place, and the Empire would dissolve in chaos without courtesy and respect.
Makoto (Sincerity, Truth) – Word and action must coincide for a samurai to express sincerity. A samurai’s word is the cornerstone of his honour, and must be inviolate.
Chugi (Duty, Loyalty) – All have a purpose to recognise and fulfil as their duty. Even the Emperor has duties before the might of Heaven, and samurai must follow his example.
Meiyo (Honour) – This is the binding force that defines all samurai, the virtue that sets them above common men. Honour cannot be truly defined, but those with honour will understand it.
HONOUR AND FACE
To a samurai, honour is all. The honour of oneself, the honour of one’s clan and lord, the honour of the Emperor and the Empire are all. To dishonour oneself or one’s clan is unthinkable. Should one dishonour oneself, intentionally or otherwise, one asks one’s Lord how they may restore their honour. Their Lord considers the case, and sets tasks, pilgrimages, or obligations that the dishonoured samurai must fulfill to restore their honour. If there is no task that they could carry out to restore their honour, the Lord will ask them to commit seppuku – ritual suicide. It is the ultimate admission of guilt and shame, and while it may not restore the honour of the samurai themself, it expiates the dishonour of their clan, lord, and family, and saves them from being tainted by the dishonour. Committing seppuku without the permission of one’s Lord is the ultimate protest against the Lord’s actions, for it implies that the samurai cannot stand to serve their Lord any longer, and implicates them in their own shame.
The ritual involves long prayers of purification, after which the samurai kneels, and slices his abdomen with his wakizashi (short sword). Should they do it well, without crying out, their second will strike off their head with a single stroke; if they do not, they are left to bleed to death in shame. Being a second is without doubt one of the most honourable tasks a samurai can carry out; it implies that the samurai requested as second has honour, respect for honour, and is trustworthy.
Despite emphasis on truth in laws and texts, appearance has been more commonly been valued. Face, or respectability, must be maintained. One’s status is based on one’s appearance to the right people; an honourable, capable samurai with a stutter will lose face, whilst a dishonourable lout will maintain his face if he keeps proper appearance. Those who have reputations as duellists or debaters are seldom challenged.
Honour challenges – duels – are carefully regulated. This is in order to minimise feuds from duels; aggrieved relatives are less likely to declare feuds if they know the duel was fairly carried out. A duel must be monitored by the town’s Imperial Magistrate, at the outskirts of town, with a shugenja and/or doctor present. Seconds from the combatants’ clans are generally present. Either party may use a champion without dishonour.
COURTESY AND ETIQUETTE
Courtesy and etiquette is very important in the Empire. This includes bowing and respectful address.
Bowing is the most common courtesy. Bows are made with hands straight at the sides or placed together on the thighs. The deeper the bow, the more respect is being shown; the highest courtesy (to a Provincial Lord, for example) is to kneel on the ground/floor, hands together in front of the knees, and bow until the forehead touches the hands.
Respectful address is important. There are several suffixes used to various stations:
-san – to a person of equal or lower rank to oneself.
-sama – to a person of higher rank than oneself.
-kun/-chan – to a boy/girl. To use these to a grown person indicates either familial relationship or disrespects their station as an adult.
-laoshi – to a teacher or master (of an art).
-shiji – to a senior student (of an art).
If the addressee is a person you know, you may address them by their last name, or their last and first name, with appropriate suffix; eg., “Kentou-san” or “Kentou Yama-san”. Using only first names is extremely intimate, used only by immediate family, or with permission. If the addressee is a person who you do not know, but is wearing a mon, you may address them by their Clan name, with appropriate suffix; eg., “Lantern-san”. Addressing a person by their position is common, and shows respect for the role they are playing; eg. “Magistrate-san”. If the addressee is not wearing a mon, but has swords, they can be addressed as a ronin samurai; eg., “samurai-san”. It is impolite and disrespectful to address a person with no suffix, though addressing commoners as such is normal. When referring to a person in informal conversation, it is allowable to omit the suffix; including it shows particular respect. Formal conversation requires suffixes at all times.
There are many details of etiquette, everything from how to correctly drink and serve tea, to how to compose a letter, to the fact that a sword is never drawn without intent or willingness to kill, but the most important factor to all interactions in the Empire is politeness.
SCHOOLS, STYLES, MASTERS AND DISCIPLES
The school that a samurai learns their art at is very important throughout their life; if not actually at their home, or with their Clan, the school becomes a second home, which they return to for further learning. Within a school, there may be more than one style taught; several common styles have propagated across the Empire, though some schools are extremely exclusive and picky in their choice of students.
The master of a school and a style teaches three levels of students: students, disciples, and the lineage disciple. Students undertake the basic level of learning; the forms are taught, and the student is expected to carry the style with honour. Higher up is the disciple, who learns the style in comprehensive detail; they are the best students of the school, and expected to carry not only the honour of the school, but pass it to others once they have learned fully. The highest of the students is the lineage disciple, who not only learns the style, but fully internalises and masters it, both form and intent; there is only one of these for each school style, and once their master passes on, they are the next to carry the honour and the full understanding of the school.
Common Styles
Bushi - Twin Dragons, Wu-Yi, Harmonious Blades, Niten Ichi Ryu, The Eight Qualities, Black Tiger’s Roar, Huo Jin, Twelve Dragon Claws
Shugenja - Five Animals, Seven Temples, Heaven’s Hands, Phoenix Ascendant, Tu Tian, Red Lanterns, Spring and Autumn, Chang Ming
Courtier - White Crane, Yin and Yang, Five Plum Flowers, Mu Shui, Swaying Bamboo, The Dragon’s Well, Green Peak, Pine in Mist
