Samurai Rules For Life | The Way of The Warrior - Bushido (Samurai Quotes)

Who was Miyamoto Musashi?    Miyamoto Musashi, original name Miyamoto Masana, artistic name Niten, (born 1584, Mimasaka or Harima, Japan—died June 13, 1645, Higo), famous Japanese soldier-artist of the early Edo (Tokugawa) period (1603–1867).  Musashi began his career as a fighter early in life when, at age 13, he killed a man in single combat. In 1600 he was on the losing side of the Battle of Sekigahara (which paved the way for establishing the Tokugawa shogunate), becoming one of the rōnin (masterless samurai). In time he set out on a personal quest to develop perfect sword technique. He invented the nitō ichi-ryū, the style of fencing with two swords, and is often referred to today as kensai (‘‘sword saint’’). Musashi claimed to have fought in more than 60 individual sword fights, many of which were to the death and all of which he won. (brittanica.com) What is Bushido? (bu·shi·do/ˈbo͞oSHēˌdō/, Japanese: “Way of the Warrior”)  The Bushido code of conduct, closely tied to Samurai culture, played an important role in the expansion of Asian art, Japanese values, and many important traditions like tea ceremonies and the art of samurai sword-making. An unwritten code of chivalrous behavior, Bushido later became the basis for the teaching of ethics in Japan, with principles that still remain relevant today. Below, our editors explore the history of the Bushido, or Samurai code, along with modern interpretations of how the code can be applied to everyday life. Bushido is a code of conduct that emerged in Japan from the Samurai, or Japanese warriors, who spread their ideals throughout society. They drew inspiration from Confucianism, which is a relatively conservative philosophy and system of beliefs that places a great deal of importance on loyalty and duty. The Bushido code contains eight key principles or virtues that warriors were expected to uphold.