Male prostitutes, or kagema, helped relieve the sexual tension built up within the samurai. The kagame looked theatrical performers who normally took part in kabuki plays due to their heavy use of makeup and feminine appearance. There are cases of Noh performers resorting to prostitution after a show in order to please an important person. The substantial difference between the samurai’s relationship with a chigo and a kagema is that the kagema system was “based on gender differentiation” as “the beauty of the kagema, namely, was compared to that of a courtesan: it trespassed on heterosexual ground. (Furukawa Makoto 3)” Even though it crossed into heterosexual territory, kagema were not actively sought out and prosecuted for their acts until …show more content…
This is due in part to their punctilious behavior in following military demands. “Duty and loyalty are thus highly regarded. (Furukawa Makoto 3)” Commanders wanted the samurai to form deep connections with one another, obey authority indefinitely, and keep up a masculine figure. Whereas chigo in terms of a monk and a child refers to a young boy, the definition of a chigo with a samurai slightly changes. A chigo who is with a samurai means “beautiful youth”, who has a certain type of beauty that only a man and a samurai can obtain. Normally, the chigo would dress up like a female in order to soothe their dominants need for heterosexual attention. Much like the chigo of the monks, they would apply makeup to their face, blacken their teeth, style their hair more feminine, and wear colorful robes in order to look like a woman. This practice, in contrast to the monk’s version of chigo, was not to just appease their sexual desire. Politically, the samurai looked better walking with a “woman” at their side as opposed to a boy in the eyes of foreign visitors. As seen in They Came To Japan, a Spanish observer points out that “they …show more content…
“Kills with bow and arrows was much more valued than courtly arts such as composing waka poems and playing music. (Sachi Schmidt-Hori 90)” Hypermasculinity was a major issue before the creation of Bushido as every man was expected to fit a certain standard of physical strength and kill potential. In the land of Yamato, the stronger the samurai was and the more threatening he looked, the more likely he would be hired. This is also true for the literature produced during the early period of Japan. Authors exaggerated the image of a samurai in this time period to make them seem more honorable and masculine. In reality, they were farmers, artisans, and common folk. It was not until after the Genpei war that samurai began to become a integral part of society. At first they were hired mercenaries, then a hired army, and then the warriors made known by writers standards, such as seen in the Tale of the Heike. With homosexuality, samurai were always the dominant in the relationship. Even though homosexuality was not looked down upon, if a samurai submits himself to a person who is more feminine than him, then he is demoralizing and shaming his samurai
Musui 's Story is a samurai 's autobiography that portrays the Tokugawa society as it was lived during Katsu Kokichi 's life (1802 - 1850). Katsu Kokichi (or Musui) was a man born into a family with hereditary privilege of audience with the shogun, yet he lived a life unworthy of a samurai 's way, running protection racket, cheating, stealing, and lying. Before we discuss how Musui 's lifestyle was against the codes that regulated the behavior of the samurai, it is essential that the role of the samurai in Japanese society be understood.
In medieval Europe and Japan there were warriors called samurai and knights that protected their region (Doc. 1). The samurai fought in Japan and knights fought in Europe (Doc. 1). Knights were famous for riding on horseback but the samurai would ride too (Doc.1). Samurai were mainly famous for their karate skills and acrobatic moves (Doc. C). One key characteristic for both the samurai and knights was that they were both loyal (Doc. E). They had to be because they played a big part in feudalism (Doc. A). Both warriors had a code that they abided (Doc. E). Bushido was the code for the samurai and Chivalry for the knights (Doc. E). The samurai and knights were great warriors who fought from 1000 AD to 1600 CE an their similarities are greater than their differences.
This explains that the Samurai devoted his life to his lord and served him whole-heartedly. This also shows that he had respect for all people superior than him.
First of all, the samurais and knights were similar in the area of social position. As shown in Document A, samurais and knights were similar in status and rank in the middle of the social pyramid.” As seen in Document A, “They both showed loyalty to their lords.” A difference is that the samurai were hereditary while
In, document D - The Way of the Samurai, 1600’s: it talks about the code of Bushido and Chivalry. It says (paragraph 1) “ Outwardly he stands in physical readiness for any call to service in inwardly he strives to fulfill the Way….” this shows just how honorable a samurai could be. In Europe it was just the same (paragraph 2) it states “give mercy in those who ask for it” These similarities are significant because loyalty between the two, shows how much they trust each other. Without this trust and loyalty , these countries would be
In this day and age, people tend to avoid being different. Fitting in with the status quo when it comes to physical attractiveness is considered the proper thing to do, yet in The Samurai’s Garden, the characters show their beauty in a unique way. Due to their circumstances, Sachi, a once beautiful member of a leper colony, Stephen, a young Chinese student diagnosed with tuberculosis and Matsu, a quiet man who chooses to live in near seclusion, are all regarded as outcasts. However, these challenges give them a chance to grow and mature into truly beautiful people, especially on the inside. Through unveiling Matsu and Sachi’s distinct personalities, Stephen discovers another dimension to beauty; through this, Tsukiyama conveys that the most
The codes of the samurai and knights, the code of bushido and the code of chivalry, are very different. For starters, the main characteristics of the code of bushido are loyalty, duty, and physical readiness. A samurai would have to have loyalty and he was devoting himself to duty (OI). Next, The main characteristic of the code of chivalry is courtesy (Doc. E). The code of chivalry was written first, and the difference in years between the codes are 130 years. If a conflict between dealing with a family problem and one involving involving the people he serves, the samurai would have to choose his master (Doc. E). The main similarities between them are loyalty and their duty.
Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today
According to the Samurai House Rules, the samurai had to “study the art of poetry.” They might say this didn’t affect the people in Feudal Japan because the samurai knowing poetry has nothing to do with the other people in Japan. Although true, the samurai affected culture in other ways. In the Samurai House Rules the samurai had to do their hair and get ready as soon as they wake up. This might affect the other people because they would always see the samurai ready. They might think that’s how the samurai look all the time. The samurai must always look
One of the most difficult aspects of any given historiography, is in the distinction between the ideals of a society, and that of actuality. While sources may represent the specifics that people may have aspired to, in everyday life, things would naturally become more complicated. Of particular note of this can be seen when dealing with the societal expectations of gender. Throughout the selected passages, about homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan, the personal writings of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and excerpts from Song Ruozhao’s Analectics for Women, it can be seen that although each society had its own concepts of gender, once can see that the actual implementation did not always run parallel.
Influenced by China, Japan in the Heian period was a time of literature and writing development, but this time also marked the successful rise of the warrior class. The samurai, aristocratic fighters meaning “those who serve,” were the primary mediums of conflict by the end of the 12th century (Editors of Time-Life Books, 9). The official establishment of a military government in Japan began with the
While ongoing change became the status quo in late-Tokugawa era Japan the ideals of the samurai—and the respect they receive—endured. And, because samurai could still fall back on the prestige their class represented, members of society still
The samurai were the feudal warriors of ancient Japan. For thousands of years they upheld the code of bushido, the way of the warrior. Samurai were around for thousands of years, but when did they disappear? Does the code of bushido still exist to this day? Exploring the history of the samurai will give an explanation to what has happened to these formidable warriors.
Yuzan Daidoji, Oscar Ratti, and Thomas Cleary. The Code of the Samurai. Boston: Tuttle, 1999. 10-44.
It is no secret that for centuries, the Japanese woman has been, to most observers, a model of elegance and graceful beauty. A picture of a kimono-clad, modest, and often silent woman has been plastered everywhere, allowing for the upmost passive subjection. If we look deeper into this image of woman, can we tell if this picture is complete? How do these women painted in representative images far in the modern world? The ideal woman in Japan is expected to be both a good wife, and a wise mother. Though these seem like reasonable expectations, there is a much deeper meaning to them that has shown signs of being outdated. During the 1800’s and 1900’s, women were subjected to society’s vision of them, and could not break free for fear of the