Samurais

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Samurais
Topic Started: Dec 8 2008, 09:44 PM (35 Views)
Kaze-sasuke	Dec 8 2008, 09:44 PM Post #1
Kira-Zero Posts: 309 Group: Retired Staff Member #85 Joined: February 22, 2008 Gender Female Favorite Anime Death Note, Code Geass, Inuyasha, FMA Favorite Genre Country Anime Currently Watching Detecive Colon Manga Currently Reading Inuyasha Age 16	I looked at the spring sky; it was an early April morning. I shifted my bag so it rested comfortably on my shoulder. I had journeyed far from Mai-Zuru, and was heading to the capital Tokyo. It was my ojiisan’s (grandfather) that I would become a samurai, since my coming of age ceremony, when I changed my name from Chiisai (small) to Dokyou (courage). It’s was his wish that I do this, I can’t deny that I don’t wish it too. Samurais hold a postion of high respect, and so I began my journey. As I passed through a small village, the local samurai or jizamurai told me to stay with him after hearing my tale. It was simple palace, with few spare rooms. Nevertheless, I thanked the stars that that I had a place to lay my head that night. The samurai invited me to take tea with him. I thanked the stars again that my mother had thought it proper to teach me the ceremony. I bathed and changed my kimono for a fresh one. It was too early for me to wear the lighter summer kimono that laid neatly in my bag, but my simple hemp one would do for the moment. As I thrust my sword through my obi, or belt that was wrapped around my waist and tied in the front. I looked at myself in the mirror, simple yet it would have to do; should I ever make it to a samurai, I shall have one of silk. My ojiisan said it took one roll of silk measuring about two feet by 20 yards for one kimono. A female servant escorted me to the small teahouse or chachitsu, it was small but that was to be expected. The windows were of rice paper. The beautiful garden that surrounded it had a small stream following through it, ending in a tiny waterfall and pond. The simple beauty of it told me the samurai was of Shinto. I came to believe that the entire village was Shinto, since I had seen a Shino temple with a prayer tree on my way here. Cha no yu, or tea ceremony was begun just a few years before and wasn’t openly available to one of my ojiisan’s class, but as I had to learn the proper ceremony I had tasted it before. The samurai requested that I eave my sword outside, I removed it from my obi; I did not wish to offend him, though the blade was precious to me. As he served kaiseki, or light meal, he asked me about my journey. I noticed the meal was pleasing to eye as well as palate. I was unsure where to begin. We exited the room after we ate, to allow the women to set the tea, he handled my sword with care, but as he tried to remove it, the sword appeared stuck in its case. “Your sword is rusted, boy. You must care for your weapons.” He told me. I smiled. “The koto is not mine. It’s is my father’s” I replied. “And way do you carry it?” He asked, clearly wondering why my father should take leave of it. “My father has been dead these last ten years. I brought it in hopes that it might help become a samurai.” I explained. From my face, I look younger then my eighteen years, but I believe my host known my true age. After we were served Koicha, the formal bitter tea, my host told me that way of the samurai. “Justice, Courage, Mercy, Politeness, Honesty and Sincerity, Honor, Loyalty, Character and Self-Control. Those are the eight virtues, boy.” He told me. I made a quiet oath to hold them close to my heart. “The code demands loyalty, devotion and honor to death. Should a samurai lose his honor, he may regain it by seppuku (ritual suicide).” I wasn’t shocked to find that was the only way, after all, I was all too familiar with my father’s death. The women served the usucha, a thinner form of tea. As it was still too early for the shallower summer bowls, we used the deeper winter ones. The design was of blue dragons, simple as the rest of the samurai’s house. After discussing much more about the samurai way, my host finally noticed my hopefully concealed yawns, and dismissed me. I gratefully fell asleep after a long day of walking. I had already told my host that I’d be leaving at first light; I wished to get to Tokyo before I changed to my summer kimono. Though he was sorry to see me depart so soon, he wished me much luck, and even placed a prayer on the tree at the Shinto temple for me. After many days of traveling, I made my way to Tokyo. Looking back on before my fourteenth year, I remember my ojiisan telling me to follow the Samurai Creed. How I surprised my master-to-be when I repeated it from heart. I knelt before him, forehead touching the floor as I recited it. My voice was soft, but I never faltered. “I have no parents; I make Heavens and the earth my parents. I have no home; I make Tan T’ien my home. I have no divine power; I make honesty my Divine Power. I have no means; I make Docility my means. I have no magic power; I make personality my Magic Power. I have neither life nor death; I make A Um my Life and Death. I have no body; I make Stoicism my Body. I have no eyes; I make Flash of Lighting my Eyes. I have no ears; I make Sensibility my Ears. I have no limbs; I make promptitude my Limbs. I have no laws; I make self-Protection my Law. I have no strategy; I make the Right to Kill and the Right to Restore Life my Strategy. I have no designs; I make Seizing the Opportunity by the Forelock my Designs. I have no miracles; I make Righteous Laws my Miracle. I have no principles; I make Adaptability to all circumstances my Principle. I have no tactics; I make Emptiness and Fullness my Tactics. I have no talent; I make Ready Wit my Talent. I have no friends; I make my Mind my Friend. I have no enemies; I make Incautiousness my Enemy. I have no armor; I make Benevolence my Armor. I have no castle; I make Immovable Mind my Castle. I have no sword; I make No Mind my sword.” After the long creed was recitied correctly, they placed me through other training. I learned to use a katana (sword), bow and arrows, as will as yaris (spears) and naginatas (halberds). After learning this, I was placed under a lord. I once had the honor of watching how my katana was made. It was done by a skilled swordsmith. The process itself is long and tiring, but produces such wonderful results. That's part of the paper I'm writing for art history. I'll post the rest later.



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